This has been roaming around in the gray matter for some time so I finally got the mold and sat down to play. This was done using the multi sized Ultra Head mold's smallest cavity, the 1/8.
First I mixed up some High Temp JB Weld and filled in the collar area of the two sides. Once hardened and finished flat I laid a Do-It #2 Wacky hook in the mold where I wanted it to ride and closed the mold hand tight and gave each side a couple raps with a hammer to mark the hook location. I cut the new hook eye cavity and shank area using a Dremel on both sides of the mold. Next I laid a wire keeper in place and did the hammer routine again.
Here's the finished product.
I have several molds converted to use this wacky hook but they're all smaller heads using the #6 hook. I wanted a slightly larger hook for when I work rock rip-rap from the boat for walleyes and smallies. I'm pretty sure this one will fit the bill using a 2 1/2" Thump-It, my favorite rip-rap bait to this point. My next project will be with this same mold but using a wide gap, flat eye worm hook in lieu of the Wacky Hook in larger cavities.
The eye-forward Wacky hook makes just about any jig a super swimming type jig and I'm hoping this one will play nice when bounced down rip rap.
The mold casts very easy. The heads dress up nicely with air brush paint but lose some of the detail to powder coats.
