TNT Lure Workshop- You Pick it / You Stick it!                                                  

This will be back on middle of June 2010.          

I started making lures around 7 years ago.  I have spent many hours in the garage playing with many different baits.  I wish I had pictures of all the different combinations of baits I have made in that time.  Many of which would surprise many folks about what will catch fish.  Over the past few years what has been lost for me is the fun in making them.  It really is a fun craft and I hope that this is a way that maybe I can allow the opportunity for others to try to make their own baits.  If you ever wanted to try to make some baits but didn't know how to go about it.  This is an opportunity for you to give it a go and try it out.  Now if you go buy all the things required to make baits let me just say you will run into quite a bit of an expense.  You need lead pots, molds, lead, paints, components, not to mention a place to make them.  Mold's can be very costly for someone who just wants to make enough baits to get yourself thru the season, plus you are generally limited to what Do It Mold offers,,,,, how bout getting the lures that are working in your own neck of the woods.  Sure you can get stuff on ebay, garage sales, etc, but here is a chance to get all the pieces in one spot.  Lead is dangerous, not to mention when melting lead and casting baits your playing with lead that is around 600-700 degrees.  It burns, trust me I have been burned by the molds  on occasions.   I have allowed my daughter to design baits by painting them with permanent markers and when she got a little older use the air brush.  She really enjoyed doing some, lots of fun when she caught fish on her own lures. 

What I will provide:

Lure Bodies: Some of these baits are hand poured with a lead pot myself and some are cast with a spin cast machine.  A few years ago I hired a couple sources to do my lead work, as lead is dangerous, and for me quality counts.  My spin cast baits are close to perfect, hand poured baits are also nice,but not quite as smooth.  Many may not be able to even tell the difference.  Not often can you find spin cast raw  bodies sold to the public in any form. 

Components:  Hooks ( Eagle Claw size  4  3X) or VMC Hooks-Permasteel (Size 4 4X) these can be used in saltwater or freshwater, these hooks are very sharp and as tough as any I have found anywhere!!!  Split Rings- I only use quality split rings nickel plated stainless, I don't like cheap ones that fall apart or pull apart when a big fish is on.   Never use cheap rings; hooks and rings are the two places where nice fish can be lost.  Holographic Stickers- I also offer stickers for the lure bodies that I make.  No need to mess with scissors, no set up fees here, these are the ones that fit.

What you will need:

Split rings pliers- these can be purchased at Walmart or other fishing stores in the fishing departments.  Paints, take your pic on what your willing to spend, powder paints and vinyl paints are the paints used by many manufactures.  But I have heard of folks using spray paint, some even used latex paints.  I can help you on some things with this but I wont give all my secrets away, lol.  But I know many folks that use spray paint and repaint after the trip, lol.   To be honest the craft pens at hobby lobby that have lots of different colors and are permanent work surprisingly well.  Clear Coats- its all in what you want to spend.  I know some folks use clear coats that come in a spray can, some use quart containers that cost about $12, and you can use automotive clears but they are dangerous but good and can cost around $200 a gallon.  You can research paints etc online, that what I had to do, I learned a good bit of how I make them from just surfing the web and hours of trial and error.  Design- your imagination, you know what you want more than anyone.

At this time I am only going to do 1oz baits just for ease on myself, and also to see how it goes.  If you want another size shoot me an email and lets see what we can do.