Anybody on here make lures?

[Steve Stinson]

I am considering buying a small wood lathe to turn some plugs similar to Zara Spooks, Chug Bugs, etc. Anybody on here have any experience with lure making? If so, what do I need to look for in a lathe?

Thanks - Steve Stinson

[FHC]

buy the best lathe you can afford good luck on painting them

[sundown]

I have a small Jet lathe, about 16"-18" between centers that I bought to turn strikers for turkey calls with. It probably runs in the neighborhood of 350.00 now with the tools you need to turn plugs. I turned some spook types out of cedar and other woods.. Does a good job. For painting you need a airbrush setup.. All the difference in the world between it and a brush. For hooks and all kinds of hanging hardware, Jann's Netcraft is the place to look...

[Reel Cowboy]

Jann's Netcraft has the bodies already turned. I'm pretty sure they have lathes as well but if not, I can direct you to some folks that supply rod lathes for for cork and wood grips.

[silverking]

Steve,
If you're looking for a new hobby, you've already gotten some good advice.

If you're looking for handcrafted plugs, check out these guys:

www.halleminlures.com

Granted, they're works of art, but these lures really catch fish, too.

[SHOWBOAT]

Steve,

Talk to Capt. Chaz Hellar at the next meeting. He has been making his own lures for several years. I will bring a sampling to show you as well.

[Steve Stinson]

Thanks for all the responses. Andrew and I have been tying our own flies and bucktail jigs for a couple years. I just wanted to expand the effort to include some of the topwater lures we would use more often. Brian - Please introduce me to Capt. Hellar if he happens to be at the next meeting.

I will hunt me up a small lathe and keep you all posted on the fish catchin'.

Thanks - Steve

[Jumptrout51]

I will be your guinea pig and tell everyone I fish a Stinson.

[Jobu]

I recently got the bug to try making some lures. I bought some blanks from Jann's Netcraft (www.jannsnetcraft.com). I have made a couple. Hand painted them. I have had a few blowups and hooked up a decent trout that spit the plug before it got to the boat. The first one I get it the boat will be posted in a pic with my handmade lure in its mouth. They are similar in appearance to a High Roller lure. What I am finding is they don't work as well as lures that make noise like a Ba-Donk-A-Donk or Skitterwalk.

[red_yakker]

The handmade lures I've used just don't seem to get the right action. Anyone can paint a lure to be pretty, but if it's not weighted and balanced properly, it's a waste of time.

[Reel Cowboy]

Steve, I'm @ a woodworking show for the rest of the week & have seen around 350 different lathes. Let me know what you want & your credit card info & I'll have one sent down.
I think they'll work as good as anything else will given the same time in/on the water.Plus it'll give you & Andrew something else to do together.

[Jumptrout51]

Yeah.
Give me your card info too.
Have i got a deal for you.