Lightioe Each type of plug seems to have one operation that appears more difficult than all others. in. surface plugs which have Gibbs-type lips ‘or similar heads, the most challenging operation is marking and cutting the hhead and |i angles. The solution “io the _marking problem is quite ‘simple, To mare Identical lip patterns on dowels ot Similar diameter, merely make a jig and use it as an outline, 1. Experiment with plugs until you are {atisfied one of them is exactly what {s desired. Take this model plug to the local drug store. From its stock of different blastic pill bottles, select which "is slightly larger in diameter than the plug. 2. Remove the cap and make a small notch in the rim. Use a file or a few light strokes of a hacksaw. It is not ecessary to cut this notch too deap, 2 sixteenth of an inch is sufficient. . Insert the model plug into bottle until the Bottom hook touches the rim. Rotate until it into the notch. 4. The plug is easily visible. Mark the Outline of the lip pattern or head ‘on the outside of the bottle, Scribe this with a sharp-pointed tool. The outline Can be marked with a pencil but may Tub off in handling. 5. Carefully cut on the scribed lines, using a fine-toothed hacksaw, re, Moving the bottom of the pill tottio. and the excess plastic sides. 6. Finish by rubbing with fine abrasive aper. Make a separate jig for each plug of a different diameter or different lip angle, To use the jig, merely insert the Proper diameter dowel into the cap end of the jig until it meets the edge of the lip. Following the outline of the with a pencil, mark the full course, Also at this time, pencil a mark at the his will servo as the ottom hook hanger. After using a jig, replace the cap to protect the rim to keep it round and to make storage easy There does not appear to be any gasy way to cut the lip angles using hand tools. if specialized maching tools are not available, a good eye and 8 steady hand with a fine-toothed back saw or hacksaw will do a satisfactory job. Carefully cut just outside the Pencilled outline and file to remove % rere werse ight Poppers by Jack "The Professor” Frechany excesS wood. Sometimes fishermen new to plug-making do not look closely at the plugs they copy. They may look at a plug but fail to see the small things which make it different. Specifically, ‘many commercial plugs have extreme- ly slight concavities in the upper and, at times, the lower portion of the lip. In small plugs, this shaping often Goes unnoticed. ‘Concavities of this nature are easily cut with a sandpaper cylinder head fastened in a small power drill or a drill press. The shallower the concavity needed, the larger the diameter of the sanding drum which must be used. The deeper the concavity, the smaller the diameter. ‘lamp the drill ina vise. Turn it on and carefully, ever 90 carefully, press the properly positioned lip against tl rotating drum. The plugmaker is well advised to practice this operation on ‘scrap pieces until the necessary skill Is developed to do the job correctly. PLANS These plugs are direct copies of two particular sizes of the Gibbs popper. The only differences involved have to do with the wood used and the weight. | used the clearest, lightest white pine and no weight except two hooks, a treble in the gut and a Siwash sparsely dressed with polar bear hair on the tail. This wood has a high flotation factor: the lack of artificial weight permits the finished plug to float extremely high on the water. With lure speeds used at night in north shore waters, these plugs are almost impossible to sink, These high riders are most ‘tfective, particularly on those quiet, flat, calm nights when nothing except the gnats are stirring. They don't cast worth a damn but they do take fish and, at times, surprisingly large ones. No ‘monsters, but | have taken a number of thirty-pounders with the three-inch model. Fish taken under these circumstances are most often tempted to hit almost directly under the fisherman's nose. Before describing the retrieve most effective with these plugs, | must stress that they are light tackle plugs. My preference is elght-pound test mono and the lightest of practical drags. Put a tight drag on these plugs and POOF! the light wire hooks are gone. The most successful retrieve for me has been half the speed of the slowest speed that seems practical Listen to that once more! When you think the retrieve is too slow, cut it in half and you will often be “right on.” At this speed make two complete revolutions of the left hand. Stop the reel. Not a difficult thing to do at this speed. Twitch or sharply lift the rod tip. This on a calm quiet night makes un audible PLOP! How or why, I'm ‘not sure because the tip movement is ‘ot great, Possibly the fact is that the impossibiy slow retreive permits the thin mono to work or sink below the ‘surface and the sharp though short tip, movement causes the plug to dip sharply into the surface. | have noted that plugs with both hooks and normal weighting will not work in this same manner, ‘Don’t move the plug after the PLOP! Pormit it to lay motionless. If there is an interested fish about, the hit often comes with the next stirring of the plug. ‘Another tip: when stalking striped bass under these conditons keep moving. None of this standing on one rock continually casting through an entire tide. Fish the entire tide but cover territory. Take a position on dry land at the edge of the water. Make three or more casts following a tan-type pattern. No action! sneakily wade out fifteen to twenty feet and fepeat the casts. Change plug types land repeat the fan. No fish! get out quietly. Walk down the beach fifty to sixty feet and start all over again. Never but never put one foot into the water until a few exploratory casts have been made—even if you think the water is too shallow to hold a fish! ‘Once you learn your north shore beaches you will find that many of ‘them change but little throughout the season, Locate the holes in the mussel beds, which rocks have swept hole next to them, or where the shallow channels wander. Your fishing can well become the most challenging of hunting experiences. ‘There is only one serious drawback to this Kind of fishing for the great majority of fishermen. It is a one-man Job, especially if the fisherman is production-oriented and wants to take the maximum number of fish. The hhunter-fisherman must act like a real oner—no talk, no light (even smokes. are out for me), no hard soles or metal ‘oreepers, no sudden movements, no nothing" but stealth! The most challenging of experiences and, once the season Is in full swing, a promise of real action every night—but you wal am every Bit OF NY) AD TIME FOR TROUT (Continued from page 8.) do some scouting. This will enable you to gain familiarity with your choice so the valuable “searching time. is eliminated come the dark, pre-dawn hours of opening day. | hope that the waters listed here have given you a broad enough selection, and | also hope that luck will be with you wherever you decide to wet a ling come opening day VA FUJI SPEED SLIP-ON GUIDES Fuji Hard Speed Slip-On Guides are designed to build a rod without the time-consuming chore ‘of wrapping. Once the guide is selected for proper interior ring diameter and its correct place- ment on the blank, a slight pressured downward stroke places all of the required guides Feady for instant fishing The inner ring is made of a diamond polished aluminum oxide—a material so hard, it takes the teeth off afile. A plastic shock absorber protects this inner ring from damage and a plastic frame secures it to the rod. Line wear Is greatly reduced. Repairs are painless and inex- pensive. No need to return the fod...no need for re-wrapping. Simply buy a new guide, slip it fon...and you're back in business. Fuji Slip-On Guides are available in casting and spinning models. CLUB NEWS GUN SITE RIFLE & PISTOL CLUB ‘OPEN FOR MEMBERSHIP ‘The GSRAPC is looking for men ‘who are interested in shotgun, large bore small bore and pistol ‘target shooting. The clubalso offers hunting and social activities. (NRA. affliates.) For more information contact any of the following: Ed AN-5-3761; Tom 586-6591; Hank 642-0108, ”