3D Printed Topwater Fishing Lure

This Instructable takes you step-by-step through crafting your own custom 3D-printed topwater fishing lure — great for predator fish in both freshwater and saltwater, and especially effective on seabass.

Fun, affordable, and hands-on — ideal for fishing fans and makers alike.

Affiliate links for items I couldn’t source locally

About tools:

1. 3D printer (of course!)
2. Cutter, pliers & deburring tool
3. Clamps
4. Brush
5. UV flashlight 395nm: link to Aliexpress
6. Scale: link to Aliexpress
7. Files: link to Aliexpress
8. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE): protection gloves, goggles...

About materials and things to buy:

1. Superglue
2. Sandpaper 400 and more
3. Epoxy resin and hardener
4. Stainless steel roll pins set of different sizes: link to Aliexpress
5. Stainless steel ball set of different sizes: link to Aliexpress
6. UV epoxy resin: link to Aliexpress
7. Stainless steel splitted rings and pliers: link to Aliexpress
8. Glitter set of different colors: link to Aliexpress
9. Stainless steel wire Ø1,5mm: link to Aliexpress
10. Simple 2/0 size hooks with an in-line eye. I personally use the Single 27 Pluggin' from Decoy.

This project is based on a well-known 13cm long topwater lure that I often use when fishing. My goal is to replicate its performance using 3D printing while ensuring the lure is both functional and durable.

In my opinion, there are three main aspects to consider when designing a topwater lure:

1. Physical Principles – shape, weight, and balance

Casting distance depends on the lure’s shape and the placement of internal balls.

Buoyancy and swimming action are determined by the relationship between volume and weight (Archimedes’ principle). To perform correctly, the lure must also float at the proper angle.

These physical factors directly influence the lure’s “walking the dog” action on the water’s surface, which is the ultimate swimming goal.

1. Attractiveness to Fish – aesthetics, vibration, and noise

Noise and vibration are generated by the body shape, water resistance, and the movement of internal balls, making the lure more noticeable.

Visual appeal plays a key role as well: gaps or cavities can hold fish attractant, while paint, sparkles, and patterns make the lure stand out.

1. Mechanical Strength – durability and internal structure

A lure must survive powerful strikes without breaking.

To ensure durability, this design includes a steel wire armature running through the body, providing the strength needed to handle big fish.

I modeled the body shape to closely match the original lure using SolidWorks CAD software. However, weight distribution and aesthetics will depend not only on the design itself but also on the build process described in the following steps, and must be adjusted carefully to ensure proper performance.

Now that I’ve shared my design considerations, let’s dive into the build process!

Here we go—time to start printing!

You can find STL files here: link to Printables or link to Cults3D

I printed all the parts without supports on my Bambu Lab X1C using the AMS for multicolor printing.

For filament, I chose Overture PLA in Army Green, White, Black, and Skin. If you don’t have a multicolor 3D printer, no problem — you can custom paint your lure in the next steps.

Use pliers & deburring tool to clean up the printed parts as needed.

No 3D printer? JLC3DP offers fast, affordable 3D printing with instant quotes and quick delivery. Check it out: link to JLC3DP

“Bending Tool.STL” and “Jig Tool.STL” will be used to bend the internal steel wire armature of the lure.

To prepare the tools, insert two pins into the Bending Tool.STL:

1. M4 x 16 pin (longer)
2. M2.5 x 10 pin (shorter)

Refer to the picture for correct placement. You can secure the pins with UV resin if desired.

The longer M4 pin, positioned along the center axis of the Bending Tool, will act as a pivot point and guide the tool inside the Jig Tool.

The shorter M2.5 pin, positioned off-axis, will be used to bend the wire.

Additional M4 pins are temporarily required as tools. These pins will be inserted into the Jig Tool plate to guide and support the wire during the bending process.

Start by cutting a steel wire to approximately 20 cm in length.

Begin bending the wire at one end (see picture and process GIF illustration) and gradually shape it using the Bending Tool and pins, keeping the wire aligned and following the desired contour.

Finish shaping the wire by hand and with pliers for finer adjustments.

Test-fit the bent wire in a 3D-printed half of the lure shell to ensure it fits correctly. Make any necessary adjustments. The armature is properly shaped when the left and right halves of the lure can close together smoothly, gripping the wire snugly without gaps between the two halves.

Finally, trim any excess wire length.

Volume:

I printed the “Topwater Lure Full & Not Splitted.STL” part to determine the lure’s volume, so you don’t have to.

By measuring the weight of water displaced when immersing the lures, I determined the volumes of both the original lure and my 3D-printed replicas:

1. Original lure: 29.49 g of water displaced
2. Duplicated 3D lure: 29.52 g of water displaced

This is a 0.1% difference in volume, which I consider excellent!

Caution: If you want to take these measurements yourself, start by taring the container filled with water. Make sure to immerse only the lure and avoid touching the sides of the container, or your measurement will be inaccurate.

Weights:

1. Original lure without hooks: 22.73 g → this is our final weight target
2. Original lure with hooks: 24.98 g

To reach our target weight, weigh every part of your duplicated 3D lure (except the hooks) and add 3 steel balls.

For my lure, I used balls with a diameter of 4.5–5 mm, but you may need to adjust the size for your lure to stay under the target weight. With the armature, 3D pins, and 3 steel balls, my duplicated lure reached 21.68 g.

This is slightly under the target because we will add glue, UV resin, and a hot coat in the following steps, which will increase the final weight.

Start by gluing the 3D pins into one half of the lure and allow them to dry.

Ensure the wire armature is correctly positioned and that the two halves of the lure can close without gaps. If everything fits properly, add the steel balls and apply superglue to one half of the lure, covering all surfaces that will contact the other half.

Be careful: do not apply glue too close to the steel balls, or they will stick. The balls must be able to move freely once the lure is closed and the glue has dried.

The 3D pins help center both halves of the lure (see picture). Close the lure completely, clamp it, and allow it to dry for the time recommended by your glue.

UV resin is used to properly seal the lure. There are three key spots to seal: the ends of the wire armature.

Apply a small amount of UV resin inside each opening—avoid using too much, as it can increase the lure’s weight.

Cure each application with a UV light.

Additionally, you can create an outline seal by applying a thin layer of resin along the contour where the two halves meet, then cure it with UV light.

File off any excess resin near the wire armature. Carefully sand the resin and any impurities along your outline seal.

This is also a good opportunity to smooth out the 3D printing layer lines, creating a more even surface.

After sanding, clean the lure by rinsing it with water and allow it to dry.

You can repeat the resin application and sanding process (from Step 7) as many times as needed to achieve a smooth finish and a watertight lure.

If you don’t have a multicolor printer, you can paint the lure however you like or apply any finish you prefer.

Personally, I didn’t need to paint the body—only the eyes, where I added white color.

I applied two hotcoats to properly seal the lure and create a smooth surface after the first sparkly coat.

First hotcoat:

Prepare one or more small containers for sparkles. I personally did one for the top of the lure (green/gold sparkles) and one for the bottom (white/silver sparkles). Add epoxy without hardener to each container and mix thoroughly with the sparkles. Measure the resin you pour to keep track of quantities.

Prepare the curing mixture according to your epoxy resin ratio (for example, 1 part epoxy + 0.5 part hardener) and add it to the sparkle-epoxy mix. Shake gently for several minutes, taking care not to create bubbles.

Apply the mixture to the lure using a brush as desired.

Let it dry. I used my DIY rotating drying station (from my previous Instructables article: 3D-Printed Fishing Lure Rotating Drying Station to achieve a smooth, even finish.

Second and final hotcoat:

Use epoxy with hardener only. Apply a final coat over the lure to create a smooth, protective finish and let it dry, still using the rotating drying station for an even surface.

Remember, our target weight was 22.73 g. We reached 23.78 g, which is only a delta of 4.6% — that’s excellent!

Now, attach the hooks with one split ring each. Finally, to ensure the lure swims and moves freely, connect it to your fishing line using a fishing snap (staple).

Congrats, you’ve done it!

Here you can see how well the lure performs with the classic “walking the dog” action. I’ve also included two additional videos so you can hear the lure’s sound in action.

Now it’s time to enjoy your fresh new lure by catching your first fish!

Here are two I landed with this design: a 49 cm and a 53 cm seabass at home in Brittany, France.

Both were released safely and went back to their usual activities!

I hope this project helped you expand your knowledge of 3D printing and lure making.

Hopefully this tutorial has been both helpful and inspiring—and I’d love to see the lures you create yourself.

If you have any questions, feel free to ask, and I’ll do my best to answer.

Happy making, and tight lines!