Next weekend I will head to a clean, clear lake in northern Minnesota for the opening of bass fishing season. Now, one of the ways that I like to add enjoyment to my fishing trip is to turn my own fishing lures. (Fortunately for me, the bass in this lake are so voracious that, as a buddy of mine said, “they’d strike a corncob if you threw it in the lake.”)
Up until now, my best lures have been top water models, and so this year I have decided to make a couple of divers to add to my collection. To make these underwater wonders, it is best to use a wood that does not float well. So I am planning on making my divers from some persimmon wood that was given to me years ago. Persimmon is dense and tough, and was the traditional wood that golf club drivers were made from. I’ve never used it before, so this will be an adventure from start to finish.
Here’s hoping that I catch enough fish with these lures that I won’t need to lie about them next week.
Rob Johnstone, Woodworker’s Journal
