03-26-2002, 12:52 PM
Many anglers enjoy making their own lures. It gives them a chance to create something that no one else has used to catch fish. It also allows one to continue the pursuit of fishing knowledge concerning color, size, action, speed of retrieve etc. I've tied my own spinnerbaits and jigs for over 12 years, using living rubber, crystal flash or deer hair. <br><br> Soft plastics, I believe, are unique because of their soft density, eye catching motion and color qualities. In another post I've related my beliefs concerning lure contrast as a primary strike provoker. Soft plastics utilize inherent color either by see-through transmission of overhead light(translucent colors), blocking overhead light (solid colors), or reflection of color when the lure is between the fish and a darker object. Hard plastics or skirted baits usually only have a color-reflective quality. The fact that a soft plastic lure constantly changes appearance either dramatically ( like a neon sign), or subtlely (like a fish or lizard), makes me believe that constant color change is an important characteristic of solt plastics. <br><br> Spike-It and Bi-Rite companies manufacture dyes and paints that quickly and permanently change the surface color of a worm, grub, tube, shad etc. There is no need to buy two-tone plastics or contrasting tails. Your imagination and experimentation can result in color combos that may be the most important, strike trigger.<br> First, take a pipe cleaner, dip the tip and rub color onto the area of the lure you want to enhance. Light colored plastics such as chartreuse (solid or transparent), white, pearl, rootbeer, watermelon and clear are the best transmitters of light in tinted or cloudy water. They show off dye colors better than darker, solid colors because fish look up when tracking a potential life form they expect to munch on. Color-contrast also sets the lure apart from bottom or background color. Silver, blue, green or black flakes within the plastic add a subtle flash that keeps their attention regardless of any real prey swimming near by.<br><br>An example of a perfect color combo is as follows:<br>1. use a chartreuse lure (ie. small ring worm) with black or silver flake<br>2. dye the back of the lure purple.<br>3. dye the belly orange<br>4. use orange over the purple back.<br>Hold the lure up to the sunlight. Behold a multicolored lure that has 3 separate colors that merge and change as the lure rolls or wobbles with your rod tip or inherent action.<br><br> Many soft lures have superb color-emitting and light reflecting properties. Hoo Daddy, Zoom's Brush hog, Sassy shad or Sqirmin Shad, Slider worms, lizards, Mr. Twister grubs, Fin s Fish or Fin s Shad, Bacon Rind by Gambler, and Bass Pro's spring grub all respond to color alteration.<br><br> Just a note on paint (not dye). Spike-It Paint is opaque and is used to make spots, eyes or stripes. To make florescent eyes or dots, use a white undercoat first. Let dry. Cover with a bright color,(ie. orange or chartreuse). You may put a small dot of black for a pupil-affect, but it's not necessary, unless your a realism freak. <br><br> Experiment with various color-over-color combos and remember a little dye goes a long way - a little here, a little there. I'd be interested in any new discoveries. By the way, pumpkin over pearl yields copper, chartreuse or pearl yields pearltruese (fantastic at dusk), orange over chartreuse yields a florescent and transmitted orange, purple ove rootbeer yields an orangy-purple.<br><br> Dye may eventually migrate throughout the plastic or the color may fade in sun light. Just reapply. Keep track of color combos you've had success with, per the lure you've altered.<br>You never know when you've stumbled on something no manufacturer has produced or could produce due to cost.<br> Conserve to preserve!<br><br>