Lure Care & Maintenance

Lure Care & Maintenance
is generously contributed by Keith Lee

Keith Lee is a practical, do-it-yourself angler and owns Make-Your-Own-Fishing-Lures.com , an info-packed website on making fishing lures. You can learn how to make high quality fishing lures at Keith's Make your own Fishing Lures, and use it as your trusted guide on home made fishing lures.

Making fishing lures may be easy for the seasoned do-it-yourself angler. But the maintenance of these lures is just as important to ensure a tip-top condition.

After buying or making the fishing lures there is the continuing responsibility of maintaining and repairing them so that they are always in good condition. This requires some effort and time but is usually easy for the angler who makes his own fishing lures.

As a lure maker he has the tools and fishing lure parts necessary for such work. All the tools required to assemble the parts and make the lures are explained on this page at http://www.make-your-own-fishing-lures.com/hand-tools.html .

Generally fishing lures do not require much care when storing them. The best idea is to put them into cabinet drawers or individual boxes so that they can be found easily and can be kept dry. In humid climates or near the seashore it is important not to expose the metal parts to the salty air as hooks will rust and other metals will corrode.

Fishing lures that have feathers or hair should be kept in airtight containers so that moths and other insects or small animals will not get to them. This also applies to new fishing lures that haven\'t yet been used. Lures which have been used require considerable care if you want to get the maximum use from them. Freshwater fishing lures usually require less care and repair than saltwater lures.

In general, when examining any fishing lure you have made or bought it's a wise policy to repair it if you are the least bit doubtful about its condition. Repairing usually means sandpapering the part of the lure body that is slightly chipped and then touching up with a small brush, using enamels or lacquers.

Replace the hooks with new ones if they are badly rusted. When doing this it is important to use the same size and weight as the old ones so that the action of the fishing lure is not changed in any way. If the damage is too bad and the lure cannot be repaired, throw it away after salvaging any usable parts.

It doesn't pay to take chances with a fishing lure that is weak in any way. You may hook a record fish but lose it if the lure is not dependable. Many anglers who buy their fishing lures in tackle stores often use them until they fall apart, before buying new ones. But if you make your own fishing lures you can afford to use only those that are still in good condition.

Always sharpen hooks before using to ensure a good hookset when that big one takes a bite. It is better to be safe than sorry.