Fishin': Anyone make their own crankbait or top water lures?

EngrSorenson

EngrSorenson

Noticed by Senpai
Platinum Member
Joined
Jul 3, 2019
Messages
12,000
I prefer fly fishing and tying my own flies, but recently I've been favoring spinning rods to make my fishing life with a small child a little simpler.
I'd been a dedicated fly fisherman for so long that I forgot the "joys" of treble hooks.
Particularly the Rubik's cube of getting three hooks out of a fish's mouth when another treble's foul-hooked him in the belly.

So I've recently figured out how to swap out those treble hooks on the Heddon Tiny Torpedos with inline hooks- I can't wait to try them out.
But then that got me thinking- I'm a wood turner, and I can carve... how come I'm not making my own?

So how about it folks- while I ponder my lure-making future, anyone make any yourselves?
Pictures highly welcomed.
 
I haven't made any, but I thought about making them as a hobby. I already have too many hobbies as it is.
 
EngrSorenson said:
brilliant in the simplicity. I'm tempted to try it myself!
Click to expand...
Easy as cake. He drills a little hole on each end of the cap for the split rings and hook, and then drops a couple of split shot weights in the middle before he folds the cap in half. That gives it some weight and also makes a rattle noise as the lure moves.

I don’t have one with me now, but he also buys teaspoons at yard sales and cuts the handle off of them. Then drills the holes and assembles them just like the bottle caps. 5 cent spoon and 10 cents worth of split rings and hook gets a new lure! Of course, that’s pre-inflationary prices!!!
 
Well, it’s not beautiful, but let’s see if it’ll work.

48JVbrS.jpg
 
I'm not sure how good at it I'd be but I have been tempted to try.

I think some old school hand made hard baits would go well with my vintage spinning reels and Tennessee handle rods.
I can see a lure like that really pairing great with this combo here
20220208_092919.jpg

Or this vintage custom travel rod.
20220118_114846.jpg

Some of the modern colors and paint schemes can look out of place at times with my vintage combo's.
 
drj211 said:
It should get something’s attention!
Click to expand...
Lakes around here in CT are usually not very deep and pretty weedy, so I'm often pretty restricted to surface fishing. I've been finding that the Heddon Torpedos (which I generally love) tend to collect floating/discarded vegetation on the hooks as well as the prop. This is my effort to make something simple, weighted to maintain the upside-down hook orientation, and relatively cheap and easy to make.

I've never had much luck with red head paint schemes, but I figure I've also never given them a fair shake... I figure why not? If you can catch fish on a bottle cap... right?
 
EngrSorenson said:
Lakes around here in CT are usually not very deep and pretty weedy, so I'm often pretty restricted to surface fishing. I've been finding that the Heddon Torpedos (which I generally love) tend to collect floating/discarded vegetation on the hooks as well as the prop. This is my effort to make something simple, weighted to maintain the upside-down hook orientation, and relatively cheap and easy to make.

I've never had much luck with red head paint schemes, but I figure I've also never given them a fair shake... I figure why not? If you can catch fish on a bottle cap... right?
Click to expand...
As long as it moves away from the fish and looks like it’s edible, they should strike at it.

With our long summers and hot weather in the South, some days it seems all I do is catch weeds and clear the ponds! But there are some monsters waiting under those weeds.
 
While these aren't homemade, I sanded the finish down and primed them with MEK. Now here's the fun part. My Dad worked on the side as a sign painter. Free hand with either a sable or squirrel tail brush. Boy was he good. After he passed I inherited some gold and silver leaf. Pic below. These are Tuff Shad lures and I catch Muskie with them.
 

Attachments

  • 20201109_172429.jpg
    20201109_172429.jpg
    724.4 KB · Views: 2
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top