Making plugs

[ThreeRiversEsox]

Well I've always had the luremaking bug but it was never as bad as it is now. I used to just tie a few flies here and there, then I moved onto bigger and better things. It's been about 2 years since I started messing with musky baits and I'm making some good progress. I got an airbrush this year and have been picking up on that, and in the meantime I made the switch from wood to urethane plastic resin. It is amazing what you can do with this stuff! Many of the same characteristics as wood (density, durability, workability) without the hassle of sealing!! These are some 4" twitchbaits that I molded last week and just got finished.

[Red Childress]

Nice looking stuff........you are thinking Spring already!

[Joe M]

They look great. Send one over and I can field test it for you!!!

[ThreeRiversEsox]

What's up Joe. I don't know if you'll remember me or not, but I was the one that gave your buddy a lift at Tamarack earlier last year. The guy in the inflatable pontoon. I'd definitely be up for that drop me a line and let me know what color you'd be interested in.

[ttabaleulb]

Nice lookin baits!! Are you thinking about selling those? Man, I've already seen a situation or two that I think those things could kick some butt!! What kind of depth have you been getting with them?

[ThreeRiversEsox]

Thanks alot for the kind words Jay, Joe and Red! They run in the 1-3' range depending on what you do with them, straight crank or twitch. The action is pretty nice, it has a little side roll to it. I'm getting better with the resin, I started making the 4" baits out of basswood which has it's own unique action but recently found out about molding. I would consider selling them in the future, but the bottom line is I need some testing done to them before I'd feel confident puttin them out on the market. I need to see how they will hold up, I have no doubt they catch fish. Here's a couple others I've made this winter...
10"ers out of basswood.





6" PVC Glider.

[toothyfishman]

You are really doing well with the painting.
The lures look very nice.

No doubt they will catch fish and there is no reason why you couldn't sell them. I like the fact that you want to wait and make sure they hold up, the paint last, etc etc etc.......It shows your pride in what you got there!!!

So many lures out there have gone cheap....and now they are junk china crap.

Stick with good piece/parts and hardware and keep a good name for yourself and lures when the time comes.

Keep up the good work!

[the yeti]

those look awesome!!

i wish i knew my way around a lathe and had the money for a router and table and the other crap that always seems to follow after you justify "more stuff' lol.!

[muskie24/7]

Those are some nice looking baits! Keep up the good work and save yourself alot of money! You should be proud of those!

Brian

[ThreeRiversEsox]

Thanks alot for the compliments guys! It's something I thought about doing for a long time before getting started, and it definitely becomes an addiction. You will never look at lures the same way. There are truly some misconceptions to building baits, the first one is that you save money. Definitely spend as much or more on lures as I would have/did before, but this time it's on polycarbonate, screw eyes, hooks, split rings, and other materials. And the second one is you really don't need all of the expensive tools. I like to make "flat" baits mostly, which are just baits with flat sides.... For these you really only need a saw (scroll or band), a drill press, and a belt sander!! A lathe is definitely a necessity if you want to make symmetrical baits with round sides, but if you don't want to dive into it find someone who makes blanks... I have a good friend who works in a cabinet shop and will turn stuff for me when he gets bored. Not only does it save me some work, but I get the blanks out of it too!! Recenty there has been alot of attention to using resins, and it has even been demo'ed by Larry D on the Hunt for Big Fish. It's pretty cool to mold a bait and be able to increase your production by using these products.