How to Make Your Own Fishing Lures: A Complete Guide

Are you wondering how to make your own fishing lures? As an angler, do you wish to acquire a new skill and also save money?

Then keep reading this guide!

Knowing how to make your own lures is a valued skill among anglers. You might find yourself asking why you would want to make your own lures if they’re already sold everywhere?

Well, making your own lure will save you money in the long run! And by having full control over making your lure, you can design your lure however you want and have your customized set of baits ready for making big catches. 

Here’s all that you need to know about making your own lure and what benefits they bring you for your angling expeditions.

Types of Fishing Lures 

To learn how to make your own fishing lures, you must develop an understanding of the kinds of lures available. 

Each type caters to different kinds of fish and various depths.

Here are the major types of lures that are essential in every angler’s kit.

Soft Plastic Lures

This specific type of bait is made out of soft and chewable plastic, and they come in an extensive range of colors.

They’re popular amongst anglers due to their movement across the surface of the water. When pulled across water, these lures imitate the fish’s prey such as worms, lizards, etc. 

Floating Lures

Floating lures, as the name suggests, are baits that are used to mimic lifeless baits.

This is a general category that enables the angler to have maximum control over their movements and navigate through a variety of underwater hurdles. 

Sinking Lures

Sinking lures are explicitly designed to weigh down to specific depths. These are great for fishing in seasons where the fish mostly reside on the deeper end of water and try to attract them to the surface. 

How to Make Your Own Fishing Lures

The most common materials for DIY fishing lures are plastic, and wood and both these materials mimic certain qualities of topwater and bottom feeders.

Here we’ve mentioned how you can make your own lures from plastic and wood.

How to Make Plastic Fishing Lures

Plastic lures are generally made to mimic the movement of worms or baitfish, and they work best as floating or surface baits. 

This is the most renowned DIY bait made, and there are multiple starter kids sold for this purpose. You can either purchase these readymade kits or collect the parts and assemble the kit on your own.

Your kit should include:

• Pre-made molds
• Mold making putty 
• Soft plastic liquid 
• Coloring/glitters 
• Lure pieces to create mold of
• Gloves
• Stirring sticks
• Mixing cups 

Before making these mackerel lures, make sure that you’re working in an area with ample ventilation as the chemicals involved in the process will release fumes.

After deciding on a suitable location, here are the steps to making a plastic fishing lure:

1. In case you don’t have a pre-made mold, utilize the putty to make molds according to the lure pieces. 
2. Now combine the required amount of the soft plastic liquid and coloring according to your choice. 
3. Heat this mixture and pour it in within the mold.
4. Either leave this mixture at room temperature for a while or freeze it. 
5. When the plastic within the mold has hardened and completely set, then proceed to take it out of the mold carefully. 

And voila! With that, you have made your DIY plastic lure for a third of the price of a store-bought lure. 

How to Make Fishing Lures Out of Wood

While making lures out of wood, you’ll require a tad sense of craftsmanship. With wood, you’re limited to a short variety of lures such as crankbaits, minnows, and jigs. However, these lures will last you for a long time.

While working with wood, you need to be fully equipped with safety gear.

This includes:

• Dust masks and not fishing face covering
• Safety masks
• Protective gloves

There are specific components you need to acquire for the making of the lure itself.

These components include:

• Hardwood such as poplar or balsawood 
• Quick-drying epoxy
• Sealant 
• Paints and spray paints 
• Treble hooks 
• Sander

Here are some steps you can take to make DIY topwater lure out of wood:

1. Cut down the wood to your required sizing.
2. Shape the wood to a dowel-like shape with it being around 6 inches long.
3. Then send this dowel on both ends to create a tapered shape.
4. Cut the dowel in half to get two 3-inch pieces.
5. Use the sander to mimic the mouth shape of a topwater popper on the ends. 
6. Drill holes in the appropriate places for the eyes and the treble hook attachments. 
7. Coat the lure in the sealant of your choice and let it air dry for 30 minutes. Then wipe off the excess sealant and let the lure hang and dry for at least 24 hours. 
8. After drying completely, you can paint the lure according to your bait of choice. The colors make the lure look believable so spending your time on the painting process is necessary. 
9. After painting, apply another coat of sealant and if you manage to create bubbles on your lure, bring a flame near it to pop all the bubbles. 
10. After the final sealant coat dries, attach your treble hooks, and your wooden lure is ready for use!

Pros and Cons of Do It Yourself Fishing Lures 

Learning how to make your own lures is an inexpensive option for all passionate anglers. However, it’s essential to compare and contrast the pros and cons that homemade fishing lures bring with them.

Pros

• Budget-friendly
• Customizable 
• Enjoyable process

Cons

• Takes up a lot of time
• Limited variety 
• Room for error 

Conclusion

DIY fishing lures can be great for all passionate anglers and those on a budget. You get full control over the lure design, and the process itself is quite enjoyable too.

By following all the steps correctly and paying attention to detail, we’re confident you will have top-notch lures.