Lure Fishermen, Did You Know?
5 Big Mistakes Stop 99% Of Lure Fishermen
From Consistently Catching Big Fish!
Making Your Own Lures Will
Fix All 5 Of Them!
Are You Ready To Become One Of The Enlightned
Few Who Regularly Catch Bigger Fish?
5 Big Mistakes Stop 99% Of Lure Fishermen
From Consistently Catching Big Fish!
Making Your Own Lures Will
Fix All 5 Of Them!
Are You Ready To Become One Of The Enlightned
Few Who Regularly Catch Bigger Fish?
Copyright © 2010, Dr Greg Vinall
All Rights reserved
All Rights reserved
Home
Wooden Lures
Contact Us
FAQ's
Dear Lure Fishing Enthusiast,
Are you wondering why you are not catching as many fish as you should?
Have you been reading all the magazines, watching all the TV shows, trying to work out how to improve your lure fishing catch?
Do you buy great tackle and fish in great locations, yet still not catch the quality or quantity of fish you deserve?
You're not alone!
Are you wondering why you are not catching as many fish as you should?
Have you been reading all the magazines, watching all the TV shows, trying to work out how to improve your lure fishing catch?
Do you buy great tackle and fish in great locations, yet still not catch the quality or quantity of fish you deserve?
You're not alone!
The "Unfair Advantage" Enjoyed By
The Top Anglers Can Be Yours Too!
Create A MASSIVE Edge And Improve The
Size And Number Of Fish You Catch.
The Top Anglers Can Be Yours Too!
Create A MASSIVE Edge And Improve The
Size And Number Of Fish You Catch.
If You Are Not Catching Enough Really Big Fish...
....The Lures You Are Using May Be The Biggest Factor
....The Lures You Are Using May Be The Biggest Factor
"Make Your Own Fishing Lures: Plastic Lures"
by Dr Greg Vinall - Professional Aquatic Scientist
and fanatical fishing lure maker!
by Dr Greg Vinall - Professional Aquatic Scientist
and fanatical fishing lure maker!
So, What Makes An Elite Lure Fisherman Anyway?
Here They Are: The 5 Mistakes That Hold Most Lure Fishermen Back From Their Full Potential
Don't Skip Anything In This Section!
Don't Skip Anything In This Section!
I buy my lures off the shelf at shops or online, I rarely if ever buy custom lures
Until today I didn't realise that fishing lures have an expiry date
I don't have a lure factory or team of guys designing or making lures for me
I hadn't made he connection that lures are the most critical link in my tackle
I get advice on what lures to buy from magazines, online or tacklestores
I watch what lures are working for the pros and try to use the same
I've experienced occasions when I don't have a lure that will work well enough
I know that some good lures could be made better for my fishing conditions
I fish heavily fished waters at least sometimes
I can now see value in a box full of custom lures that the fish haven't seen
I want more from my lure fishing. I'm always striving to improve
I want the unfair advantage that the fishing legends enjoy
Until today I didn't realise that fishing lures have an expiry date
I don't have a lure factory or team of guys designing or making lures for me
I hadn't made he connection that lures are the most critical link in my tackle
I get advice on what lures to buy from magazines, online or tacklestores
I watch what lures are working for the pros and try to use the same
I've experienced occasions when I don't have a lure that will work well enough
I know that some good lures could be made better for my fishing conditions
I fish heavily fished waters at least sometimes
I can now see value in a box full of custom lures that the fish haven't seen
I want more from my lure fishing. I'm always striving to improve
I want the unfair advantage that the fishing legends enjoy
OK, how did you go? Count up how many boxes you checked.
None? C'mon! Even the legends would check the last 3! You weren't taking this as seriously as you should! This isn't about how good you are, it's about how much better you can be!
Seriously, did you check a couple of boxes? Or did you check most of them?
Most anglers that I talk to say that they check the majority of the boxes above, so if that's you, go right ahead and feel normal!
Here's the GOOD NEWS. The more boxes you checked, the more you have to gain from this website. Why? Because you are being honest with yourself and you really want to improve your fishing.
So hold on - your lure fishing is about to hit the fast track!
None? C'mon! Even the legends would check the last 3! You weren't taking this as seriously as you should! This isn't about how good you are, it's about how much better you can be!
Seriously, did you check a couple of boxes? Or did you check most of them?
Most anglers that I talk to say that they check the majority of the boxes above, so if that's you, go right ahead and feel normal!
Here's the GOOD NEWS. The more boxes you checked, the more you have to gain from this website. Why? Because you are being honest with yourself and you really want to improve your fishing.
So hold on - your lure fishing is about to hit the fast track!
Let's Work On Improving Your Catches Now!
We'll Start By Working Out Where
Your Fishing Is At Right Now
We'll Start By Working Out Where
Your Fishing Is At Right Now
Hungry For Answers?
I Won't Keep You Waiting Any Longer!
I Won't Keep You Waiting Any Longer!
Making Your Own Hard Plastic Lures Solves ALL FIVE Of The Mistakes That Are Holding You Back
10 Myths About Making Your Own Lures
hints and tips for making and using hard
plastic crankbaits, jerkbaits and topwater lures. Even if you never make a lure you will find this stuff useful.
Why not subscribe now?
It's free and you can unsubscribe at any time.
plastic crankbaits, jerkbaits and topwater lures. Even if you never make a lure you will find this stuff useful.
Why not subscribe now?
It's free and you can unsubscribe at any time.
Are You Ready To Become A More Successful Fisherman? Get A Head Start - For FREE!
Don't be left behind! A legion of subscribers to my weekly hard plastic lure making email list is already improving their lure making and fishing skills and reaping the benefits of making hard plastic lures!
Unlike so many email services, we do not merely email you advertisements on a regular basis, in fact our advertising is minimal (just enough to cover the cost of producing free info - that's fair, isn't it?
What we send is useful
Unlike so many email services, we do not merely email you advertisements on a regular basis, in fact our advertising is minimal (just enough to cover the cost of producing free info - that's fair, isn't it?
What we send is useful
Myth #1: It takes loads of knowledge to make your own fishing lures
Truth: Actually, this one is a truth! When you make your own fishing lures you never stop learning and you never stop improving the quality of lures you make. But isn't fishing like that? How much have you learned since you first started fishing? And aren't you still learning? Of course, that's the whole point of it.
But you don't need to be a rocket scientist to make great fishing lures - almost anyone can make fish catching lures with a little tuition and guidance. It doesn't take long to get to that point, either. I've taught people the basics of what I do one-on-one in as little as 4-5 hours. It takes a little longer if you are teaching yourself from books, but a weekend or two and you'll be churning them out.
Myth #2: Designing lures is really complex. You need to be an expert.
Truth: There really is a lot to know about crankbait/hardbait design. But it doesn't have to be daunting and you don't have to get it right first time. Sign up to our free information and I'll give you tips on making deep diving lures, lures for fishing snags, suspending lures, in fact all kinds of lure design information. We'll also give you some lure templates that you can use to get started. Go ahead and give them a try, then as your confidence grows you can modify them to make them do what you need them to. Or of course, you can plunge in the deep end and just start designing your own using the detailed information we provide. Ask yourself this: "How many times have I looked for a lure that would do XYZ? What if I could just make one that would do the job better than anything I can buy?". Don't be afraid to fail, sometimes that is how new lures are discovered!
Myth #3: You can't make hard plastic lures at home.
Truth: Garbage! I've been making hard plastic fishing lures in my home workshop for over 10 years. I worked out how to do it for myself, because there wasn't much information available (there still isn't). I've been showing other people how to make their own hard plastic baits for 7-8 years now.
Myth #4: Making hard plastic fishing lures is a fine art.
Truth: Making your own fishing lures is like following a recipe. I can provide you with step by step instructions for the whole process. Each step of the way is accompanied by a photograph to show you exactly how I go about it. There is no guesswork, although like most hobbies it will take some practice and experimentation to get the process working for you. Designing lures is different. It's a little more challenging and heaps more rewarding, but it's still a science rather than an art. Your confidence will grow quickly once you start.
Myth #5: Making lots of hard plastic lures requires lots of tools.
Truth: If you have a workshop and a lot of power tools, that's great! They might come in handy! I've got a great collection of tools and I use them a lot. But you don't NEED them to make professional hard plastic lures. In fact, when I set out to write my ebook I wanted to make it as useful to as many people as possible, so I deliberately developed techniques that didn't need more than a few simple hand tools that most people already have. If you plan to make a business out of lure making, that's different.
Truth: Actually, this one is a truth! When you make your own fishing lures you never stop learning and you never stop improving the quality of lures you make. But isn't fishing like that? How much have you learned since you first started fishing? And aren't you still learning? Of course, that's the whole point of it.
But you don't need to be a rocket scientist to make great fishing lures - almost anyone can make fish catching lures with a little tuition and guidance. It doesn't take long to get to that point, either. I've taught people the basics of what I do one-on-one in as little as 4-5 hours. It takes a little longer if you are teaching yourself from books, but a weekend or two and you'll be churning them out.
Myth #2: Designing lures is really complex. You need to be an expert.
Truth: There really is a lot to know about crankbait/hardbait design. But it doesn't have to be daunting and you don't have to get it right first time. Sign up to our free information and I'll give you tips on making deep diving lures, lures for fishing snags, suspending lures, in fact all kinds of lure design information. We'll also give you some lure templates that you can use to get started. Go ahead and give them a try, then as your confidence grows you can modify them to make them do what you need them to. Or of course, you can plunge in the deep end and just start designing your own using the detailed information we provide. Ask yourself this: "How many times have I looked for a lure that would do XYZ? What if I could just make one that would do the job better than anything I can buy?". Don't be afraid to fail, sometimes that is how new lures are discovered!
Myth #3: You can't make hard plastic lures at home.
Truth: Garbage! I've been making hard plastic fishing lures in my home workshop for over 10 years. I worked out how to do it for myself, because there wasn't much information available (there still isn't). I've been showing other people how to make their own hard plastic baits for 7-8 years now.
Myth #4: Making hard plastic fishing lures is a fine art.
Truth: Making your own fishing lures is like following a recipe. I can provide you with step by step instructions for the whole process. Each step of the way is accompanied by a photograph to show you exactly how I go about it. There is no guesswork, although like most hobbies it will take some practice and experimentation to get the process working for you. Designing lures is different. It's a little more challenging and heaps more rewarding, but it's still a science rather than an art. Your confidence will grow quickly once you start.
Myth #5: Making lots of hard plastic lures requires lots of tools.
Truth: If you have a workshop and a lot of power tools, that's great! They might come in handy! I've got a great collection of tools and I use them a lot. But you don't NEED them to make professional hard plastic lures. In fact, when I set out to write my ebook I wanted to make it as useful to as many people as possible, so I deliberately developed techniques that didn't need more than a few simple hand tools that most people already have. If you plan to make a business out of lure making, that's different.
Designing and making fishing lures can be daunting at first.
What if you had some templates to work from? You know, proven lure patterns with scalable, printable outlines and full details of what hooks, rings and diving bib to fit.
I provide 12 such templates FREE with my ebook "Make Your Own Lures: Plastic Lures", to give my readers a great start.
What if you had some templates to work from? You know, proven lure patterns with scalable, printable outlines and full details of what hooks, rings and diving bib to fit.
I provide 12 such templates FREE with my ebook "Make Your Own Lures: Plastic Lures", to give my readers a great start.
Skip The Trial And Error
Start Making Professional Fishing Lures Today
Start Making Professional Fishing Lures Today
I look after my subscribers too. Join our email service to get regular free info, plus 2 Free Lure Templates (Valued at $19.90) - Instantly!
Why not subscribe now?
It's free and you can unsubscribe at any time.
Why not subscribe now?
It's free and you can unsubscribe at any time.
Myth #6: It takes a lot of time to make hard plastic fishing lures
Truth: Like anything new, you need to invest a little time when you are getting started, partly to learn how things are done and partly to get yourself set up. Making molds is the tricky bit. If I have a prototype to work from I can generally make up a set of molds in a couple of hours. Once I have a mold I can usually make 3-4 average crankbait bodies per hour. Here is the thing though, I'll show you a way to rapidly reproduce molds, and if you spend a few days on this you can quickly get to the point of being able to make 50 or more identical lure bodies in an afternoon.
Myth #7: I won't be able to get the materials I need.
Truth: Nonsense! There are all sorts of fancy materials you can use to make lures, but as I've said before, I wanted my book to be useful to as many people as possible. For this reason I've stuck to using materials for both the molds and the lures that I can get from the local hardware store or fibreglass supply shop. Nothing fancy here at all! Molds for hard plastic lures on average cost me between $2.50 and $7.00 each, depending on the size and shape of the lures I'm making. The lures themselves generally cost me less than a dollar each, plus hooks and rings.
Myth #8: I don't have the artistic ability to paint lures.
Truth: Look, the truth is that a really flash paint job normally isn't as important to the fish as it is to the fisherman. Trust me, I don't have any ability at all with a paintbrush or a pencil, but I can paint fishing lures just fine. There are a few tricks along the way that will help you to get a professional looking finish with a couple of spray cans of touchup paint from the local auto shop and a handful of cheap goodies from a craft shop. I give a pretty good grounding in the ebook, but a really slick paint job is really only important if you plan to go professional.
Myth #9: You can't make lures as good as the ones you can buy.
Truth: I beg to differ. You can make more effective lures than you can buy, for all of the reasons we've described above. If you take the time to learn how, they can also look just as attractive (even more so) than bought lures, if that's what you want. But some of my favorite lures are just workhorses, solidly built but not pretty - I don't see the point agonising over a paint job on a lure you're going to throw into coral or at toothy fish, you'll only cry when they maul it! Remember the massive edge you will get from having lures that fish haven't seen before - it's an advantage used to the max by the fishing legends.
Myth #10: Lure making kits are just as good.
Truth: Buying pre-made lure bodies and assembling and painting them is in many ways better than buying the finished products off the shelf. At least you might be getting your hands on some lure bodies that the fish don't see as often and you'll no doubt paint them differently too. But kits limit you to the styles available and don't teach you a whole hell of a lot about how lures work - an understanding that is critical if you want to be a well above average angler! The only way to really get the edge is to have the absolute flexibility to make lures of any design you choose at will. That's what you'll get from my book.
Truth: Like anything new, you need to invest a little time when you are getting started, partly to learn how things are done and partly to get yourself set up. Making molds is the tricky bit. If I have a prototype to work from I can generally make up a set of molds in a couple of hours. Once I have a mold I can usually make 3-4 average crankbait bodies per hour. Here is the thing though, I'll show you a way to rapidly reproduce molds, and if you spend a few days on this you can quickly get to the point of being able to make 50 or more identical lure bodies in an afternoon.
Myth #7: I won't be able to get the materials I need.
Truth: Nonsense! There are all sorts of fancy materials you can use to make lures, but as I've said before, I wanted my book to be useful to as many people as possible. For this reason I've stuck to using materials for both the molds and the lures that I can get from the local hardware store or fibreglass supply shop. Nothing fancy here at all! Molds for hard plastic lures on average cost me between $2.50 and $7.00 each, depending on the size and shape of the lures I'm making. The lures themselves generally cost me less than a dollar each, plus hooks and rings.
Myth #8: I don't have the artistic ability to paint lures.
Truth: Look, the truth is that a really flash paint job normally isn't as important to the fish as it is to the fisherman. Trust me, I don't have any ability at all with a paintbrush or a pencil, but I can paint fishing lures just fine. There are a few tricks along the way that will help you to get a professional looking finish with a couple of spray cans of touchup paint from the local auto shop and a handful of cheap goodies from a craft shop. I give a pretty good grounding in the ebook, but a really slick paint job is really only important if you plan to go professional.
Myth #9: You can't make lures as good as the ones you can buy.
Truth: I beg to differ. You can make more effective lures than you can buy, for all of the reasons we've described above. If you take the time to learn how, they can also look just as attractive (even more so) than bought lures, if that's what you want. But some of my favorite lures are just workhorses, solidly built but not pretty - I don't see the point agonising over a paint job on a lure you're going to throw into coral or at toothy fish, you'll only cry when they maul it! Remember the massive edge you will get from having lures that fish haven't seen before - it's an advantage used to the max by the fishing legends.
Myth #10: Lure making kits are just as good.
Truth: Buying pre-made lure bodies and assembling and painting them is in many ways better than buying the finished products off the shelf. At least you might be getting your hands on some lure bodies that the fish don't see as often and you'll no doubt paint them differently too. But kits limit you to the styles available and don't teach you a whole hell of a lot about how lures work - an understanding that is critical if you want to be a well above average angler! The only way to really get the edge is to have the absolute flexibility to make lures of any design you choose at will. That's what you'll get from my book.
This book contains original, unique content. Nothing like this is available anywhere else. Period.
A comprehensive, illustrated and easy to understand explanation of fishing lure design. Design lures that do precisely what you want them to do. This chapter is pure gold!
Discover how correct selection of body shape, bib size and shape, bib angle, towpoint configuration, internal weighting and terminal tackle selection combine to make a killer lure.
Start with a complete tools and materials checklist and discussion. This section is short because I've deliberately developed a system for making lures that doesn't require a lot of tools.
Find out how cheap and readily obtainable the materials are - take a drive to the local hardware shop and get everything you need to start making hard plastic lures today!
Learn the simplest way to make a prototype from which you can make fishing lure molds. There are several ways to do this, but it doesn't have to be complicated. I show you some efficient techniques that give great results quickly.
Copy a favourite commercial lure to get started even faster (careful of patents etc - these lures are strictly for personal use only). Make loads of identical lures cheap, or modify the design to improve it for your local conditions.
Discover simple and low-tech hard lure painting techniques that give your fishing lures a professional look without costing a lot of time or money.
Get the full rundown on selecting and fitting internal and external hardware, such as towpoints, hook hangers, internal weighting, bibs, hooks and rings. This stuff makes a gun lure that not only swims well, but takes anything that even the toughest fish will throw at it.
Discover how correct selection of body shape, bib size and shape, bib angle, towpoint configuration, internal weighting and terminal tackle selection combine to make a killer lure.
Start with a complete tools and materials checklist and discussion. This section is short because I've deliberately developed a system for making lures that doesn't require a lot of tools.
Find out how cheap and readily obtainable the materials are - take a drive to the local hardware shop and get everything you need to start making hard plastic lures today!
Learn the simplest way to make a prototype from which you can make fishing lure molds. There are several ways to do this, but it doesn't have to be complicated. I show you some efficient techniques that give great results quickly.
Copy a favourite commercial lure to get started even faster (careful of patents etc - these lures are strictly for personal use only). Make loads of identical lures cheap, or modify the design to improve it for your local conditions.
Discover simple and low-tech hard lure painting techniques that give your fishing lures a professional look without costing a lot of time or money.
Get the full rundown on selecting and fitting internal and external hardware, such as towpoints, hook hangers, internal weighting, bibs, hooks and rings. This stuff makes a gun lure that not only swims well, but takes anything that even the toughest fish will throw at it.
If you are ready to change your fishing fortunes forever, take immediate action NOW and instantly download 10 years of custom lure making secrets, tips, techniques and experience.
Every minute you hesitate is one more minute you won't be fishing at your absolute best, so avoid wasted time and money, avoid trial and error and start making perfect hard plastic lures TODAY!
Every minute you hesitate is one more minute you won't be fishing at your absolute best, so avoid wasted time and money, avoid trial and error and start making perfect hard plastic lures TODAY!
Are You Ready Now To Take Your Fishing To Exciting New Levels?
Why Make Hard Plastic Lures? Why Not Make Wooden Lures? What's The Advantage?
You probably know someone who makes their own crankbaits from wood, or maybe you even make wooden lures yourself. Wooden Lures are great, I make them and probably always will. In many ways well made wooden lures perform better than plastic.
But here is why hard plastic lures are just the ticket:
Speed, speed, speed.........the answer is speed. Speed is the answer!
Making hard plastic lures has other advantages, too. Like it's easier to put rattles and internal weighting into plastic lures than wooden ones. Also, once you have your molds made up, plastic lures are consistent from one batch to another, so each successive lure performs exactly like the last one. Wood is a natural product and there is variability in density and a range of other factors. Making two identical wooden lures perform exactly the same way is more challenging.
But at the end of the day the big advantage of plastic lures is the speed with which you can make a stack of them. You can set up a whole bunch of molds and pour a whole pile of lures at once, so churning out a bunch of 50 lures in an afternoon is no problem.
But here is why hard plastic lures are just the ticket:
Speed, speed, speed.........the answer is speed. Speed is the answer!
Making hard plastic lures has other advantages, too. Like it's easier to put rattles and internal weighting into plastic lures than wooden ones. Also, once you have your molds made up, plastic lures are consistent from one batch to another, so each successive lure performs exactly like the last one. Wood is a natural product and there is variability in density and a range of other factors. Making two identical wooden lures perform exactly the same way is more challenging.
But at the end of the day the big advantage of plastic lures is the speed with which you can make a stack of them. You can set up a whole bunch of molds and pour a whole pile of lures at once, so churning out a bunch of 50 lures in an afternoon is no problem.
Hey! This Isn't Just For The Bass Enthusiast!
This Works For Every Lure Fishing Species.
This Works For Every Lure Fishing Species.
Rick Clunn, 4 times Bassmaster Classic Winner, Most Successful Tournament Bass fisherman in history.
Kevin Van Dam, 3 times Bassmaster Classic Winner (including 2010) and all time highest money winner in competition bass fishing.
Kevin Van Dam, 3 times Bassmaster Classic Winner (including 2010) and all time highest money winner in competition bass fishing.
So, Now We Know Where You Are At.
Let's Start Improving Your Catches!
Let's Start Improving Your Catches!
C'mon! If you haven't already joined my email subscription list then you are missing out on vital information that will change (for the better) the way you fish. Vital information that others are already using to their advantage!
It's FREE to subscribe, and when you join you'll instantly receive 2 Lure Making Templates (Valued at $19.90) for FREE. You will also receive weekly lure making and custom lure fishing information to give you an additional boost.
It's FREE to subscribe, and when you join you'll instantly receive 2 Lure Making Templates (Valued at $19.90) for FREE. You will also receive weekly lure making and custom lure fishing information to give you an additional boost.
Are Other Fishermen Getting The Jump On You?
Of course, you can unsubscribe at any time - but very few people do!
What are you waiting for? Subscribe now!
It's free and you can unsubscribe at any time.
What are you waiting for? Subscribe now!
It's free and you can unsubscribe at any time.
There is always hype and superstition when it comes to lure color selection. This report cuts through the BS with indisputable scientific facts about how fish really see color. The report delves into the influences of water color, turbidity, time of day, time of season and other factors that physically change the way various wavelengths of light penetrate into the water, and how this changes which colors are visible at any given time.
This no-nonsense guide is presented in a very easy to understand way and is a "must read" for anyone serious about cracking the code on hard bait color selection. Normally $14.95, for a limited time you will receive this report absolutely free of charge when you purchase "Make Your Own Fishing Lures: Plastic Lures"
My Dream......Is To Get Someone Started In Lure Making Who Will One Day Go On To Become A Bass Master Winner
So I'm going to give you a bunch of extras for FREE to really get you juiced!
So I'm going to give you a bunch of extras for FREE to really get you juiced!
The sure-fire road to instant success, these templates are beautifully presented on a printable, resizeable grid showing lure dimensions, hook and towpoint locations, recommended bib angle, size and shape. Each includes details of internal weighting where appropriate. I provide the hook make and models that I use when I make these hard baits for myself and give color photographs of finished examples, along with vital statistics such as finished weight, diving depth and swimming action.
Once you have the knowledge to make an endless supply of custom hard baits, it's time to explore some pro tips for using them to catch more (or better) fish. This mini-ebook is crammed full of tips to improve your hard bait fishing, including hints for fishing around snags and weedbeds, trolling multiple lures, line and leader selection for lure fishing, tying on and tuning lures and much more.
Lure included in the template set range from the tiny "PeeWee" floater diver at 11/2", 1/8oz (3.5cm, 3g) right up to the massive "Big Mutha" sinking minnow at 11" and 43/4oz (23cm, 150g). However, most fishing lures in the collection range from 3-5".
These very detailed templates are priced at $9.95 each, but for a strictly limited time, I will give away the entire 12 template collection (total value $119.40) absolutely free when you purchase "Make Your Own Fishing Lures: Plastic Lures"
These very detailed templates are priced at $9.95 each, but for a strictly limited time, I will give away the entire 12 template collection (total value $119.40) absolutely free when you purchase "Make Your Own Fishing Lures: Plastic Lures"
Normally $9.95, for a limited time you will receive your copy of this great lure fishing resource absolutely free when you purchase "Make Your Own Fishing Lures: Plastic Lures".
So Here Is the Package Deal -
Amazing Value For A Limited Time!
Amazing Value For A Limited Time!
Make Your Own Fishing Lures E-book
Bonus #1: 12 Lure Templates
Bonus #2: Lure Color Selection Report
Bonus #3: 65 Lure Fishing Tips
Total Value
Bonus #1: 12 Lure Templates
Bonus #2: Lure Color Selection Report
Bonus #3: 65 Lure Fishing Tips
Total Value
Was
Now
$49.95
$119.40
$14.95
$9.95
$194.25
$119.40
$14.95
$9.95
$37.00
Free
Free
Free
$37.00!
Free
Free
Free
$37.00!
That's Right! For Less Than The Cost Of ONE Custom Fishing Lure You Can Instantly Download The Finest Hard Plastic Lure Making Resource Around!
100% Money-Back Guarantee For 2 Full Months
I'm so confident that you'll love the value and the wealth of information you'll get from this ebook that we'll make your purchase 100% Risk Free.
60 day, 100% satisfaction money back guarantee
Purchase and read the whole book. Put the ideas into action, print the templates and get cracking making some great fishing lures. If you're not thrilled with the information and results, then simply email and tell me, and I'll send you a prompt and courteous, no hassles, no questions asked, 100% refund. But please, give me some honest feedback so that I can rectify the problem for future customers!
On the other hand, if "Make Your Own Fishing Lures" helps you achieve your personal goal of making professional quality fishing lures and increasing your catch rate please email to tell me what you've achieved - and of course, tell your friends about it too!
60 day, 100% satisfaction money back guarantee
Purchase and read the whole book. Put the ideas into action, print the templates and get cracking making some great fishing lures. If you're not thrilled with the information and results, then simply email and tell me, and I'll send you a prompt and courteous, no hassles, no questions asked, 100% refund. But please, give me some honest feedback so that I can rectify the problem for future customers!
On the other hand, if "Make Your Own Fishing Lures" helps you achieve your personal goal of making professional quality fishing lures and increasing your catch rate please email to tell me what you've achieved - and of course, tell your friends about it too!
May your hooks find their mark in bigger and better fish!
Yours in lure making success,
Yours in lure making success,
More Fish...
Bigger Fish...
More Often...
Blog
Bass Reports
Freshwater fishing
Lure Technique
Freshwater Blog
You will notice throughout this page that I'll refer to the U.S. bass fishing scene a lot. That's just because bass fishing is so popular and so much research and effort goes into catching bass. I'll also mention some of the bass pros because they are the most high profile and successful anglers in the world. The fact is, what you are about to read applies to any popular lure fishing species, anywhere in the world.
Important:
Before we start, please pull out your drivers licence and take a really close look. Do either of the following names appear?
Important:
Before we start, please pull out your drivers licence and take a really close look. Do either of the following names appear?
If you are one of these guys, I'm going to be discussing how you've exploited this unfair advantage to maximum benefit to get to the pinacle of our sport. And good on you, I admire you for doing that, it's pure genius! But if you would kindly leave now that would be great, because the rest of us want to study you!
Right! Now if your name happens to be Hank Parker, Bob Murray or George Cochran, please leave also. Two Bassmaster Classics is enough and you're already well aware of the unfair advantage I'm talking about. You've been using it too.
Skeet and Mr Yamamoto, you'll be studied as well, so kindly close the door as you leave! Any other pro's here?
Now that we have asked some of the best and most successful fishermen in the United States to leave we can feel free to talk about them. So lets look at what they have that has elevated them to the status of lure fishing legend. Not to mention the incredible prizes, amazing sponsorship and fishing stardom they've all enjoyed along the way.
Right! Now if your name happens to be Hank Parker, Bob Murray or George Cochran, please leave also. Two Bassmaster Classics is enough and you're already well aware of the unfair advantage I'm talking about. You've been using it too.
Skeet and Mr Yamamoto, you'll be studied as well, so kindly close the door as you leave! Any other pro's here?
Now that we have asked some of the best and most successful fishermen in the United States to leave we can feel free to talk about them. So lets look at what they have that has elevated them to the status of lure fishing legend. Not to mention the incredible prizes, amazing sponsorship and fishing stardom they've all enjoyed along the way.
Hey, look. I'm no bass pro myself, but I do catch plenty of great fish and I absolutely love my fishing. I don't aspire to be a pro, but I will work hard at being a better and more competent lure fisherman until the day they put me in the ground.
That's what inspired me to study the guys above. I mean, think about the enormity of the statistics:
Those first five names (Clunn, Van Dam, Parker, Murray, Cochran) are in the top 0.00001% of anglers in the United States.
How do I figure?
Well, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s 2006 National Survey of Fishing, Hunting and Wildlife-Associated Recreation, some 40 million Americans actively participate in recreational fishing each year.
These five men are the only ones who have managed to win the Bassmaster Classic more than once each, which in my eyes makes them better than 3,999,995 (99.9999%) of fisherman in this moment.
That's an awesome statistic, and there are simply no better role models if you want be become an absolute gun lure fisherman!
So what makes these guys so damn good and how can we benefit? I'm sure if you ever get the chance to speak to any of them they will have their own individual spin. But in my view, lots of the factors that make elite, high level fishermen so good are the same as for any other elite sport:
1. Raw talent. These guys can pull fish out of thin air even when they are under enormous pressure. It's reasonable to assume that most of them were fish in previous lives. They have an uncanny knack of knowing just what to do when the fishing is tough.
2. Sheer dedication, hard work and relentless practice. Talent alone is just not enough! We all know someone who is great at something. Maybe it's playing guitar, maybe painting, throwing hoops, whatever. Unless they are focussed, dedicated and work hard it's very unlikely that they'll rise to the ranks of the elite. It just doesn't happen. Fishing is the same, whether in tournaments, as a guide or just for recreation, practice is crucial.
3. Opportunity. Don't confuse this with luck. In my view, legendary lure fishermen aren't lucky, they have the ability to make the most of every opportunity and to create opportunties when others can't. This comes back to raw talent, focus and practice.
4. The right tools. Take a look at anyone who is an elite competitor in any sphere. They don't use second rate equipment. Pros not only win big money, they also win big sponsorship, and that means they have all of the cutting edge fishing technology laid on. Again, this is not everything, and I'm certain Rick or Kevin would outfish me if I had all the goodies and they had Walmart cheapies. But it does make a huge difference when two anglers of equal ability come head to head and one has better equipment.
Now, I can't help you with the first three of these attributes, but irrespective of how good your current fishing tackle is, I can almost certainly improve your fishing success by improving the tools you are using......
That's what inspired me to study the guys above. I mean, think about the enormity of the statistics:
Those first five names (Clunn, Van Dam, Parker, Murray, Cochran) are in the top 0.00001% of anglers in the United States.
How do I figure?
Well, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s 2006 National Survey of Fishing, Hunting and Wildlife-Associated Recreation, some 40 million Americans actively participate in recreational fishing each year.
These five men are the only ones who have managed to win the Bassmaster Classic more than once each, which in my eyes makes them better than 3,999,995 (99.9999%) of fisherman in this moment.
That's an awesome statistic, and there are simply no better role models if you want be become an absolute gun lure fisherman!
So what makes these guys so damn good and how can we benefit? I'm sure if you ever get the chance to speak to any of them they will have their own individual spin. But in my view, lots of the factors that make elite, high level fishermen so good are the same as for any other elite sport:
1. Raw talent. These guys can pull fish out of thin air even when they are under enormous pressure. It's reasonable to assume that most of them were fish in previous lives. They have an uncanny knack of knowing just what to do when the fishing is tough.
2. Sheer dedication, hard work and relentless practice. Talent alone is just not enough! We all know someone who is great at something. Maybe it's playing guitar, maybe painting, throwing hoops, whatever. Unless they are focussed, dedicated and work hard it's very unlikely that they'll rise to the ranks of the elite. It just doesn't happen. Fishing is the same, whether in tournaments, as a guide or just for recreation, practice is crucial.
3. Opportunity. Don't confuse this with luck. In my view, legendary lure fishermen aren't lucky, they have the ability to make the most of every opportunity and to create opportunties when others can't. This comes back to raw talent, focus and practice.
4. The right tools. Take a look at anyone who is an elite competitor in any sphere. They don't use second rate equipment. Pros not only win big money, they also win big sponsorship, and that means they have all of the cutting edge fishing technology laid on. Again, this is not everything, and I'm certain Rick or Kevin would outfish me if I had all the goodies and they had Walmart cheapies. But it does make a huge difference when two anglers of equal ability come head to head and one has better equipment.
Now, I can't help you with the first three of these attributes, but irrespective of how good your current fishing tackle is, I can almost certainly improve your fishing success by improving the tools you are using......
Now, I said in my headline that there are 5 mistakes that almost certainly keep you from catching the quantity and quality of fish you deserve.
What you may not realise is that these all come down to the tackle you are using,particularly the tackle you are tying onto the end of your line. Specifically, I'm talking about hard bodied lures like jerkbaits, minnows, topwater lures and other crankbaits of various types that we all love to use.
What you may not realise is that these all come down to the tackle you are using,particularly the tackle you are tying onto the end of your line. Specifically, I'm talking about hard bodied lures like jerkbaits, minnows, topwater lures and other crankbaits of various types that we all love to use.
Think about it.
It doesn't matter how good and expensive and cutting edge your boat is, if the lure you tie on doesn't attract and hook a fish the boat is worthless.
No matter how expensive and cutting edge and high tech your fishing rod, it's useless if you use a lure that fish don't respond to.
You can have the best reel with the most ball bearings and the silkiest drag system. You can have the thinnest, strongest, least visible line....if the lure you use isn't good you've wasted your money.
Can you see a pattern emerging? Trolling motor. Landing net. Downrigger. Sonar. The list goes on and on and on.
At the end of the day the lure you tie onto the end of your line remains the most crucial piece of fishing tackle you own.
I'm not saying those other things aren't important. Of course they are! Without quality boats, motors, reels, lines and so on you won't get the best out of your lures! And unless you get the best out of your lures you won't be catching as many fish as you should.
And where do most anglers cut corners and cut costs? Lures! How much sense does that make?
I know guys who have $50,000 plus boats, E-tecs, Sonars, nothing but the best rods and reels, braided line and a box full of lures they bought from the bargain bin at the front of the tackle store! Why? Why would you go to the expense of buying all the good gear and then scrimp on the most critical item - the bit the fish is supposed to actually eat!
It doesn't matter how good and expensive and cutting edge your boat is, if the lure you tie on doesn't attract and hook a fish the boat is worthless.
No matter how expensive and cutting edge and high tech your fishing rod, it's useless if you use a lure that fish don't respond to.
You can have the best reel with the most ball bearings and the silkiest drag system. You can have the thinnest, strongest, least visible line....if the lure you use isn't good you've wasted your money.
Can you see a pattern emerging? Trolling motor. Landing net. Downrigger. Sonar. The list goes on and on and on.
At the end of the day the lure you tie onto the end of your line remains the most crucial piece of fishing tackle you own.
I'm not saying those other things aren't important. Of course they are! Without quality boats, motors, reels, lines and so on you won't get the best out of your lures! And unless you get the best out of your lures you won't be catching as many fish as you should.
And where do most anglers cut corners and cut costs? Lures! How much sense does that make?
I know guys who have $50,000 plus boats, E-tecs, Sonars, nothing but the best rods and reels, braided line and a box full of lures they bought from the bargain bin at the front of the tackle store! Why? Why would you go to the expense of buying all the good gear and then scrimp on the most critical item - the bit the fish is supposed to actually eat!
Mistake #1 - Not Having The Right Friends
So who are the right friends?
Cashed up ones who own companies that manufacture quality fishing lures, of course! Look, I've said it before and I'll say it again, the pro's I mention on this page are fishing geniuses. I take nothing away from them, they are on top of their game, they are undisputed fishing gods.
But that being said, these guys have fishing lure makers clambering all over them with lucrative sponsorship deals. Ask yourself this simple question:
"Would my fishing improve if I had the backing of a large company that makes lures? If I could go to their design guys and say 'you know what I need?' and they would just start designing or modifying lures until I had one that exactly meet my own specific fishing needs?"
Of course it would!
"I need one with less rattle" "Yes, sir! We'll get right onto that!"
I mean, wouldn't that alone give you confidence to know that you have a massive advantage over other fishermen (not to mention the fish!)? A whole team of people waiting for you to provide input into their design process. A whole team working together to put you on the podium to hold up the lure you've jointly developed for millions of anglers to see!
Of course it would!
That's exactly what so many of the top pros have created for themselves. Kevin Van Dam was part of the Strike King team that developed the Red Eye Shad, on which KVD caught almost all of his fish to win the 2010 Bassmaster Classic. Rick Clunn worked closely with Luckycraft to develop his own line of squarebill crankbaits, the RC range. And so on. All of these top guys have at some stage designed or had a hand in designing lures. Some involved hard bodied lures, others spinner baits or soft baits.
So who are the right friends?
Cashed up ones who own companies that manufacture quality fishing lures, of course! Look, I've said it before and I'll say it again, the pro's I mention on this page are fishing geniuses. I take nothing away from them, they are on top of their game, they are undisputed fishing gods.
But that being said, these guys have fishing lure makers clambering all over them with lucrative sponsorship deals. Ask yourself this simple question:
"Would my fishing improve if I had the backing of a large company that makes lures? If I could go to their design guys and say 'you know what I need?' and they would just start designing or modifying lures until I had one that exactly meet my own specific fishing needs?"
Of course it would!
"I need one with less rattle" "Yes, sir! We'll get right onto that!"
I mean, wouldn't that alone give you confidence to know that you have a massive advantage over other fishermen (not to mention the fish!)? A whole team of people waiting for you to provide input into their design process. A whole team working together to put you on the podium to hold up the lure you've jointly developed for millions of anglers to see!
Of course it would!
That's exactly what so many of the top pros have created for themselves. Kevin Van Dam was part of the Strike King team that developed the Red Eye Shad, on which KVD caught almost all of his fish to win the 2010 Bassmaster Classic. Rick Clunn worked closely with Luckycraft to develop his own line of squarebill crankbaits, the RC range. And so on. All of these top guys have at some stage designed or had a hand in designing lures. Some involved hard bodied lures, others spinner baits or soft baits.
Obviously we can't all have a team of lure making experts at our beck and call, but there are for us ways to get the same result - if we know how.
Mistake #2 - Not knowing the expiry date on lures
Be honest, were you aware that fishing lures have an expiry date?
You think I'm messing with you, right? Oh, no my friend! I'm serious.
There's no little label painted anywhere on a lure body saying "best before" and giving a discard date. No! But fishing lures most definitely have a limited lifetime. Or at least, they have a limited time during which they are really effective. Let me explain why.
You see, over the past few decades we've created a catch and relese culture, which is fantastic. There is no question that catch and release results in better fish numbers and a higher proportion of mature, even trophy sized fish. But here's the thing - it's also resulting in fish getting smarter and harder to catch.
The passage below is straight from the International Game Fish Association website. It referes to largemouth bass, but anglers have known annecdotally for decades that this also applied to most popular angling species.
Be honest, were you aware that fishing lures have an expiry date?
You think I'm messing with you, right? Oh, no my friend! I'm serious.
There's no little label painted anywhere on a lure body saying "best before" and giving a discard date. No! But fishing lures most definitely have a limited lifetime. Or at least, they have a limited time during which they are really effective. Let me explain why.
You see, over the past few decades we've created a catch and relese culture, which is fantastic. There is no question that catch and release results in better fish numbers and a higher proportion of mature, even trophy sized fish. But here's the thing - it's also resulting in fish getting smarter and harder to catch.
The passage below is straight from the International Game Fish Association website. It referes to largemouth bass, but anglers have known annecdotally for decades that this also applied to most popular angling species.
This is why new lures so often come on to the market with a huge splash of immediate success, but after a season or two are almost forgotten. And of course, catch and release means that the fish have a much greater chance to become educated.
The elite anglers have the inside running here.
Let's face it, if I owned a large fishing lure manufacturing company what would be business strategy be?
Simple! Find a big name pro fisherman to sponsor and and have them help develop a new lure. Do whatever it takes to develop a lure that will put that guy on the leaderboard. When the masses see a pro win a tournament with a particular lure the sales will sky rocket.
Of course, once the lure is mass produced and the entire fishing population has a box full of them, the fish rapidly become educated, so the lures lose their effectiveness. That doesn't bother the pro's though - they're already working on the next generation of lures with their sponsors!
To become legendary lure fishermen we have to find a way to get around this challenge.
The elite anglers have the inside running here.
Let's face it, if I owned a large fishing lure manufacturing company what would be business strategy be?
Simple! Find a big name pro fisherman to sponsor and and have them help develop a new lure. Do whatever it takes to develop a lure that will put that guy on the leaderboard. When the masses see a pro win a tournament with a particular lure the sales will sky rocket.
Of course, once the lure is mass produced and the entire fishing population has a box full of them, the fish rapidly become educated, so the lures lose their effectiveness. That doesn't bother the pro's though - they're already working on the next generation of lures with their sponsors!
To become legendary lure fishermen we have to find a way to get around this challenge.
My friend, are you one season behind the leaders? This is crucial, it's a MASSIVE advantage that pro anglers have over the field and most people don't even realise it! You simply MUST be throwing new lures at the fish as often as you can. New, New, New. I can't stress that enough.
Mistake #3 - Swallowing More Fishing Lures Than The Fish Do.
What does this mean?
A fishing buddy once told me the story of a session he had on local bass lake. He'd read in the newpaper that water levels had risen and that the bass were freely taking topwater lures over the grassy flats, so he headed down to check it out. On his way he called in to the tackle shop for the good oil on what lures to use and where to fish. Having stocked up with a few Rebel teeny poppers, he arrived at the lake to find half a dozen other blokes flicking the same lures around.
The occassional fish was being caught, but David opted to leave the teeny poppers in his fishing box and instead fished a locally made McGrath shallow minnow in chartreuse and green. He was rewarded with a number of good fish, including a 55cm specimen. I suspect the tackle shop was rewarded with a bunch of blokes dropping in to stock up on McGraths!
My point is this. Where do you get your advice on what lure to use and when?
The newspaper fishing reports?
Popular fishing magazines?
Websites?
The bloke at the tackle store?
These are all good guides that tell you what the fish were feeding on, yesterday.
Ever watch a school of tightly packed baitfish and marvelled at how gracefully they all move in unison, as if their every move was chorographed? One turns, they all turn. Every so often a predator will charge through and the bait will momentarily scatter, before regrouping and moving in a different direction.
This is how fishermen choose lures. They flock to the latest and greatest lure that's being pushed by the stars of the sport or by marketing experts, or by rumours of fish being caught. Each time a star changes direction, so do the masses.
What does this mean?
A fishing buddy once told me the story of a session he had on local bass lake. He'd read in the newpaper that water levels had risen and that the bass were freely taking topwater lures over the grassy flats, so he headed down to check it out. On his way he called in to the tackle shop for the good oil on what lures to use and where to fish. Having stocked up with a few Rebel teeny poppers, he arrived at the lake to find half a dozen other blokes flicking the same lures around.
The occassional fish was being caught, but David opted to leave the teeny poppers in his fishing box and instead fished a locally made McGrath shallow minnow in chartreuse and green. He was rewarded with a number of good fish, including a 55cm specimen. I suspect the tackle shop was rewarded with a bunch of blokes dropping in to stock up on McGraths!
My point is this. Where do you get your advice on what lure to use and when?
The newspaper fishing reports?
Popular fishing magazines?
Websites?
The bloke at the tackle store?
These are all good guides that tell you what the fish were feeding on, yesterday.
Ever watch a school of tightly packed baitfish and marvelled at how gracefully they all move in unison, as if their every move was chorographed? One turns, they all turn. Every so often a predator will charge through and the bait will momentarily scatter, before regrouping and moving in a different direction.
This is how fishermen choose lures. They flock to the latest and greatest lure that's being pushed by the stars of the sport or by marketing experts, or by rumours of fish being caught. Each time a star changes direction, so do the masses.
Just take a moment to imagine what happened to sales of Strike King Red Eye Shads after Kevin Van Dam made the above statement on the day he won the 2010 Classic and pocketed half a million bucks in prize money! What better proof that the lure he designed himself as part of the Strike King team is a winner!
And there are 2 key words in his statement, which I've underlined. NEW and CUSTOM.
Now, how many people rushed out and bought red eye shads? So how many bass will get an education not to eat red eye shad in the coming months? Flat shad for that matter, too.
Hey, these are great lures and they will catch a lot of fish for years to come. But, if you start using them today they are already slipping off the boil and it will only become more and more difficult to fool fish with them in coming years.
Think about this: Now that Kevin has won the Classic with what can only be described as a very special lure, do think he and the Strike King team are kicking back saying:
"Well, we've got a winner now. The hard work is done, we'll just keep winning classics with the good 'ol Red Eye Shad! No need for us to do any more product development, we're on easy street!"
Of course not! These are smart guys. They had new lures in development even before KVD's Bassmaster victory. Like every commercial lure, the Red Eye Shad has an expiry date. Sure, it will continue to catch fish forever, but the catch rates will start to fall as it becomes more and more widely used.
And there are 2 key words in his statement, which I've underlined. NEW and CUSTOM.
Now, how many people rushed out and bought red eye shads? So how many bass will get an education not to eat red eye shad in the coming months? Flat shad for that matter, too.
Hey, these are great lures and they will catch a lot of fish for years to come. But, if you start using them today they are already slipping off the boil and it will only become more and more difficult to fool fish with them in coming years.
Think about this: Now that Kevin has won the Classic with what can only be described as a very special lure, do think he and the Strike King team are kicking back saying:
"Well, we've got a winner now. The hard work is done, we'll just keep winning classics with the good 'ol Red Eye Shad! No need for us to do any more product development, we're on easy street!"
Of course not! These are smart guys. They had new lures in development even before KVD's Bassmaster victory. Like every commercial lure, the Red Eye Shad has an expiry date. Sure, it will continue to catch fish forever, but the catch rates will start to fall as it becomes more and more widely used.
Mistake #4 - Not recognising value for money
Now, I know you are probably scratching your head at this one. Surely we can all spot a bargain, can't we? And what does that have to do with lure fishing anyway?
Well, most of us work on a limited budget, and we all know that we need a good range of lures to cover all conditions, so we're all trying to get the best selection of lures we can for dollars. Most of us, anyway. The problem is, in our quest to get the right lures at the right cost, we often make choices that reduce our ability to catch fish.
When you stop long enough to think about it, the way a really serious lure fisherman defines value for money is different than the way the hoardes define it.
Once again, allow me to explain. In my eyes, there are three classes of lures: "Bargains", "Mid-range" and "High-end".
Bargain Lures
We all have a few in our fishing box, usually given to us by friends or loved ones who are well intentioned but don't understand fishing. They are usually imported from countries where small items like this can be mass produced at very low cost. Quality control is usually fairly lax.
You'll find them in the bargain box at the fishing shop, in a department store or service station or discount tackle store. They are usually brands you don't recognise, fitted with inferior hooks and rings and generally poorly made.
My grandfather wasn't much of a fisherman, but I recall one Christmas he gave me a shiny lure that looked pretty and caught his eye during his Christmas shopping spree. Of course, I was grateful that he thought of me and accepted the lure with much enthusiasm. But, even before I took the lure out of it's box and tied it to the end of my line I already knew what would happen. The lure didn't swim properly and couldn't be tuned to work, it was fitted with rubbish hooks and rings, it was typical bargain basement lure and I threw it away after the first couple of casts.
A couple of months later I found myself fishing with grandad and I could hear the disappointment in his voice when he noticed that his gift wasn't in my tackle box.
"Oh, yes! I caught a heap of fish on that one! Eventually I lost it when I got busted off by a real big one!"
His spirits lifted and I felt I'd managed to avoid hurting his feelings. Guess what I got for my birthday that year?
There is just no good reason to buy and use these lures. They are cheap and are made for the masses who aren't too discerning and don't know a whole lot about how to improve their fishing.
Bargain lures tend to be very poor value because they are usually poorly made, so hooks bend or break, rings rust or snap, paint peels and bodies split when they come into contact with rocks or snags. They also rarely have a decent action and often can't be tuned to swim properly.
To cap it all off they are mass produced and flooded onto the market. That means that every punter and weekend warrior is throwing them in front of fish. As if everything above isn't enough, the fish have been educated! You just won't catch fish consistently on these lures, especially in hard fished waters. Throw them out.
Mid-Range Lures.
These are the ones that are well made, better quality lures from reputable lure makers and are usually priced accordingly. They are usually found in better tackleshops, where they quite often cover an entire wall and these days retail anywhere from $5 to $25 each.
Generally speaking, these are the lures of choice for most people who are reasonably serious about catching fish. Rapala, Mann's, Strike King, Rebel, Luckycraft are just a few examples, there are thouands more.
While these lures are mass produced, they receive a fair bit more attention to detail than bargain lures and can be readily tuned to swim properly, even if they don't do so straight out of the box. Hooks and rings are usually (but not always) better quality and bodies are more robust and durable.
These lures are better than the bargain lures we just discussed, but they have a major shortcoming - they are still mass produced, which means that they are widely used by a lot of anlgers on a lot of waterways, and as we've already discussed, this means fish become educated and lures become less effective over time.
In my eyes, this makes the mid-range lures better quality than the bargain basement versions because you at least know they'll swim properly and that there is a reasonable chance that fish will take them. If you hook a fish there is also a good chance they'll hold together until the fish is landed.
High-end lures
These are the Maseratis of the lure fishing world. They are hand crafted, hand painted, immaculately designed and manufactured and generally made and fitted with the highest quality components.
You usually won't find these lures in the tackleshops, if you want to buy them you need to go to the manufacture direct via google or ebay. Most of these manufactures are relatively small and they churn out only a few hundred to a few thousand lures per year
Expect to pay anywhere from $25 to $300 for these lures. No, I'm not kidding, up to $300. That being said, the higher end of this bracket is obviously of much greater interest to collectors than it is to serious anglers.
Are these lures value for money?
Well, we each have to make our own call on that, but I know I'd rather pay $25 or $30 for a custom fishing lure that the fish haven't seen and tht I'm confident will catch me several fish, than pay the same for 10 bargain lures that are unlikely to catch fish. Which ones seems better value to you?
You make your own call!
Now, I know you are probably scratching your head at this one. Surely we can all spot a bargain, can't we? And what does that have to do with lure fishing anyway?
Well, most of us work on a limited budget, and we all know that we need a good range of lures to cover all conditions, so we're all trying to get the best selection of lures we can for dollars. Most of us, anyway. The problem is, in our quest to get the right lures at the right cost, we often make choices that reduce our ability to catch fish.
When you stop long enough to think about it, the way a really serious lure fisherman defines value for money is different than the way the hoardes define it.
Once again, allow me to explain. In my eyes, there are three classes of lures: "Bargains", "Mid-range" and "High-end".
Bargain Lures
We all have a few in our fishing box, usually given to us by friends or loved ones who are well intentioned but don't understand fishing. They are usually imported from countries where small items like this can be mass produced at very low cost. Quality control is usually fairly lax.
You'll find them in the bargain box at the fishing shop, in a department store or service station or discount tackle store. They are usually brands you don't recognise, fitted with inferior hooks and rings and generally poorly made.
My grandfather wasn't much of a fisherman, but I recall one Christmas he gave me a shiny lure that looked pretty and caught his eye during his Christmas shopping spree. Of course, I was grateful that he thought of me and accepted the lure with much enthusiasm. But, even before I took the lure out of it's box and tied it to the end of my line I already knew what would happen. The lure didn't swim properly and couldn't be tuned to work, it was fitted with rubbish hooks and rings, it was typical bargain basement lure and I threw it away after the first couple of casts.
A couple of months later I found myself fishing with grandad and I could hear the disappointment in his voice when he noticed that his gift wasn't in my tackle box.
"Oh, yes! I caught a heap of fish on that one! Eventually I lost it when I got busted off by a real big one!"
His spirits lifted and I felt I'd managed to avoid hurting his feelings. Guess what I got for my birthday that year?
There is just no good reason to buy and use these lures. They are cheap and are made for the masses who aren't too discerning and don't know a whole lot about how to improve their fishing.
Bargain lures tend to be very poor value because they are usually poorly made, so hooks bend or break, rings rust or snap, paint peels and bodies split when they come into contact with rocks or snags. They also rarely have a decent action and often can't be tuned to swim properly.
To cap it all off they are mass produced and flooded onto the market. That means that every punter and weekend warrior is throwing them in front of fish. As if everything above isn't enough, the fish have been educated! You just won't catch fish consistently on these lures, especially in hard fished waters. Throw them out.
Mid-Range Lures.
These are the ones that are well made, better quality lures from reputable lure makers and are usually priced accordingly. They are usually found in better tackleshops, where they quite often cover an entire wall and these days retail anywhere from $5 to $25 each.
Generally speaking, these are the lures of choice for most people who are reasonably serious about catching fish. Rapala, Mann's, Strike King, Rebel, Luckycraft are just a few examples, there are thouands more.
While these lures are mass produced, they receive a fair bit more attention to detail than bargain lures and can be readily tuned to swim properly, even if they don't do so straight out of the box. Hooks and rings are usually (but not always) better quality and bodies are more robust and durable.
These lures are better than the bargain lures we just discussed, but they have a major shortcoming - they are still mass produced, which means that they are widely used by a lot of anlgers on a lot of waterways, and as we've already discussed, this means fish become educated and lures become less effective over time.
In my eyes, this makes the mid-range lures better quality than the bargain basement versions because you at least know they'll swim properly and that there is a reasonable chance that fish will take them. If you hook a fish there is also a good chance they'll hold together until the fish is landed.
High-end lures
These are the Maseratis of the lure fishing world. They are hand crafted, hand painted, immaculately designed and manufactured and generally made and fitted with the highest quality components.
You usually won't find these lures in the tackleshops, if you want to buy them you need to go to the manufacture direct via google or ebay. Most of these manufactures are relatively small and they churn out only a few hundred to a few thousand lures per year
Expect to pay anywhere from $25 to $300 for these lures. No, I'm not kidding, up to $300. That being said, the higher end of this bracket is obviously of much greater interest to collectors than it is to serious anglers.
Are these lures value for money?
Well, we each have to make our own call on that, but I know I'd rather pay $25 or $30 for a custom fishing lure that the fish haven't seen and tht I'm confident will catch me several fish, than pay the same for 10 bargain lures that are unlikely to catch fish. Which ones seems better value to you?
You make your own call!
To put the above quote from Rick Clunn into some kind of context, $20 to $50 in 1976 is equal to $74 to $186 in todays money. How many guys do you know who spend $74 per lure, let alone $186? Not too many, I'd wager.
Consider that neither catch and release nor fishing pressure were as high back in 1976, so the fish were much less educated. Yet, Rick still rated these lures as valuable enough to justify the cost, and ultimately they won him Bass Master Classic.
I'm predicting that your next question will be
"So if high-end lures are so impoartant, how come these days the pro's are winning tournaments with mid-range lures? Van Dam won in 2010 Classic with an off the shelf lure that sells for around $5.50 plus postage!"
Ah, excellent question. Never forget that the mid-range lures the pro's are using have been designed with their own input, to meet their own personal fishing needs and style. More importantly, they have the benefit of testing them extensively and perfecting their use for tournament fishing BEFORE too many fish have seen them.
In a nutshell, the pro's get to use these lures at a stage in their development when they have the same advantages of custom lures - they are new to the fish.
Once the lures are mass produced and marketed in numbers the fish get used to seeing them and over time they start to become less effective.
Unless you are in the inner sanctum of pro fishing you are unlikely to ever get the opportunity to use these lures before they are flooded onto the market.
Consider that neither catch and release nor fishing pressure were as high back in 1976, so the fish were much less educated. Yet, Rick still rated these lures as valuable enough to justify the cost, and ultimately they won him Bass Master Classic.
I'm predicting that your next question will be
"So if high-end lures are so impoartant, how come these days the pro's are winning tournaments with mid-range lures? Van Dam won in 2010 Classic with an off the shelf lure that sells for around $5.50 plus postage!"
Ah, excellent question. Never forget that the mid-range lures the pro's are using have been designed with their own input, to meet their own personal fishing needs and style. More importantly, they have the benefit of testing them extensively and perfecting their use for tournament fishing BEFORE too many fish have seen them.
In a nutshell, the pro's get to use these lures at a stage in their development when they have the same advantages of custom lures - they are new to the fish.
Once the lures are mass produced and marketed in numbers the fish get used to seeing them and over time they start to become less effective.
Unless you are in the inner sanctum of pro fishing you are unlikely to ever get the opportunity to use these lures before they are flooded onto the market.
Mistake #5 - Focus In The Wrong Areas
Guys, we've already touched on this one. Remember I mentioned friends who spend a fortune on all the best tackle but don't give their lures the attention they derserve?
It's crazy! It's like buying a Maserati and putting street tires on it. You have all the goodies, all the potential, but you can't tap into it because you are missing a critical link. It blows my mind!
When it comes to improving your fishing, lures are the critical link!
And when it comes to choosing lures, most anglers go into a tackle store and ask a salesman what to buy. And what do they get? The most popular lure, the one that is selling like hotcakes because word has got around that the fish are going nuts over it. The one that is giving more fish an education than any other lure on the market in this moment!
Guys, we've already touched on this one. Remember I mentioned friends who spend a fortune on all the best tackle but don't give their lures the attention they derserve?
It's crazy! It's like buying a Maserati and putting street tires on it. You have all the goodies, all the potential, but you can't tap into it because you are missing a critical link. It blows my mind!
When it comes to improving your fishing, lures are the critical link!
And when it comes to choosing lures, most anglers go into a tackle store and ask a salesman what to buy. And what do they get? The most popular lure, the one that is selling like hotcakes because word has got around that the fish are going nuts over it. The one that is giving more fish an education than any other lure on the market in this moment!
It's been said that the first step to resolving a challenge is to recognise that you have a challenge in the first place. Hopefully if you've read this far you have already identified some ways that you can improve.
Please take a ten seconds to read through the following and click on each of the boxes that describes you. Be honest, no one will see this except you - it's not a test!
Please take a ten seconds to read through the following and click on each of the boxes that describes you. Be honest, no one will see this except you - it's not a test!
Lets recap what we've learned so far. 5 reasons why most lure fishermen never reach their full potential are:
#1 - They don't have access to professional lure makers or cashed up tackle companies who can develop cutting edge lures for them.
#2 - They don't realise that fish see mass produced lures a lot and that these lures become less effective over the years no matter how good they are today.
#3 - They let the Pro anglers and salesmen tell them what lure to use - but the lures that get recommended have an expiry date.
#4 - They are not using high-end custom fishing lures that can vastly improve their fishing success.
#5 - They lose sight of the fact the lure is the critical link between them and the fish.
Can you now see that there is A LOT you can do to improve your lure fishing catches?
#1 - They don't have access to professional lure makers or cashed up tackle companies who can develop cutting edge lures for them.
#2 - They don't realise that fish see mass produced lures a lot and that these lures become less effective over the years no matter how good they are today.
#3 - They let the Pro anglers and salesmen tell them what lure to use - but the lures that get recommended have an expiry date.
#4 - They are not using high-end custom fishing lures that can vastly improve their fishing success.
#5 - They lose sight of the fact the lure is the critical link between them and the fish.
Can you now see that there is A LOT you can do to improve your lure fishing catches?
You can overcome all of these challenges, give yourself an unfair advantage over your fishing buddies and get ALL of the benefits that the top anglers enjoy simply by having a box full of:
CUSTOM FISHING LURES!
"That's IT? GREG! You kept me hanging on for this? You told me all the the things that are holding me back and THIS is your answer? C'MON! I could have told YOU that custom lures would improve my fishing, but who can afford a collection of 50 to 100 custom lures at $30-$100 each?"
Of course that's not it! Guys, I'm not suggesting you go out and BUY a hundred or so custom fishing lures.
No, no, no! I'm suggesting that you MAKE your own custom fishing lures that exactly meet your fishing needs and perform AT LEAST as well as any lure you can buy, if not better!
Make them? Am I serious? Doesn't that take a lot of skill? What about tools and materials, aren't they expensive? And anyway, who has TIME to be sitting there carving lures?
I'll address all of these questions shortly, and will show you how almost anyone can make their own custom crankbaits very quickly and to a professional standard with very few tools, no machinery and just a handful of cheap materials.
Sound good? Trust me, it IS good!
But before I spill the beans, lets take a look at all the reasons why making your own custom fishing lures is a great way to really give your lure fishing a MASSIVE boost.
CUSTOM FISHING LURES!
"That's IT? GREG! You kept me hanging on for this? You told me all the the things that are holding me back and THIS is your answer? C'MON! I could have told YOU that custom lures would improve my fishing, but who can afford a collection of 50 to 100 custom lures at $30-$100 each?"
Of course that's not it! Guys, I'm not suggesting you go out and BUY a hundred or so custom fishing lures.
No, no, no! I'm suggesting that you MAKE your own custom fishing lures that exactly meet your fishing needs and perform AT LEAST as well as any lure you can buy, if not better!
Make them? Am I serious? Doesn't that take a lot of skill? What about tools and materials, aren't they expensive? And anyway, who has TIME to be sitting there carving lures?
I'll address all of these questions shortly, and will show you how almost anyone can make their own custom crankbaits very quickly and to a professional standard with very few tools, no machinery and just a handful of cheap materials.
Sound good? Trust me, it IS good!
But before I spill the beans, lets take a look at all the reasons why making your own custom fishing lures is a great way to really give your lure fishing a MASSIVE boost.
WAIT! Before you read the next five paragraphs, think back to the 5 reasons you're probably not fishing as well as you should be. There could be a link! ;-)
#1. You don't need a team of lure makers and the backing of a big company. You become your own hard plastic fishing lure development, research and manufacturing team. You no longer need the mass produced lures that are used by hundreds of thousands (even millions) of other anglers. You can develop lures that will do precisely what you want them to do. You have the cutting edge, absolute flexibility. And it's much easier to do than it sounds!
#2. Custom lures don't have expiry dates! Why? Because they are unique and are produced in very low numbers, so the fish don't ever get the chance to become used to seeing them. As far as the fish are concerned, you will always be fishing with a new lure. If you fish on relatively hard fished waters, this fact alone will make you a fishing weapon!
#3. You rely less on others to tell you what lures to use. You'll study the local bait and design lures that imitate them better than bought ones. You'll look at the lures the pro's are using and you'll design something similar - but better because it will have a different vibration, shape, color etc.
#4. You will always be fishing with absolute top quality lures, and because making them will save you a packet they represent incredible value. Your lures will be fitted with the best quality components. You know exactly how much attention to detail they've received. You know they've been designed for a specific purpose and you know that even though you have a top shelf lure you haven't paid top dollar for it. That means you'll have confidence to throw a highly effective custom fishing lure deep into a snag (try that with a $100 plus bought lure!).
#5. When you make your own lures you are intensely focussed on that critical link - Your Lures! By learning how lures work, what makes a lure successful and by fine tuning all the time you can develop fishing skills that will blow your buddies away. Go ahead and buy that nice graphite rod and that super expensive baitcaster reel with the latest gel spun line. Why not, you've made the very best lure around, it deserves to be used with good tackle!
#1. You don't need a team of lure makers and the backing of a big company. You become your own hard plastic fishing lure development, research and manufacturing team. You no longer need the mass produced lures that are used by hundreds of thousands (even millions) of other anglers. You can develop lures that will do precisely what you want them to do. You have the cutting edge, absolute flexibility. And it's much easier to do than it sounds!
#2. Custom lures don't have expiry dates! Why? Because they are unique and are produced in very low numbers, so the fish don't ever get the chance to become used to seeing them. As far as the fish are concerned, you will always be fishing with a new lure. If you fish on relatively hard fished waters, this fact alone will make you a fishing weapon!
#3. You rely less on others to tell you what lures to use. You'll study the local bait and design lures that imitate them better than bought ones. You'll look at the lures the pro's are using and you'll design something similar - but better because it will have a different vibration, shape, color etc.
#4. You will always be fishing with absolute top quality lures, and because making them will save you a packet they represent incredible value. Your lures will be fitted with the best quality components. You know exactly how much attention to detail they've received. You know they've been designed for a specific purpose and you know that even though you have a top shelf lure you haven't paid top dollar for it. That means you'll have confidence to throw a highly effective custom fishing lure deep into a snag (try that with a $100 plus bought lure!).
#5. When you make your own lures you are intensely focussed on that critical link - Your Lures! By learning how lures work, what makes a lure successful and by fine tuning all the time you can develop fishing skills that will blow your buddies away. Go ahead and buy that nice graphite rod and that super expensive baitcaster reel with the latest gel spun line. Why not, you've made the very best lure around, it deserves to be used with good tackle!
Greg Vinall
P.S. Whether or not you buy my book, please don't forget to sign up for the free information I send out each week to my subscribers. I give away a lot of tips and techniques for free, and obligation free! Scroll back up and fill in the form (if you haven't already) to receive 2 free lure making templates and the first of 50 lure making tips.
P.P.S. If you would like more information before you kick start your lure fishing, don't hesitate to contact me, or take a look at our frequently asked questions page. And don't forget that with my 100% Money-Back Guarantee there is no risk on your part. You can download not only this comprehensive fishing lures making guide, but all the bonuses that make this a complete hard bait making system. If for any reason you are not satisfied you will receive every penny back, plus get to keep my books for you trouble. What have you got to lose?
P.P.S One final thing! In coming months we hope to set up a photo gallery of lures and fish that my readers have made and caught. Be sure to email me photographs of your lures and fish to include on this page!
P.S. Whether or not you buy my book, please don't forget to sign up for the free information I send out each week to my subscribers. I give away a lot of tips and techniques for free, and obligation free! Scroll back up and fill in the form (if you haven't already) to receive 2 free lure making templates and the first of 50 lure making tips.
P.P.S. If you would like more information before you kick start your lure fishing, don't hesitate to contact me, or take a look at our frequently asked questions page. And don't forget that with my 100% Money-Back Guarantee there is no risk on your part. You can download not only this comprehensive fishing lures making guide, but all the bonuses that make this a complete hard bait making system. If for any reason you are not satisfied you will receive every penny back, plus get to keep my books for you trouble. What have you got to lose?
P.P.S One final thing! In coming months we hope to set up a photo gallery of lures and fish that my readers have made and caught. Be sure to email me photographs of your lures and fish to include on this page!