KeepinPeace

Free is the best type of wood. I’ve used pine and oak pallets and even came across old cedar pieces from a junk kids swing set. Since you are just starting, pine pallets are numerous and you can afford mistakes. I enjoy the buoyancy of the cedar, but the pine is easier to use in smaller crank baits I’ve made. Good luck. Check out the YouTube channel engineered angler . Guy has great tips

Ebay sometimes has junk j plugs people sell. I’ve bought em up in the past. I’ve only painted one because I don’t lake fish. What colors are the most preferred ?

More weight directly in the head. You’ll want it to be more jig like. Than even sitting in the water with weight in the belly. You want the line pulling from the line directly at the head as if it were a jig hook. Try it out I bet you’ll be surprised.