D.James

This seems to be the home builders standard. Some guys'll even use this as a topcoat, although I really doubt that it will stand up as well as 2-ton epoxy or Dick Nite's lure coat. You'll find a fairly straight forward tutorial here at tackle underground http://www.tackleunderground.com/forum/showthread.php?t=5203 as well as alittle more depth into white coats about midway through this post at the tackle workshop (look for my name and the reply to it.)http://xsorbit30.com/users5/tackleworkshop/index.php?topic=68.0. I tried using white utensils purchased from a dollar store, even though the resulting liquid was milky white, it dried clear. I have yet tried to do it with another type of utensile. Currently I simply use 2-3 coats of Body Shop Paint in white from plasti-kote (available almost anywhere that carries automotive parts for around $5 a can). It dries hard in a few minutes, lightly sanded between coats, usually ready for color coats in under ten minutes. Topcoated with devcon 2-ton, I've only had trouble with one bait that had a very small void in the devcon, the plasti-dip process may have avoided that.

hi Nate, make sure your paints are thoroughly mixed. Strain them through a piece of fine nylon, such as from a pair of stockings. Some paints may need to be thinned a little, with the appropiate solvent - water or flotrol for acrylics/water based, mineral spirits for oil based enamels, laquer thinner for laquers, so on and so forth.

You could always go with a simple classic, red head/ silver body/ white belly -or- pearl white body/ red gill plate/black dot good starter selections. whatever you do choose, let your imagination run wild, make it your own!

Thanks guy's!

Wow! Simply awsome Daren! i get most of my stock as mill ends from a local cabinet maker. I can't wait till he does something exotic like that! I doubt he'll let me dig through that scrap pile though!

Howdy there! Any digital image will work, you may need to resize it a bit in a graphics program or image viewer. For paper- gift tissue paper for transparent over foil or color coat. I suppose that an opaque image could be done on thicker paper, but you do want to run as thin as possible to ease smoothing it onto the bait. As for the rest there is a great tutorial at Tackle underground. http://www.tackleunderground.com/forum/showthread.php?t=5322 good luck!

I've been a long A Long time lurker here, thouroughly amazed by the talent represented. I started messing about in march making my own baits, didn't find this place till mid june or so, could have saved me alot of time and hassle! Anyway, my skills have been greatly improved by the knowledge that is passed on here by so many. I've finally worked up the nerve to share some of the fruits of my labors and the fruits of yours, through the gift of knowledge you have all passed on- . . . . Firebelly plug . . Firebelly plug . . Black Zebra . . Red and gold Zebra . . Photo finish trout . . Green Zebra . thanks again to all of you who have unknowingly helped me so much! and perhaps, one day, I'll get a descent camera.

Hey whittler, looking good! I started building my own 4-5 months ago, just did my first batch of photo finished ones here this week- - At any rate, regarding your issue of 'hairing' up, I'm using dollar store tissue, giving it a thin coat of polyurathane after the glue has dried. Then I blend the seams, then top coat with epoxy. Abosolutely no hair.