Crafting New Lure Designs for Family Fishing
By Andy Whitcomb
May 09, 2016
Here’s a fun idea for your next family fishing trip: let your kids design their own fishing lures using crafting supplies.
It seems that very few of the bass tournament pros use fishing lures as-is, straight out of the package. Most seem to make a minor adjustment, tweaking the color or hook size or other modifications. This is partially because each angler thinks this is improving the lure. But I also believe that anglers like to create, and these modifications make the lure unique. Even if lure companies manufactured exactly what the angler wanted, adjustments would still be made here and there.
We can use this same creative energy to help kids get more into fishing. For example, my daughter loves crafts but doesn’t always want to fish. A visit to her crafting supplies reveals many fishing lure possibilities. When kids can turn lures into their own creations, the family fishing trip may become more fun. Kids will be proud of the results of their designs.
Beads. Various colors and sizes can be used in assembling multi lure rigs or a Carolina rig.
Pompons. Actually, these tiny puff balls work pretty good as is. For fly fishing they resemble fish eggs or a piece of bread or dog food when chumming carp or catfish.
Markers. Bassmaster Elite, Todd Faircloth uses highlighter markers to add some flare to the ends of soft plastic crayfish pinchers. When she was young, Dave Mercer’s daughter would use a sharpie to draw faces on bobbers.
Scissors. Handy for making minor, exact shape adjustments or removing appendages of soft plastic creature baits.
Superglue. Great for putting back on those appendages that you removed. Also keeps soft plastics from sliding off hook.
Rattle eyes. Create some new bug-eyed creature. You’ll need the superglue again.
Have you and/or your kids crafted a new lure design? Did this fish approve? Be sure to check for additional tips for family fishing.
We can use this same creative energy to help kids get more into fishing. For example, my daughter loves crafts but doesn’t always want to fish. A visit to her crafting supplies reveals many fishing lure possibilities. When kids can turn lures into their own creations, the family fishing trip may become more fun. Kids will be proud of the results of their designs.
Some Crafty Ways to Alter Fishing Lures
Colored tape. Not only will this alter the general color of a lure but kids can use a hole puncher to add striking (sorry about that) eye spots to spoons and such. The thicker, shinier tape types seem to hold up better in water.Beads. Various colors and sizes can be used in assembling multi lure rigs or a Carolina rig.
Pompons. Actually, these tiny puff balls work pretty good as is. For fly fishing they resemble fish eggs or a piece of bread or dog food when chumming carp or catfish.
Markers. Bassmaster Elite, Todd Faircloth uses highlighter markers to add some flare to the ends of soft plastic crayfish pinchers. When she was young, Dave Mercer’s daughter would use a sharpie to draw faces on bobbers.
Scissors. Handy for making minor, exact shape adjustments or removing appendages of soft plastic creature baits.
Superglue. Great for putting back on those appendages that you removed. Also keeps soft plastics from sliding off hook.
Rattle eyes. Create some new bug-eyed creature. You’ll need the superglue again.
Have you and/or your kids crafted a new lure design? Did this fish approve? Be sure to check for additional tips for family fishing.
Andy is an outdoor writer (http://www.justkeepreeling.com/) and stressed-out Dad has contributed over 380 blogs to takemefishing.org since 2011. Born in Florida, but raised on banks of Oklahoma farm ponds, he now chases pike, smallmouth bass, and steelhead in Pennsylvania. After earning a B.S. in Zoology from OSU, he worked in fish hatcheries and as a fisheries research technician at OSU, Iowa State, and Michigan State.
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