Anyone else make their own lures?

[Mr.J.]

It's November and it's the end of the season for me but I am still buying stuff on-line to make my own lures. Made a great buy yesterday.

I make spinner baits.

I'm wondering if anyone else makes their own lures. If you haven't then you don't know the feeling you get when catching a beauty on something you've made.

I've learned a lot over the last couple of years. I would like to help others from my experience and to learn from others as well.

I have some good web sites to buy the stuff from as well and would like to get turned onto other good sites.

So I would like to teach and I would like to learn and I also would like to exchange where we buy our components too.

Anyone interested in an exchange of ideas and places to buy?

I would post pics of the spinners I have made but my digital camera went for a swim not too long ago and doesn't work any more.

[Hoss]

Hey MR. J,
I agree with you that it is very rewarding to catch a fish on a lure that you make yourself. However it is that much more frustrating if you lose a fish on home made lure that is a result of poor craftmanship. It would be safe to say that I'm not a threat to Mepps or Rapala..........but I'm gettin better

I started making some inline spinners with bucktails a few years ago, plus buctail jigs, walleye spinners and even assembled a buncha spoons. Something to hold me over till the ice goes out.(not much of an ice fisherman).

As far as purchasing components I order from the only two suppliers in Ontario. I ordered a bunch of stuff online from the U.S. and got screwed on the duty, shipping charges, exchange etc. etc. So now I just make a list and go to the fishing show and get the supplies there or order online. Both Ontario suppliers are usually at the show and are quite reasonable.

[BBRich]

I like to carve topwater baits for summer bass fishing and paint them up. I've made poppers which are pretty mediocre looking (but still catch fish) and I make a deadly spook type lure that really nailed them for me last summer. I love it. I want to make some spinnerbaits too, as it would not only be great fun it would also save a bit of money.

[Tony]

I wanted to get into making my own plastics, worms and tubes mostly. I tried looking on ebay for molds but couldn't find any good ones. Any tips on a good place to buy stuff like that?

[bucketmouth]

Hi Tony, try del-mart.com for soft plastic molds. I haven't ordered from him yet but will be this winter. His molds are CNC milled from aluminum and look quite well made.

bucket

[Mr.J.]

This is the only Canadian site I know of, great service, good prices and I have even recieved my order the next day

http://www.luremaking.com/

Here's a couple of U.S. sites, and yes you can get hosed on duty and border taxes

http://www.tacklemaking.com/

Amazing large selection and great prices, still waiting for my first deleivery from them.

http://www.cabelas.com/

Also good selection and fast delivery.My order was $37.92 U.S. and totaled $50.08 with exchange, duties and taxes in.

My tip would to use powder paint. It's relativly inexpensive and once you get the hang of it really easy to use.
I use a heat gun, for 5 - 10 seconds for larger spinner heads then dip it, then tap it and re-use the heat gun to melt it.
I have ruined a feww heads by over heating but I just soak the heads in lacquer thinner and start over agian.
I have yet to perfect bending the end of the spinner but I keep trying.

I really wish my digital camra wroked I could show you some beauties.

I have hunted around a lot for Canadian sites but the internet is not geared towards makig this an easy task.

[Mr.J.]

Here's a couple I made last year when I first started off, not bad but I like the ones I make now better, oh I have caught a walleye with the blue one and a muskie with the black one, both trolling.



These have plastic beads, I don't recommend plastic beads they don't work very well. Look at the black one on the right and you'll see the plastic beads. I used them for color.

Anyone who goes fishing with me will tell you I offer them a big selection of colors to choose from before heading out.

[Moosebunk]

Good Post MRJ.

Folks will find this rewarding and informative. Making lures is an awesome way to pass time through the long winter and a slow day at work. It's also much cheaper and satisfying to take the "do it yourself" approach. Just sitting watching TV for a couple of hours someone could whip up several dozen spinners.

Last fall/winter was productive in that I got 100 in-lines done in sizes 1 thru 5. 40 spoons, 30 for casting and 10 for trolling, 40 bucktail jigs and 64 more this fall, over 700 flies in almost 100 different patterns, and am currently working on 30 new bass poppers.

Imagine the cost to have bought all those lures and flies at about say $2 a piece, which is a pretty fair estimate. About $2000 spent. But even that's low because probably only half of my dry and wet flies and bucktail jigs would actually fall under the cost of $2 yet a #5 bucktail in-line would average around $5.

For 100 in-lines cost was $170. $1.70 a piece.
For 40 spoons cost was 40 bucks.
For 104 bucktail jigs I paid for the painted jigheads and pennies for the amount of bucktail required. But cost would have been around $.75 a piece.
For 30 bass poppers about $22
And the flies I have no real idea, but anyone can see the savings. I most often use my casting spoons, in-line, and bucktails for the pike and walleye up here. Some of the in-lines needed modifications but that was fun and part of the learning curve. Otherwise these lures have worked well. I like using swisha hooks on the lures as well for it seems to save a few more pike here and there.

Highly reccommend lure making and fly-tying. If your not doing this yet, quit wasting so much money. The amount you save in a year or two just might put an extra rod and reel combo in your collection or help you afford that next trip.

Here's another couple sites to help you get started...
http://www.luremaking.com/
http://www.freewebs.com/johnsflymaterials/

[Tony]

Thanks for the info guys I'm going to give it a try.

[Mr.J.]

From my experience I will share with you a little something.

The biggest temptation is to paint the blades. Free advice, don't bother. There is no need to and no matter how much hard work you do the paint will always chip off.

Paint. If you cannot get powder paint then nail polish works great and if you have an air brush then nail polish works better than any other kind of paint I have tried. The two spiiners shown above were done using nail polish. The one on the right had the blades painted black but after one day in the water most of the black paint has chipped off. If you look closely enough you'll see.

Eyes. I have not had any success painting eyes with powder paint, so right now I have spinners with a single color, any tips for painting eyes with powder paint? Stick on eyes are good but don't last very long. My last perchase of spinner heads were already painted with eyes as well.

[Markus]

Mr J, instead of painting the blades, why not trim out a piece of lure tape and stick it on?

[Mr.J.]

Excellent idea

I have some strips too and just never gave it a thought.

Nice colors with great reflection...seems to add up to a no-brainer.

[g unis]

we make our own called the woodie for musky and fish with teeth. a hint for painting metal spinner blades. use epoxy primer then top coat with dupont 2500 plus. it stays on. wear a respirator for spraying

[Mr.J.]

Hey come on....let's see your Woody.

I hope thats as funny for you as it is for me.

But seriously let's see this thing for fish with teeth you called a "Woody"

[g unis]

go to musky bay tackle or pro tackle in belleville ont. both internet sites