The typical fisherperson (to be politically correct) has favorite lures that go into the water time and time again, because they always seem to produce. What makes those lures attractive to fish?… Is it their unique action, colors, smell or rattle/vibration? It could be a combination of two or more of these.
The typical fisherperson also has many lures that, for some reason or other do not produce fish, so they pitch them overboard, never again to get another chance.
This method of “try and let fly” is an expensive proposition since a name-brand lure costs anywhere from $4 to $8 (sometimes more), and not too many of us can afford this too often. A better way is to re-work the lures. Keep those non-producers and make modifications to them on the off-season to make them a productive part of your arsenal.
There are many ways to re-work lures:
A. To change/improve the action…
1. Bend or re-shape it. You will have to experiment with this in order to make it flutter attractively. (Some lures are just too thick for this option.)
2. Change the hook to a heavier one that will “weigh” down the trailing edge, thus giving it more flutter. Keep in mind that heavier hooks are harder to penetrate the fish’s mouth than lighter weight ones.
3. Add a small clevis to the hook ring. This can add a vibration to the lure and/or produce more water resistance to give the lure more action.
B. To make them more visually attractive…
1. Add vinyl stripes. These can be holographic, glow or just solid colors, and vinyl comes in hundreds of colors and styles. See some options here for ideas and to order. You can also add self-adhesive “eyes.” Fish307.com is an excellent source for all kinds of fishing paraphenalia.
2. Paint with different colors, glow paint or UV reflective paint. Here is one source.
Shown in this picture are some lures that I have modified with holographic and glow vinyl. Some of them are also re-shaped (fancy word for “bent”) to make them flutter better.
Use your imagination and have fun with this and involve your kids too. You never know what creation you might come up with, and you may just catch a trophy to hang on the wall. Here is a lure combo that seems to have really nice action. Can’t wait until I get this combo in the water!
Brian Helminen
