Making Your Own Lures

[gnugen]

Does anyone make their own fishing lures? So many variations on spinners, spoons, modifications/custom painted crankbaits etc. Just wondering what people do to land fish with custom gear.

[BeeGuy]

I recondition and custom paint spoons and spinners.

Strictly utilitarian.

[gnugen]

Nice! Mostly painting, prism tape etc.?

[aulrich]

I am starting to fool around with this, I been busy working the dog so I don't have anything done yet. I have made about 20 bad plug bodies so far but it's getting better. some of the bad plug bodies are usable for spinners since the mistake I made was in the lip slot.

I also have 2 gallons of soft plastic resin so I will play a bit with pouring some of those.

Related to that I will also attempt to make copies of existing lures out of casting epoxy.

With luck i'll have some done for vacation in July

[Fish face]

Make wacky lures all the time. Catch fish on em too. Carved plugs, hammered out brass and copper pipe into spoons. Lotsa fun. The dudes are always jelous when you catch fish on homemade stuff.

[gnugen]

I am starting to fool around with this, I been busy working the dog so I don't have anything done yet. I have made about 20 bad plug bodies so far but it's getting better. some of the bad plug bodies are usable for spinners since the mistake I made was in the lip slot.

I also have 2 gallons of soft plastic resin so I will play a bit with pouring some of those.

Related to that I will also attempt to make copies of existing lures out of casting epoxy.

With luck i'll have some done for vacation in July
I could see the construction of the lip being the trickiest part. Was learning how work with the resin difficult? Definitely post some photos of your designs.

[YeeHaw]

I have been digging through my old tackle box, and refinishing spoons, been having good luck with some new color combos.

[aulrich]

Yea it is taking some practice to get the lure bodies, but it's coming I just started this new addiction off and on this past few months. as I get stuff ready i'll post it.

Anything is easy when you don't know what your doing :)

[gnugen]

I hear ya! So far I've airbrushed blank crank baits, made in-line spinners with feather trailers and even tried painting spoons. Very addicting!

[403jeepin]

Ive turned old tea and table spoons into fishing spoons. Kids love painting them, and ita so cheap to get them as well and at the second hand store they are a dime a dozen to buy... They do produce very well too while out fishing and hold up very well to use if clear coated well. A lot cheaper doing this with the kids as they tend to lose a lot of tackel while out fishing.

Such a great thread, looking forward to hear what everyone is doing and how they are doing it.

Alwsys wanted to tey tying flys but it's an expensive hobby to start and funds are tight with kids.

[aulrich]

Here is my first attempt, a hand pouring soft plastics. there are some things to work out still but mostly I need a microwave instead of a hot plate to heat the plastic. the hot plate was very slow to get to temp.

http://www.myhostedpics.com/images/aulrich/firsthandpour.jpg

Need to source out dyes but that was just green pear powder and holo gliter

The cool part is all the bad ones will just get melted an poured again, even the chewed up ones.

[omega50]

Back in the day(late 60's) I had a Mattel Creepy Crawlers thingmaker.
It was a small oven and had different assorted molds that you filled with different colors of Goop. In the oven and 15-20 minutes later out came custom bug, spider, worm etc. creations.
Having one of those today would be amazing for lure making. I probably had a couple hundred creatures adorning my room in 1969.
If only I had thought to imbed hooks into them at the time:)

[gnugen]

Here is my first attempt, a hand pouring soft plastics. there are some things to work out still but mostly I need a microwave instead of a hot plate to heat the plastic. the hot plate was very slow to get to temp.

http://www.myhostedpics.com/images/aulrich/firsthandpour.jpg

Need to source out dyes but that was just green pear powder and holo gliter

The cool part is all the bad ones will just get melted an poured again, even the chewed up ones.
These look awesome! Not sure where to find dyes other than Jann's Craft and maybe Hagen's.

[aulrich]

I have a couple of options.

- On my next resin order from PM hobbycraft i’ll just get 1 of every color dye.
- Lurecraft did not ship cross border, but supposedly there are some that do.
- Experiment with another brand of epoxy dye, but compatibility could be an issue
-Perl powders from the art store look pretty cool the green was just that, florescent colors will be problematic.
- Eye shadow(essentially pearl powder) is supposed to work so I just need to get some cheesy stuff from the dollar store.

[aulrich]

There are always sharpies, here is my take a rainbow trout.

http://www.myhostedpics.com/images/aulrich/attackedwithasharpie.jpg

[gnugen]

There are always sharpies, here is my take a rainbow trout.

http://www.myhostedpics.com/images/aulrich/attackedwithasharpie.jpg
looks wicked with the eyes too!

[gnugen]

If anyone currently paints blank crank baits or wants to get into it I'm selling some blank hard bait bodies - http://www.outdoorsmenforum.ca/showthread.php?t=221619

[gnugen]

A must have for the serious DIY'er. I keep this one in my 'shop' when trying to make new tackle.

http://s23.postimg.org/oj9g8zq17/Tackle_Book.jpg