In my last article I went in-depth on restoring old lures.
At the end of that article, I showed you this sad little Rattle Trap...
Clearly - this little guy has been through the wringer!
And unfortunately, most anglers would toss him in the trash...
But not this chick!
*Before I get into it, I do want to mention that if the lure that I'm working with has damaged eyelets that are obviously rusted out, and may snap if a big bass crushes the lure? I won't use it to fish with, but I will use it to practice with different painting techniques.*
Now, onto the revamp!
Step One:
Scrub the ever-loving-algae out of the lure...read this for a full set of cleaning instructions
Step Two:
Pick your [color] poison - professional lure makers use any number of expensive airbrushing paints and enamels, but those high-end investments aren't practical for this type of application.
What IS an incredibly economical option??
Nail polish.
There are hundreds of different colors, shades, tints, shines, sparkles, of nail polish - and they're available everywhere.
Is it a perfect option? Probably not. But it's incredibly effective - especially if you layer it up - just make sure to let each layer dry completely before adding another.
And if you're feelin' froggy?? Pick up a small tube of epoxy to coat the lure in - and you've got yourself a rock-hard shell to protect your fancy new paint job.
For my raggedy little Rattle Trap, I went with a dark blue paint on the body, and a black on the edging, because of how muddy the water has been lately.
Step Three:
Get. Crazy.
For a little more razzle dazzle, I added a clear coat polish with a chrome-colored glitter.
Step Four:
Replace all of the split rings and treble hooks, and add some crazy-pants googly eyes! I personally like to use gel super glue to stick anything to my lures, even if they have an adhesive backing.
Keep in mind - you don't have to spend $25.00 on "fishing lure eye stickers" at big-box outdoor stores. Those stickers and googly eyes are available at craft stores, and other discount stores for a fraction of the price!
Step Five:
Admire your craftsmanship...
Post your incredible work of art on social media...
Then tie that little refreshed beauty on your line, and cast it out there!!
Hopefully this gives you a cost-effective way to save a lot of those beat up little lures from hitting the landfill, and helps you bag a big one!
Fish on!!!
Kat