Making Crankbait Fishing Lures

wcc · 06-21-2012, 05:55 PM

My 8yo son really wants to make or copy a lure that we have and calls it the 'magic' lure. He swears that it's the best thing. It's an old wiggle wart and I can get them on line but it does sound like fun to me too. So I thought we'd give it a try but don't really know how to make the mold. I bought some silicone today and I'm getting ready to buy a couple lures on line so I can cut them open to see if they're hollow. So I probably need to make a negative to it as well?

Once the mold is made then I need to figure out the rings for the hooks and line to attach to.

Anyone ever try this? If you have any tips or tricks to help us I'd appreciate it. Building the mold seems to be the issue for me at this point.

Here's the lure in question...

TimT · 06:04 PM

I made and bunch of lures similar to that one when I was a kid.... My dad was able to buy molds that replicated the popular plugs... Rapalas, Pflueger... etc... plugs that were popular on Long Island in the 70's

There were ports in the mold where you would lay the eyes or swivels, and which are connected by short pieces of leader...

We used and epoxy to fill the mold, sometimes lead shot was put in the mold before filling if the lure was meant to swim deep..... or foam....

After the epoxy cured... trim the flashing and paint....

I forgot how we did it, but we got metal flakes and sparkles to stick to the inside of the mold...

id10t · 06-21-2012, 06:06 PM

Carve it from balsa.

gassy · 06-21-2012, 06:54 PM

This is your answer for the mold.

How To Make Your Own Sugru Substitute

I make molds using this. It's just 100% silicone caulk and corn starch. Works perfectly.

craigster59 · craigster59's Garage

Sounds like a great father/ son project. I tie flies, but never tried lures. I'm sure if you get close to the original the lure will work. After lures, maybe you and your son can wrap our own rods. A lot of fun and you can have your own "Custom" collection.

gassy · 06-21-2012, 06:56 PM

Once you make a 2 piece mold you could fill it with resin epoxy and then just drill then screw in the eyelets and hooks.

Shaun @ Tru6 · 06-21-2012, 06:59 PM

brings back great memories growing up as kid in Minn. We made our own rods and carved a lot of our own lures.

great father-son project!

72doug2,2S · 72doug2,2S's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shaun 84 Targa

brings back great memories growing up as kid in Minn. We made our own rods and carved a lot of our own lures.

great father-son project!

Why, that's nothing, when we were kids we used to grab the fish with our bear hands and eat the scales all raw and bloody. And all and we liked, we liked just fine.

GWN7 · 07:32 PM

There is usually a wire that runs the lenght of the lure body and it connects the eye to the hooks.

The bodys are airbrushed and then a decal is layed on which is the black outline. You could draw the body lines on with a art brush.

( I worked for a major lure manufacture as a sales rep several years ago)

bkreigsr · 06-22-2012, 04:51 AM

Lure Making Supplies, Lure Components

lot's o' fun, and not rocket science. enjoy you're time with your son
Bill K

fat cab · fat cab's Garage

I just started and am in the process of making these.. alot of good info here Tacklemaking - Bass Fishing Forums

good luck and tight lines..

TimT · 06-22-2012, 03:31 PM

Quote:

Carve it from balsa.

Balsa had been use in the past for lures but its not a really good material for a number of reasons... It floats "on top" of the water, its weak, strike from a strong toothy gamefish will make the lure a one time use object..

You need to use lead shot or plugs and dive planes if you want a balsa lure to be a popper, a diver or deep lure.

Also with balsa you have to carve channels to connect the hooks and the eyes...then fill them.

And yes I have hand carved lures from balsa....

With molded plugs you just fill a mold trim it and paint.... you can use materials that are neutral buoyant , heavier or lighter than water... epoxy, plastic, polyurethanes etc...

This is one reason I have not made my own lures in years...

Most of the time it is as expensive to make as it is to buy

Like the OP mentioned it is a great father son project, which is where I learned how to do it...

I still tie my own flies though.... can lose a dozen of those a day easily...

wcc · 06-23-2012, 06:31 AM

Thanks for all the great info guys! Looks like I have a lot of reading and research to do.

craigster59 - I'll have to keep that rod wrapping project in mind. That sounds like fun too.

fat cab - Those are looking really good!

I also need to figure out this wire thing that GWN7 was talking about that goes through the lure. Is it just a wire that goes from front to back that ties everything together? Might be easy enough as well.

The mold making looks to be the most complicated part of this process from what I can tell. I mean it looks easy enough to mix up the resin and pour it in but getting the mold correct looks to be more difficult. I suppose I just need to get a lure I want to copy and cut it in half and make both sides of the mold so I can get the sidewalls the correct thickness, hollow for floating or adding rattles, have a place for the eyelets etc. Seems like that is the process I need to follow, right?