Chris makes a fishing lure (and then makes some more)

I made this! And some other ones too
This one is a paper-clip inline spinner. Very sturdy.

Although it may seem otherwise, my frequency of fishing trips has reduced lately, mostly due to long hours at work. The weather has also started its slow death march to winter, and I've been thinking about how to get my fishing fix when ice covers everything. I've been considering ice fishing - and Rob (Osprey) has invited me to come with him sometime. It's not that I'm against ice fishing, but never having gone ice fishing, it's hard for me to imagine that it's enjoyable. But more on that later. I'm sure at some point in the next few months I'll have a chance to go ice fishing, and I'll love it.

Besides getting into music-making mode when the snow falls (that is by the way my main thing... well, besides fishing) I've been thinking of fishing-related indoor activities. Of course the first thing that came to mind was lure making. I've seen some posts recently about others making their own lures, and it's inspiring. I like to do things for myself, sometimes.. I like to cook beans from dry beans; I like to make my own salsa; I like to make my own sample libraries for my music; this obsession isn't any different really, I just never thought I could pull it off.

For full disclosure, although I seemingly constantly go fishing and hiking all over the place, this whole using tools, getting dirty, and hanging out in the outdoors is still a new thing for me. Any time I've ever tried to make something, as in assemble or build something, I either totally screw it up or my engineer wife takes over. So theoretically, me making lures is doomed from the start.

That said, Claire and I headed to Cabela's this past Sunday to get some stuff... Including some lure-making supplies. That's right- the wife is encouraging this! What a great wife I've got. This was the same shopping trip where she got me waders for our one year wedding anniversary. What a lady. (More on the waders later...) A short while later, I was at home, opening up my Cabela's "Professional [Inline] Spinner Kit," like a kid at Christmas. I took all the blades out and put them on the table sorted by size and type so I could see what I got.

colorado blades

willow blades

 I managed to find some needle-nose pliers and some bigger ones with a built-in wire cutter, and I brought up a how-to page on my laptop. The concept was pretty simple- stuff spins and moves on around a wire, one end is attached to your line and the other has a hook on it. I caught my first few fish on this type of lure recently, but have always liked how they look. (I can't wait to try some Sims spinners - definitely have to check my mail when I get home today!)

Anyway, I somehow managed to make something that kind of looks like a real fishing lure. The kit didn't come with any weighted body pieces (seems strange) so I used a bullet weight from my tackle box. As I was twisting the wire for the loop at the top, I pricked myself with the extremely sharp edge of the wire, and blood gushed from my finger. After a short trip to get some paper towel and applying pressure, I was back to business. I'd made my first lure, and only spilled a little blood! So far better than many previous attempts at "crafts."

I held up the lure, and shook it around like a swimming minnow.

I made this. Awesome.

My very first homemade lure.
I used tools and everything.

In some ways, I didn't even care if it caught fish- I made it! I have no problem recording instruments, creating new sounds, mixing them together; this stuff is old hat for me... But actually creating something (well, piecing something together) with my hands and real grown-up tools, now that is unprecedented. It sure would be cool if I could catch some fish on it though!

I got back to work, and made a few more. I could do this in the winter. This was great! Claire was sitting crocheting a blanket, I was sitting there building fishing gear- what a great arrangement. All we needed was a fire and some beers.

Now to just try out my creations.... In the meantime, I leave you with this: