Making my first lure.

BassFeverJohn · 06-02-10, 08:10 PM

I have no illusions that it will work, much less catch a fish, but I am driven to try it.

The other day I found a tine inch and a half piece of wood on the ground and said to myself, that looks like a bass lure. of course it didn't, but I could see the shape in my head. I have it carved out now, and I am going to try painting it next, after I sand it. It will be nothing fancy like some of you guys. Probably all black, with a white belly, and red eyes. I am going to seal it very simply with a spray on poly my dad has. The lugs will be small screw ins. I have no doubt that it will be a total failure, but I am still doing it. If I get a kick out of it I might go ahead and try to get some actual training and do some better stuff.

I will post pics of the process later on.

carolina-rig-01 · 06-02-10, 08:26 PM

That's cool man. Be sure and post pics of it for us. And don't be so quick to call it a failure because you never know, it might have just the right action and profile to catch a lot of fish. Tons of the best looking baits out there today started out as a much less flashy version that someone dreamed up in their head just as you did this one.

Good luck

bassinbob · 06-02-10, 10:11 PM

I remember trying to make my first lure. I tried making a spoonplug type thing because I couldn't afford a Buck Perry spoonplug. Still have it but never tried it. Good luck BFJ.

MississippiBoy · 06-02-10, 11:20 PM

Don't knock it till you try it. Get some pics of it, we'd all be interested in them.
One bit of advice, put a drop or two of epoxy or Gorilla glue in the holes before you screw in the hook eyes and line tie. Much less likely to fail. And be sure you seal it up good so it won't absorb water and swell.

BassFeverJohn · 06-03-10, 12:11 AM

Thanks for the encouragement guys!

Here are some pics. The first two were taken shortly after I started carving. The last one was after I finished, but I still need to sand it and shape it some, so it looks rough.

I want it to end up as a kind of top water plug with an action, and look similar to a rapala minnow. Obviously raplas don't have built in lips, but it's only loosely based on that anyway.

I made the lip very shallow because I am hoping for a head down butt up action. Hope it works, but I am not engineer, so I won't know till I try it

islandbass · 06-03-10, 03:22 AM

Cool! It has the startings for a crank or a topwater. Which way are you thinking of going? Since this is your first lure, I would recommend you go the topwater route.

Not to discourage you in any way, but as one who went trial by fire and error, I can tell you that making a crankbait is a bit more involved and there is less room for error unless you've got the physics or engineering background like nofear.

Topwaters are much simpler and far less demanding to make. Even if you're slightly off, the weight from the attached trebles is usually sufficient to compensate. Success is practically a shoe in.

I have made a few poppers myself and am happy to share what I've learned with you. Feel free to ask away. Cool that you brought this up. I just finished carving and shaping two popper bodies this evening and will be attempting to build my first minnow type bait like the rapala floating minnow. The poppers are made from basswood and the minnow type from balsa.

I can't help you on painting, as this is my weakest area but I can with shaping, painting, adding the hardware and top coat. Go figure!

BassFeverJohn · 06-03-10, 04:18 AM

Topwater for sure. I want it to have a wobble, so that is why I put the lip on it. I plan to just stumble my way through this one, but if I get hooked I will want to learn more before I do it again. I have always been a first time instructions ignorer. I usually end up going back to the book for the second try. However, any advice ya'll wanna throw out there, please don't be shy!

islandbass · 06-03-10, 11:22 AM

Looks like we have something in common! My first two attempts at cranks were complete and utter failures, as I went in head first with no knowledge.

The only other warning I can give is that lure making for me is almost as addicting as fishing. The lure making monkey can be as devious as his bait monkey and lens monkey cousins.

So ask away. There are other lure makers here who have even more experience and the "art" skills to paint.

06-02-10, 08:10 PM	#1
BassFeverJohn BassFishin.Com Veteran Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Middleburg, Flawda Posts: 548	Making my first lure. I have no illusions that it will work, much less catch a fish, but I am driven to try it. The other day I found a tine inch and a half piece of wood on the ground and said to myself, that looks like a bass lure. of course it didn't, but I could see the shape in my head. I have it carved out now, and I am going to try painting it next, after I sand it. It will be nothing fancy like some of you guys. Probably all black, with a white belly, and red eyes. I am going to seal it very simply with a spray on poly my dad has. The lugs will be small screw ins. I have no doubt that it will be a total failure, but I am still doing it. If I get a kick out of it I might go ahead and try to get some actual training and do some better stuff. I will post pics of the process later on. __________________ Ish?

06-02-10, 08:26 PM	#2
carolina-rig-01 BassFishin.Com Premier Elite Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Webb City, MO Posts: 6,387	That's cool man. Be sure and post pics of it for us. And don't be so quick to call it a failure because you never know, it might have just the right action and profile to catch a lot of fish. Tons of the best looking baits out there today started out as a much less flashy version that someone dreamed up in their head just as you did this one. Good luck __________________ You only live once. But if you do it right, once is enough.

06-02-10, 10:11 PM	#3
bassinbob BassFishin.Com Super Veteran Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Pitts. Pa. Posts: 3,801	I remember trying to make my first lure. I tried making a spoonplug type thing because I couldn't afford a Buck Perry spoonplug. Still have it but never tried it. Good luck BFJ. __________________ you can have my fishin rod when ya take it from my cold dead hands

06-02-10, 11:20 PM	#4
MississippiBoy BassFishin.Com Super Veteran Join Date: May 2007 Location: Ridgeland MS Posts: 3,923	Don't knock it till you try it. Get some pics of it, we'd all be interested in them. One bit of advice, put a drop or two of epoxy or Gorilla glue in the holes before you screw in the hook eyes and line tie. Much less likely to fail. And be sure you seal it up good so it won't absorb water and swell. __________________ I smell smoke, and I hear sirens. Do you think that's a problem?

06-03-10, 12:11 AM	#5
BassFeverJohn BassFishin.Com Veteran Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Middleburg, Flawda Posts: 548	Thanks for the encouragement guys! Here are some pics. The first two were taken shortly after I started carving. The last one was after I finished, but I still need to sand it and shape it some, so it looks rough. I want it to end up as a kind of top water plug with an action, and look similar to a rapala minnow. Obviously raplas don't have built in lips, but it's only loosely based on that anyway. I made the lip very shallow because I am hoping for a head down butt up action. Hope it works, but I am not engineer, so I won't know till I try it __________________ Ish?

06-03-10, 03:22 AM	#6
islandbass BassFishin.Com Super Veteran Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: WA State Posts: 1,783	Cool! It has the startings for a crank or a topwater. Which way are you thinking of going? Since this is your first lure, I would recommend you go the topwater route. Not to discourage you in any way, but as one who went trial by fire and error, I can tell you that making a crankbait is a bit more involved and there is less room for error unless you've got the physics or engineering background like nofear. Topwaters are much simpler and far less demanding to make. Even if you're slightly off, the weight from the attached trebles is usually sufficient to compensate. Success is practically a shoe in. I have made a few poppers myself and am happy to share what I've learned with you. Feel free to ask away. Cool that you brought this up. I just finished carving and shaping two popper bodies this evening and will be attempting to build my first minnow type bait like the rapala floating minnow. The poppers are made from basswood and the minnow type from balsa. I can't help you on painting, as this is my weakest area but I can with shaping, painting, adding the hardware and top coat. Go figure! __________________ ARX "If people concentrated on the really important things in life, there'd be a shortage of fishing poles." Doug Larson (Shimano 2005 Reel Catalog)

06-03-10, 04:18 AM	#7
BassFeverJohn BassFishin.Com Veteran Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Middleburg, Flawda Posts: 548	Topwater for sure. I want it to have a wobble, so that is why I put the lip on it. I plan to just stumble my way through this one, but if I get hooked I will want to learn more before I do it again. I have always been a first time instructions ignorer. I usually end up going back to the book for the second try. However, any advice ya'll wanna throw out there, please don't be shy! __________________ Ish?

06-03-10, 11:22 AM	#8
islandbass BassFishin.Com Super Veteran Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: WA State Posts: 1,783	Looks like we have something in common! My first two attempts at cranks were complete and utter failures, as I went in head first with no knowledge. The only other warning I can give is that lure making for me is almost as addicting as fishing. The lure making monkey can be as devious as his bait monkey and lens monkey cousins. So ask away. There are other lure makers here who have even more experience and the "art" skills to paint. __________________ ARX "If people concentrated on the really important things in life, there'd be a shortage of fishing poles." Doug Larson (Shimano 2005 Reel Catalog)

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