Making Hard Body Swimbaits

[basscat28]

I wanna get into making hard body swimbaits out of a resin. I plan on using real Shad and baitfish for the master. I've been looking at alumilite products. I'm wanting to make something like the bullshad or glide baits but in smaller versions.Has anyone played around with this and had much success?

[Travis]

Yes do able but while the notion is one many lure makers fancy as ideal "real bait fish profile dimensions"  one I would suggest avoiding in general.    Issues you will need to overcome are several.  The fish itself and the resulting bait being very thin in areas and depending on you you build the bait difficult to impossible to get the proper hinges in some sections without compromising the bait (depends on how small you are thinking of going).  Getting a symmetrical bait, distortions in the "master" depending on how fresh and how it was prepared are a few other ones.  Yes it can be done but one that often yields less than satisfactory results.  

 

I wouldn't want to go that route based on my experiences with fish and then lure making.   A carved master would be the better option in my opinion.

Edited September 13, 2016 by Travis

[Eyectcher]

I second what Travis said I went to a local shop that Carrys alumilite and other brands of plastics and with all the stuff you have to buy I did the math it's cheaper to buy crankbaits online and paint them there's a ton of crankbaits made in China a lot on eBay I was goung to try my luck at pouring some of my own but knowing how I am is make a mess and leave it sit there till it gets thrown out I buy crankbaits when there's specials and repaint them to my colors but I am going to buy some balsa wood and try my hand at carveing I think balsa crankbaits run nicer than plastic ones all the high end rapalas are balsa so there must be something to it good luck with what you are doing though I hope it goes well