begins his measurements — yet not from any sort of fancy,
high-dollar tool.
"I stole a protractor from my kids when they were little,"
he said, "and I'm constantly using it." This is evident in how
this elementary school math device constantly twists in his
hands while he marks his newest lure with a pen.
He makes a series of measurements based around the
centerline of the lure, noting the lip slot and where the weight
will be added. After drilling a hole for the weight, which
makes the lure easier to cast and helps it to sink when reeled,
he takes a No. 7-sized split shot and hammers it fl at, fi tting it
in a hole just beneath the lure's lip. "You have to experiment
with this part a bit," he said.
This remains the overarching suggestion of Vince's process.
While he would be the fi rst to tell you he has formulas, and
that his process has become more refi ned, he continues to
watch videos and use around-the-house items, like his wife's
food scale, in an eff ort to make even nicer, more balanced,
lures.
From here he uses a belt sander and fi le to remove any
sharp points the lure might still have. Next comes sandpaper
and then a piece of leather with rubbing compound. "That
From his kayak, Gewinner catches a largemouth bass from a kayak with a set of homemade wooden fi shing lures at
Verdon State Recreation Area.
34 Nebraskaland • March 2024
