Custom Baits - Forum

Jigs, Spinnerbaits and Sinkers => Spinnerbaits => Topic started by: LennynSquiggy on 04/04/23 00:33 UTC

Title: Wire sizes
Post by: LennynSquiggy on 04/04/23 00:33 UTC

How important is it to stick to the recommended wire size for spinner and buzz baits? I have these 4 molds:

https://store.do-itmolds.com/Crappie-Spinner-JigbrSz-116-18brHk-455brCollar-Holder_p_954.html

https://store.do-itmolds.com/Bullet-Spinner-Jigbr18-14-38-12_p_941.html

https://store.do-itmolds.com/Buzz-Spin-LurebrSz-18-14brHk-253-or-L255brCollar-Ball_p_945.html

https://store.do-itmolds.com/Buzz-Spin-LurebrSz-38-12brHk-253-or-L255brCollar-Ball_p_946.html

Five different wire sizes are recommended and Do-It doesn't carry them all which brings up a follow up question. Where is a good place to buy all of those wire sizes at an economical cost? (.029, .032, .035, .040 and .045)

Title: Re: Wire sizes
Post by: bigjim5589 on 04/04/23 09:31 UTC

I generally stay with the recommended wire, .029 for the Crappie Spinner, but for any other spinnerbait molds, I use what I can find, which is generally .035 to .040 diameter depending on the weight. I use various hooks for that mold, and rarely the one Do It recommends.

I also use .040 to .045 for buzzbaits.

Give hagensfish.com a try. They have several different wires available and will make them for you in custom sizes, but you have to buy a lot of wires.  Otherwise, I've bought some from Ebay sellers and the typical sources such as lurepartsonline, Barlow's Tackle, Jann's Netcraft, Rock Island Sports, and Zeiner's Tackle. 

For most of the Do It molds, a slight diameter difference doesn't affect the lure much, and they'll still fit in the mold. For example, if you used .028 or .030 diameter wire in the Crappie Spinner mold, it's not going to make much difference. I have made some 1/8 oz spinnerbaits with that mold, using wires that are .030 and longer than the wire Do It recommends, and that still works. Keep in mind that a longer, but slightly thicker wire can still have about the same vibration, when using the same blades.  As long as you don't over weight the hardware, they'll still balance and run true, so there's all kinds of things that can be done as far as wire configurations. 

Title: Re: Wire sizes
Post by: LennynSquiggy on 04/05/23 12:02 UTC

Thanks Bigjim, Hagensfish has every size except .029 and I think I can probably get away with substituting .030 but I think I'd rather use the .029 if I can find it somewhere.

Title: Re: Wire sizes
Post by: bigjim5589 on 04/06/23 10:32 UTC

Zeiner's Tackle has the .029 wire forms listed on their website. https://www.zeiners.com/doit/spinnerjigforms.html

Title: Re: Wire sizes
Post by: LennynSquiggy on 04/07/23 15:17 UTC

Thanks again. :)

Title: Re: Wire sizes
Post by: efishnc on 04/08/23 08:32 UTC

I modified my various bass spinner molds to all use the same wire... this was partly to minimize my overall components and also partly to strengthen these baits to hold up against the pike I sometimes encounter when using them. 

Title: Re: Wire sizes
Post by: LennynSquiggy on 04/08/23 22:32 UTC

Quote from: efishnc on 04/08/23 08:32 UTC

I modified my various bass spinner molds to all use the same wire... this was partly to minimize my overall components and also partly to strengthen these baits to hold up against the pike I sometimes encounter when using them.

/nods sagely

Title: Re: Wire sizes
Post by: Lines on 04/10/23 13:02 UTC

https://rockislandsportsgov.com/rock-island-spinnerbait-wire-forms/