Custom Swimbaits are custom-made fishing lures that you can buy from the many different manufacturers who specialize in this niche. The way to tell a custom swimbait is by its price and quality, which will be higher than your average bait. Custom swimbaits come in all shapes and sizes including soft plastics, jointed baits, and hard swimbait styles. You may find it difficult to get one of these expensive baits for yourself unless you're willing to do a little bit of research on where they're sold!
One of the best ways to get into custom-made swimbaits is to make them yourself. I recently had a conversation with a long-time fisherman who stated it is one of the most satisfying things to catch a fish on a lure you made yourself. I am really considering taking up the hobby. I am not sure about fly tying, but for swimbaits, it sounds like fun!
If you are not interested in buying all the things you need you don't have to. Most people don't want to do the work. Thankfully, there are plenty of places where you can go and buy these from other small business owners. I am seriously thinking about taking up this hobby as well. If you are interested in anything specific please contact me!
Best Custom Swimbaits
Within the custom swimbait market, it can be really hard to find out who is the best. Most of these creators aren't good at SEO and managing eCommerce websites. This means they are hard to find. So you have to go by one thing...Word Of Mouth!
Swimbaits have been given a lot of buzz lately because people have been using big swimbaits and catching big fish! Buying a swimbait, especially the hard kind will be very expensive. Think about River2Sea lures and Savage Gear. They are in the big lure niche, but also big payouts. Savage gear in particular has achieved lifelike quality with bigger-than-life baits. You almost want to put them in a display case!
Below, you will see my top 10 list of custom swimbaits. Some of these are very well known and have caught gigantic fish and others are still working their way up the ranks. Take a look at them and see if they will meet your needs for the type of fishing you are doing.
Custom Soft Plastic Swimbaits
Where some real fun can be found is making soft plastics. There is much variety that can be created with the diversity of molds available today. For custom soft plastics, some of the most popular baits are custom jig swimbaits, custom plopper swimbaits, and even custom frog style swimbait. Custom jointed swimbaits have also been very popular lately because they can be rigged in a wide variety of ways to produce different actions for catching fish.
You will need to be safe from the fumes from plastics as well. Just remember to take the correct safety measures and you will have lots of fun. You will be working with a hand-pour mold or an injection mold to do these. Either one works, but you may find one or the other your thing.
With the ability to do this you will have an endless amount of possibilities for catching fish near you. Like I always say matching the hatch can help you attract the fish instead of making them wonder what you are throwing at them.
Custom Hard Swimbaits
If you are just starting out working on hard baits will be easier. You can buy the "blanks", which are unpainted bodies, and create the look to your desire. Not everybody is an artist though. When it comes to fishing sometimes simple works best. Have you not see the lures from the 1950s?
One problem you will run into is that of cost. The blanks aren't...free and you need tools to help you paint and design such as the following
- Paint
- Paint Thinner
- Vise
- AirBrush
- Compressor
- Treble Hooks
- The list continues...
An airbrush, compressor, and paint will set you back a couple hundred dollars. This is why most people find it easier to buy quality custom baits online. You can make your own custom swimbaits without the cost of investing in expensive equipment, and best of all: NO PAINTING!
When you do purchase them they will be delivered right to your door with no need to go anywhere else, unless you want more than one set at that time. A good bait company has many options when it comes down to design patterns (like fish scales) or colors as well as different sizes for any type of fishing situation.
The basic process starts with setting up your airbrush and compressor. Then you need to thin your paint with the paint thinner. An airbrush needs thinner paint than what you use to paint your walls.
You will need then start the painting process to your desires. If you have a design that is great. It may require some more detailed work with more elaborate tools for painting. I personally want to start with making that "Loon" color for a Whopper Plopper. It is black with some white spots. I am not even sure if I need the white spots...
If you want a shiny lure like Savage Gear, you will need a thick layer of gel coat. After the paint dries you can add things like treble hooks, hair, eyes, etc... to your tastes.
If you see on this webpage that I am now making my own lures please check them out. I would enjoy the support and would really like to hear what you think and any suggestions you have!
Custom Wide/Lead Baits
I do not plan on making lead baits because they can be very hazardous to your health if you are not careful. The reason for this is you need to melt lead! The fumes from this should not be inhaled. I have seen a lot of people doing this on YouTube and Facebook without the proper protective gear. Don't be like them.
Despite all this, it can be really cool to be a "Smith". You honestly only hear about people that do this trade in MMORPG video goes that has trade skills like goldsmith, blacksmith, etc...
Lure Making Kits
If you are interested in making your own lures as well you can purchase a lure-making kit online. You will receive everything that you need to make your own custom lure, including hooks and the bait. All you have to do is provide your favorite colors of silicone or rubber latex.
If you have even more enthusiasm, you may even want to start a lure business. There can be a lot involved with that besides just making the products. I plan to do that at some point as well. When I do I will do my best to help you get started too.
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Keep an eye out for information on either of these topics on my website. Better yet, sign up for my email list and always be informed on new developments like this, tips for catching fish, and information that will help you go fishing more often!