Wooden Fishing Lure

This instructable will guide you through the steps on how to make a homemade fishing lure from scrap.

Here is a list of equipment that you will need to make your lure.

1. Sharp X-Acto Knife

2. Cutting board

3. Sand paper (fine and coarse)

4. A stick from the woods (preferably a softer wood like pine and make sure it is straight)

5. Acrylic paint

6. Sealant (to protect the paint from the water)

7. Hooks (1/0 or 2/0 treble hooks)

8. Small stainless eye hooks (For attaching the treble hooks)

When searching for the perfect stick to construct your lure out of there are a few details that you want to keep in mind. First off, you want to find a stick that is made out of a softer wood, like pine. This will make it easier to carve down so you can get the perfect shape you desire. Secondly, you want to find a stick that is straight. Using a curved stick will affect the way the lure moves in the water.

After you have found your stick, it is time to cut it down to size. I recommend cutting it down to about 4 inches for bass, but this all depends on what species of fish you will be catching. When cutting it find the straightest part of the stick. Once you have your section cut down to size take your X-ACTO blade and VERY CAREFULLY remove the bark. Safety tip: always cut away from you to avoid getting cut. At the back of the stick, start to cut it down to shape it like a cone. (Reference the last image for clarification) After the bark is removed it is on to sanding.

In this step, it is time to grab your sand paper and start to smooth out the stick. The purpose of doing this is to get rid of all the cut marks. Start with coarse sandpaper and then move up to a more fine grade. Do this until you think it is smooth enough. This is step is not entirely crucial to the lures performance, more it makes it more aesthetically pleasing. The first image shows the lure before sanding. It is important to sand down both ends as well as the body of the lure.

This step is simple and quick. To prepare the hooks for the lure, you first must attach them to the eye hooks that will screw into the body of the lure. Make sure to leave one eye hook alone to screw into the front of the lure. This is where you will tie on your line.

Now it is time to attach the hooks to the body of the lure. First, I recommend that you take the eye hook with nothing on it and screw it into the nose of the lure. It should go in easy. Next, carefully screw in the eye hooks to the bottom of the lure. Place the first one about a quarter of an inch behind the nose of the lure and the second one about an inch behind that. If you have trouble getting the eye hooks to go in, try using a small nail and hammer to punch a hole. Its important to make sure that the hooks are lined up as best as possible with each other so it is balanced.

Time to seal the lure up to protect it from water damage. This will require a few coats and you will have to do it before and after paint. Remember to be patient, letting the sealant really soak into the wood. After you apply your coats (3 minimum) and the sealant is 100% dry, it is time to paint! This part you can get creative with. Try to mimic local bait species or just have fun, it is entirely up to you. I took the hooks out to paint my lure but you can leave them in. Once you let your pain dry completely add another few coats of sealant to ensure that no water wil damage it.

Now you can go off and catch fish with your very own lure. I caught this 32 pound Snook on a popper that I made. Good luck and tight lines!