Custom Painted Crankbaits - Specialty Angler Lure Artwork

The Art of Custom Painted Crankbaits

Crankbaits are one of the most versatile and effective lures for catching all kinds of gamefish. Their erratic action triggers instinctual predator reactions to flee or attack the perceived baitfish. Skilled anglers know that having crankbaits in varying colors, sizes, and running depths is key to adapting to different fisheries and conditions. This is where custom-painted crankbaits shine.

Benefits of Custom Paint Jobs

Getting crankbaits custom painted allows choosing unique color patterns not found on mass-produced lures. It enables matching the hatch to focus on precise forage species and their colorations in the targeted lake or river system. Another benefit is supporting small cottage industry artists who hand paint lures.

Many avid anglers become disappointed with the color selections and patterns from big crankbait companies. Shelf crankbait colors tend to follow trends but rarely match forage exactly or account for stained, muddy, or clear water. Custom options are endless.

Choosing Colors and Patterns

Truly customizing a crankbait requires asking the right questions. What species do you target most often? What type of forage do they feed on? Is the water clear, stained, or muddy? How deep do the fish suspend? Determining these parameters lets painters create the most realistic baitfish replicas.

Common forage species sought by gamefish are gizzard and threadfin shad, blueback herring, ciscoes, rainbow smelt, alewives, golden shiners, creek chubs, sculpins, and the all-important crawfish. Knowing details like the number and size of scales, typical body shapes, and location of fins helps emulate key triggers.

Specialty Paint Techniques

Truly skilled custom painters have many techniques for creating ultra-realistic baits. Specialty methods like scale detailing, 3D eyes, gill marks, lateral lines, and even slime coat textures take crankbaits to another level. Techniques like ghost trolling and stenciling add further fish-catching advantages.

Ghost trolling paints the baitfish's back a lighter shade than the sides, which better matches how sunlight brightens a baitfish's top differently than the lower profile. Stencils create perfect replicas of patterns like spots, blotches, vertical lines, or tiger stripes seen on real forage.

Getting Crankbaits Custom Painted

The best way for anglers to get started with custom-painted crankbaits is researching painters online. Social media groups on Facebook and elsewhere showcase artists' work and techniques. Contact ones who paint in styles and designs that attract you.

What Details to Provide

Make the painter's job easier by providing key details upfront. The exact models and sizes of crankbait bodies to paint, the species you target and related forage details, water clarity conditions you mainly fish in, and running depth range needed. Photo examples also help convey patterns hoped for.

Many crankbait collectors even send the painters actual fish scales or samples of crawdads and insects from their home waters. This helps color-match local prey species perfectly.

Costs and Timing

Pricing on custom paint jobs ranges widely based on the technique and detail level. Typical fees run $6 to $12 or more per bait. Turnaround times also vary among painters. Best to ask expected timelines when inquiring to ensure painted lures ship back before prime fishing opportunities.

Those passionate about the added fish-catching effectiveness of custom-painted crankbaits gladly pay the higher investments. Savvy anglers view them as vital tackle when tournament cash or trophy fish are on the line.

Accessorizing Custom Crankbaits

Paint is just the start of specializing crankbaits to perform optimally on targeted species under certain conditions. Anglers also customize hooks, line ties, weights, buoyancy, and trailers.

Hook and Hardware Upgrades

Serious crankbait tuners upgrade factory hooks to stronger, sharper models ensuring solid hookups with big gamefish crushing baits at speed. Gamakatsu, Owner, and VMC make specialty treble hooks designed for deflecting off snags and rocks while penetrating fish jaws on strikes.

Upgraded split rings, swivels, and line ties also help keep hardware and hooks intact when bouncing off underwater cover or pulling bass, walleyes, and other bruisers from heavy cover. Nothing's worse than losing trophy fish or winning tournaments to broken stock gear.

Tuning Running Depth

The best crankbait casters fine-tune lures to run true at the exact depths fish are feeding. Internal weighting systems shift rolls side-to-side to control wobbling action. Belly weight placements also let anglers customize running depth like a pro.

Suspendots adhesive dot weights come in many sizes to slightly adjust sinking rates and how fast baits dive when cast. Reducing front weight makes lures run shallower while adding belly weight gets baits deeper when needed.

Serious crankbait addicts own various weights to tune lures to nail precise depths fish are using daily, even hourly.

Getting crankbaits custom painted and accessorized takes extra effort yet gives anglers supreme confidence in their presentations. When targeting trophy fish under finicky conditions, that added edge makes all the difference.

FAQs

What are the benefits of custom painted crankbaits?

Custom crankbait paint jobs allow choosing unique colors and patterns not found on mass-produced lures. They enable matching forage species precisely to trigger instinctual predatory strikes. Custom options also support small painters and their specialized bait designs.

What details should I provide for custom paint jobs?

Provide the crankbait models and sizes, target species and their related forage details, typical water clarity, and needed running depths. Photo examples help convey desired patterns. Even send actual fish scales or insect samples so painters can expertly color match.

How much does custom crankbait painting cost?

Custom paint work averages $6 to $12 per bait but ranges higher for intricate designs and wild color schemes. More complex techniques like 3D eyes, stenciling, and ghost trolling also command premium pricing from skilled painters.

How can I fine tune running depth?

Use internal weighting systems, different belly weights, and adhesive dot weights like Suspendots to control sinking speed and running depth. Reduce front weight for shallower runs or add belly weight to achieve greater diving depths when casting.