Whopper Plopper

[Indigoiguana]

Larry Dahlberg's Whopper Plopper looks a lot like a Pacemaker. Watched him make one on Versus. Of course his didn't have the cool color combos that your Pacemaker has.

MS

[Ty Sennett]

I didn't see that one. I'll do some google searching to see if I can find what you are talking about.

[Ty Sennett]

I just watched the youtube video of the making of the Whopper Plopper. It doesn't remind me of a pacemaker as much as it does a LeLure Thumper. There's no tail clicking noise. I can tell you this, if anyone does try to make the bait, it's will absolutely not work the way he describes making it. There are some problems with not putting spacers in between metal that will come up very quickly when it's in the water. Spins great out of the water though.

Man, that guy has some patience to go through all that work for one bait. Way too many variable in all that pouring for me. I can only imagine what I would look like at the end of the day. I'd have my shoes filled with resin, black die in my teeth, with rubber pieces stuck in places that it's not supposed to go. I'd like to know someone that succeeded in making one of these baits. And don't think this is a rip on Larry Dahlberg. Not at all. That guy is an incredible angler and teacher. I just can't see actually going through that amount of trouble for a topwater bait when it is a lot easier and more durable out of wood.

[Snizz]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GfNEMT_pntk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qz6ZtHVJ86A

[MuskyManiac]

Looks like a lot of work to make a lure. I always wondered how people get started doing this. How do they make the molds that he is using?

Ty, did you hand carve your wood pacemakers? With the plastics now, is that handled by a local company now?

[Ty Sennett]

I do all the prototypes for the tackle company on a lathe in the basement. Once I know they work good I send them out to get duplicated in either plastic or wood. All of the wood work goes out to a guy east of here in Wisconsin and the plastic work gets done right here in Hayward. I could sell the Pacemaker a lot cheaper if I sent it over to China but I'm not a big fan of that.

[Ty Sennett]

To make the mold you have to have a prototype made up from wood on a lathe and pour a hard rubber around it. That's the way Larry Dahlburg is doing it anyway.

The expensive, but standard way to make a mold for companies making numbers of baits is to have a prototype made up and send it to a plastic injection company to have a die made for it from a CAD drawing. Takes time and money but will produce thousands of baits. A rubber mold will make enough for you and your buddies but is not good for commercial use.

[Esox Chaser]

"...a guy here in Wisconsin ...the plastic is made in Hayward..."
Two more excellent reasons to support Sennett Tackle!
Well, that and they really catch fish!