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Bumper Bar Lures

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roweboat View Drop Down
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    Posted: 06 Apr 2014 at 2:50pm
Bumpa Bar lures are well known in north Queensland and have been around since I first made them commercially around 1980. Prior to that I was making them out of car bumper bars and having a ball. I was catching more fish and bigger fish than I thought was possible. I am going to tell you how to make them and why they were so succesful.
The original bumper bars came about through neccesity like most good things. My brother and I were broke and couldn't afford the Wonder Wobblers any more, but we weren't going to stop lure fishing. We converted spoons and fork handles and even a can opener into lures, until my missus caught on to where the cutlery was going.
My brother Terry got the idea then of cutting up bumper bars for lures.
We tried to copy the Wonder Wobbler shape and other similsr lures but they were too hard and fiddly to copy, so too hell with that we'll just cut the bumper bars into strips and see how we go.After trial and error we came up with the most effective lure we had ever used and the cheapest. Here is how it was done.
Get a nicely chromed bumper bar (from the wreckers or tip) and cut it into 4" sections, don't worry about the holes and gaps. Now you have a number of C sections, using your vice and a bit of elbow grease straighten these out. Now using a hacksaw(18t blade) cut them into 1/2" wide strips.I know it makes a terrible noise doing this but just remember the money you'll save and the fish you will catch.You will have seen by now that 4" is as far as you can cut with a hacksaw.
For the next part you will need an 1/8" drill bit(I use the double ended ones) to drill a hole in each end,don't drill too close or too far as you have to fit split rings in these holes. With all this done and before you bend them run over the edges with a grinder to smooth them down.Now to give them action, using your vice again bend what will be the hook end (the widest end) about 30degrees, about 3/4"up the blank.
Fit your lures with good quality split rings and trebles and you have the most effective metal lures possible.
I'll come back later and give you some tips on getting the most out of them.
Jim Rowe   
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steiny View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote steiny Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 06 Apr 2014 at 2:57pm
Welcome to LL Jim!

Thanks for sharing your wisdom on how your lures were made. Are you still making them?
cheers steiny
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote handbrake Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 06 Apr 2014 at 3:39pm
Welcome Jim and is it possible to do photos. DebbieD
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roweboat View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote roweboat Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 06 Apr 2014 at 4:54pm
Hello Steiny,
Thanks for the welcome and I do still make them from time to time but bumper bars are getting harder to find. I'd like one of those truck bumper bars though. You got a truck with a chrome bumper bar? I'll come down and show you how to turn it into fish ha ha.
Jim Rowe
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote roweboat Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 06 Apr 2014 at 4:58pm
Hello Debbie,
Thank you for the welcome and next time I make some I'll see what I can do about some photos and maybe a video if people are interested.
Jim Rowe
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Mal Vader Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 06 Apr 2014 at 8:00pm
Welcome to LL, Jim!
Nice little insight into an Icon.
The simple things in life are often the best!!!
(I must be the VERY best)
Cheers   MAL
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In Space, no-one can hear you SCREAM!
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote horrorhead Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 06 Apr 2014 at 8:06pm
Welcome to the site Jim, for some reason I thought these were a NSW made lure. 
Martin-

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote seagull Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 06 Apr 2014 at 8:23pm
Welcome aboard Jim  thanks for the insite into those type of lures. 



 Cheerz Errol
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Screamingreel Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 07 Apr 2014 at 10:10am
Very interesting.  Thanks  Jim . 

Around that time we also cut up cupboard / draw handles,  and the very old car door  single handles to do the same job . Shiney and the couta loved them.


Regards John
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote puglee62 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 08 Apr 2014 at 9:21am
hey Jim your lures certainly work,years ago my 10 year old nephew bought a bumper bar lure and fished it next to the sovereign island bridge down the gold coast.First cast he caught a snodger whiting (I never knew you could catch them on metal lures) and the next one a mullet and no it wasn't foul hooked!.
that's no how ye make porridge!
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote goldtrev68 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 08 Apr 2014 at 11:40am
As everything in life......the KISS principal works best.......well done mate & thanks a lot for sharing....only drama I see,,is that all cars are made out of plastic...ok LURE LOVER members who owns a old car I can rip to bits while your out fishing.....ITS ALL Jim`s FAULT.....Gary
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Poolie Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 08 Apr 2014 at 11:51am
They go alright down here on the NSW Central Coast, I got this tailor a few years back in the worst conditions I've ever fished off the rocks.


Small Scale Lure Creations; Lure making on hold ATM.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Fysshe Salmon Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 08 Apr 2014 at 2:12pm
The Bumpa Bar lures found in shops nowadays would be the ones made by Tim Staudinger of Cairns, He first made them in Bowen in 1984. They were very popular in the sportfishing scene up north and were very successlful at deep jigging, especially when double/triple or even quad stacked!! Obviously inspired by your innovation Jim!! Clap
Fysshe
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Darby Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 08 Apr 2014 at 6:24pm
They are still in production, but now distributed out of Sydney. Not sure if Tim is still involved, possibly he has stayed with making them and lets another party deal with the hassles of getting them out to the shops nationwide.
I used to rep BB's for a time in a previous life, just as Tim introduced the die cut holographic sticker models, got quite a few still in the fishing boxes.

A bit of back story

http://www.bumpabar.com/the_history_of_bumpabar_lures.html

https://www.facebook.com/BumpaBarLures

"If you are going to have fun with your rod.. get some wood



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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Tony Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 08 Apr 2014 at 8:02pm
Welcome to LureLovers Jim

What a great read, thank you.

I doubt there are many amongst us who haven't heard of or used Bumper Bar lures, Aussie Ingenuity at it's best CoolClap


Cheers, Tony

For the love of Fishing Lures.
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