How to Make Your Own Fishing Lure

Mickey Gubas

I love fishing! Whenever I can get out there into nature and go fishing I take full advantage of the opportunity. One of the most important

pieces of fishing is having a good looking and reliable lure to attract all the fish that swim by. I have detailed a list of necessary tools and

materials below so you can customize your lure as much as you want. Don’t be alarmed by the amount of tools and materials, most are

cheap and easy to find.

Tools List:

Power drillVarious drill bitsCoping saw Roofing knifeKnife for whittling (multi-tool such as a leatherman)Tape measureSharpiesSandpaperPliers or vice gripsSmall paintbrushSuper Glue of some kind (waterproof)

Materials List:

Wood of your choiceLarge popsicle stick or shim of woodPaintWood sealant (Polycrylic)Wood putty (In case of mistakes)Large nailsGoogly eyesSmall eyeletsSplit ringsTreble Hooks

Step 1: Choose the Size of the Lure

• Now that you have all your tools and materials together its time to decide on how big you want the lure to be

• Keep in mind the bigger the lure, the bigger the fish it will attract. If you have a lathe, thats perfect and will expedite the process

• If not, you can always widdle your lure and make it even more personalized

Step 2: Polish Your Lure

• Use the coarse sandpaper to smooth out the roughness that the whittling or lathe left

• Finish polishing the lure with the fine sandpaper to make a good painting surface

• This step is also important because the more smooth the lure is, to more straight it will site in the water

Step 3: Make it Look Real

• You can drill some small holes where the eyes would be

• Then you can use those googly eyes you bought at your local craft store and glue them into place

• I bet it looks a lot like bait already!

• Now its time to come up with a paint scheme. Determine what colors you think would be the most attractive and get painting

• Remember to have fun too.

Step 4: Waterproof Your Lure

• Tie some spare fishing line to that front eyelet, about 2 feet of it. Stir the polycrylic well, and place the lure gently in the polycrylic

• Once you removed the lure from the solution, let the excess liquid drip off for a few minutes. Hang the lure to dry

• You should apply two to three coats of the polycrylic, just make sure to let it dry completely in-between coats

Step 5: Add The Hooks

• Allow the clear coat to dry for a day and then prepare to add some hooks and other fixings.

• Make an eyelet on the back end, and another on the belly of the lure, near the middle, but closer to the front to balance it out

• Attach a split ring between a treble hook and the eyelet on the rear and on the belly

Step 6: Go Fishing

• Congratulations!

• You’ve just completed the lure making process

• Now its time to test it out on a few fish

• Find your favorite area and cast your line!