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BUZZBAIT [TACK LE]


TRICK OUT YOUR LURES FOR MORE BITES BY BRAD WIEGMANN


HOT ROD RIGS


F


ishing lures come in thousands of colors and configurations. But sometimes, when the fish are finicky, that’s not enough.


To match the look and action of your local baitfish, try customizing your lures. It’s simple to do and only requires a few tools. Here are 10 do-it-yourself ways to make your fishing lures better.


To change the action and sound signature of a rattling hardbait, drill a small hole into the body and remove or add ball bearings. Seal the hole with epoxy and sand smooth.


Use a permanent marker to add spots, stripes or change the lure’s color.


Keep a spinnerbait skirt in place and add more fluff by wrapping a 10-inch piece of 26-gauge floral wire four times around the skirt collar.


To create more vibration and flash on an inline spinnerbait, put a 45-degree bend in the middle of the blade.


Make a walk-the-dog topwater plug snake across the water by adding one or two split rings ahead of the rear hook.


Use a craft knife to cut off the stock skirt of a buzzbait or spinnerbait. Replace the skirt with a combination of colors that reflects available crustaceans and baitfish. Add Christmas tree tinsel for extra flash. Pile on skirts for a larger profile, or trim the skirt down to make the lure sink faster. Secure with 26-gauge floral wire.


Tools of the Trade


TO CUSTOMIZE YOUR LURES AT HOME, YOU’LL NEED SOME OF THE FOLLOWING:


Fine-grit sandpaper and metal file


Craft knife


Oscillating multi-tool Power drill Worm glue or Super Glue Skirt building tool Split ring pliers Scissors Permanent markers Plastic dye


Clear fingernail polish GIVE THE FISH SOMETHING THEY AIN’T SEEN


BEFORE; TOSS ‘EM A CUSTOM LURE. PHOTO: JOSE CHAVEZ


DIGITAL EXTRA: Click here to see more tools, supplies and customized lures. 24…KAYAK ANGLER


Paint a lure with glitter fingernail polish to add extra flash.


Add a split ring to the eye-tie of a chugger topwater to improve the popping action and make the lure easier to tie on the line.


Get more action and sound from your topwater or wake bait by shaving off the clear coat and painted finish with a craft knife.


Add sound to hollow-bodied frog imitations by inserting glass beads or ball bearings into the body cavity.


INSET PHOTOS: BRAD WIEGMANN


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