Make Your Own Fishing Lures

Fly Because many fish like to eat flying insects, these lures are called flies. Materials you will need: number 6 hook, small feathers, strands of colored yarn, thread, scissors, small vise (useful but not necessary), clear varnish. Tie slipknot at end of a long piece of thread. Then place small bright-colored feather for tail and 4″ length of yarn at back of hook. Tie slipknot over feather and yarn (1).

Wrap thread toward eye end of hook and tie off (2).

Then, with quill ends toward the eye of hook, place more feathers and two pieces of yarn along the shank of hook. If quills are too long, clip them so they reach just to hook’s eye. Put slipknot loop over eye of hook, and tighten around both shank and feathers about 1/4″ down from eye. Hold feathers in place with one hand, begin wrapping thread toward hook’s eye by placing each wrap by the side of last wrap (3).

When you reach hook’s eye, tie thread tightly and trim off loose ends. Unravel yarn to give fly a bushy appearance. Dip wrapped parts of fly in varnish to preserve threads and to keep knots from loosening.

Plug A plug has a body of plastic or wood (with attached hooks) and is made to look like a frog, small fish, or mouse. Materials you will need to make a chugger (plug): 3 small eye screws, 2 1/2″ long piece of 1/2″ doweling or a branch, 2 number 6 treble hooks, enamel paints, paintbrush, clear varnish, paint thinner, rags, sandpaper, pocketknife, pliers, hammer, and brad.

Whittle one end of wood to tapered, rounded point. Leave other end blunt and sand until smooth (4). Look at a commercial plug for paint scheme, or design your own. Allow 24 hours between each coat (it takes several coats for a shiny finish). When painted stripes, eyes, etc. have dried thoroughly, apply coat of varnish. Clean brush with thinner and rags after each application.

Make 3 starting holes with brad and hammer (5) and twist eye screws into place. Slightly open eye screws on length of plug with pliers, attach hooks, and reclose eye screws.

Jig Materials you need to make a simple fly that quickly sinks to the bottom of a stream: feathers or 2″ long pieces of yarn, long-shanked hook, thread, splitshot sinker, pliers, enamel paint, and clear varnish. Tie on yarn or feathers as for a fly by wrapping small bunch of yarn or feathers on hook (6).

Then crimp sinker onto wrapped hook shank with pliers. Dip head of jig in paint and let dry for 24 hours. Then varnish (7).

Illustrated by Dick Brown