Here is my first ever instructable post. I have seen bottle tops made into spinners/rattle lures and fancied having a go myself. However, I could see a few additions or improvements I could make to keep the cost even lower! Everything I use for making the lure is found or recycled. The only thing I purchased to make my first effort was the treble hook. When using hooks, always use new ones that are still sharp pointed. As hooks are used, they lose their sharpness. Having a sharp pointed hook will prevent “missed” bites as the hook is more likely to hook the fish.
Most of the videos and instructions I have seen are American and reference the lure as a Bass lure. But good news for us Brits! They work for our Pike and Perch too!
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Add a split ring to each of the holes you have made. This is easier if you have a pair of pliers as it can be quite fiddly. This is the hardest step of all which goes to show how easy this instructable is!
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I threaded on some sea fishing beads I had found on a beach. Notice how I have tucked the knot "tag" into the beads too. There is always "lost" tackle washed up onto our beaches which just lies around as rubbish. My idea here is to add some bright colours to the lure so that it is more attractive to fish. You can see from the beads they are pre-used and a little dirty. Better than leaving them lying around one of our beaches as rubbish which is never going to bio-degrade!
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To make your lure rattle, add some split shot to the bottle top. Mine have been previously used and would normally have been thrown away. Lead free split shot can be re-opened to be and used again if you are careful, but it can become brittle and break. Personally I just save mine up and use them for projects such as this. Simply fold the bottle top in half using your thumb and forefinger. This is quite easy to do and doesn't need any tools. Do not squash the cap too far. You want it to hold the shot inside but give them space to rattle around.
Your lure is now finished and ready to go. The original bottle top lures I have seen leave out the mono and threaded beads. I think adding the beads provides a bright attractant to the lure. This lure now provides the following attractions to predatory fish: 1. Noise - it is recognised that lures benefit from some kind of rattle noise. 2. Colour - the beads add colour that is known to stimulate an aggressive attack in a predatory fish. 3. Flash - the reflective bottle top helps send reflected light out through the water. There is a science about which colours can be seen at what water depths. However, with a reflective finish, all available light waves at any depth can be reflected to make the lure visible. Further improvements: My next efforts at making this lure will probably include some or all of the following: 1. A wire body shaft instead of mono line. (Possible giving the ability to remove the swivel and at least one of the split rings.) 2. A Mepps style spoon attachment to the top of the wire body. 3. Feathers whipped onto the hook to give it a more organic look and movement in the water. 4. Shrink wrap silicon to "clean up" the finish and perhaps remove some of the slack between "bits" like the beads.