Mattlures' Hard Gill damage

[Skinnyh2ofishin]

That's right, my Hard Bluegill is damaged....after a great day on the lake!  No pictures as none of them were huge with the biggest only a hair under 4lbs, but that was also the average weight for the fish today, which is great for the small lake I was fishing.  Can't wait to get out to my big bass haunts and toss this sucker!

Back to the problem, if you can call it that.  The damage is very minimal and only cosmetic as a couple of chips occured on the dorsal fin and tail section.  I'm fine with the little white spots as all my favorite baits look like they've been to war, but given the amazing paint job on this bait I just want to minimize further chiping from those spots.  Since I also flyfish and tie my own flies I was just planning on dabbing a little epoxy on the spots to seal them, but thought I'd check here first.  Has anyone touched up their hard gills this way, or if you have what did you use?  Epoxy sticks to about anything, but I always like to check with others first if I don't know what the material of the lure is to see if anyone else has had compatibility problems.

Lastly, though it's been said, it can't be said enough...What an awesome lure this is!

[SPEEDBEAD.]

Dont laugh, but I didnt catch a fish on mine until it looked beat up. I like them so much, I have three now.

Somehow, I broke off one of the pectoral fins and chipped up the paint a little bit around the joints (like you mentioned).  Still swims perfectly and still catching fish.

A thin layer of epoxy shouldnt do anything to the bait.

Good luck and keep throwing that thing.  

[Skinnyh2ofishin]

Thanks SPEEDBEAD.  Like I said, the chips don't really bother me in terms of performance as I too have many baits that only seemed to improve in number of hits the more damaged they were.  I just didn't want the paint to start actually peeling off, since the chip on the fin actually has a little flap where the paint is lifted and I thought it might continue to peel.  It's just such a nice looking bait I don't want it to look that destroyed until it gets destroyed by some monster bass!  It took a lot just to throw it in the first place, but once I did I was well rewarded.  

[mrlitetackle]

im with speedbead,

the epoxy should be fine....

but then again, im no expert either....

sooner or later, Mattlures should find this thread and he's sure to give you the best advice for the lure (obviously)..

and i have 2 of the hardgill floaters as well,

over time all lures naturally take a beating.

[DRhodes]

mine looks like it was on the front lines of WWII but it still catches fish. Good luck