BIG M

You may save a little cash with craft paint but you will spend that on headach meds. Invest in quality airbrush ready paint and have a lot more fun with the new hobby. I've got 1oz bottles of paint that have lasted for a couple of yrs, so it's really not that expensive.

Barry, it's time for some new color patterns. The perfect gill and shinner are just starting to tick me off ;D Great job on both baits.

That's some fine looking hand painting there. You did an excellent job on both baits. Vman is spot on about the line tie position. Try this on the next bait, measure the half way point from the nose of the bait to the tip of the lip. Now move the line tie back 1/8 inch from the half way point. I've found that to be the best position to reach max depth on my baits.

John, those are sweet. Do you need a few baits from me to help with the cause? Anything that I can do to help just let me know.

A big over sized drill bite would work. Problem with the popper is the clear coat tends to fill up the cup face.

Very early on I painted some baits with a regular brush and they were ugly. To answer your question, yes craft paint and a brush will work. Seal the bait first with either thinned epoxy or a couple of coats of super glue. Once painted coat with devcon and hang by the nose then turn the bait and hang by the tail after about 5 min. Keep doing that for 20-25 min.

Cliff, that's a fine looking batch of baits. Makes me want to shed a tear of joy to see one of mine look that good.

Super clear work, both baits look great.

The smaller shallow running baits are my favs to build and fish.

You need to pick up that brush more often. Wasted talent with that brush laying idle. Good looking baits.

Ben that's a great looking batch of baits.

Here is a batch of shallow runners with square bills and couple of deep divers.

Thanks guys Island, I use a rachet handle that has a griper surface that makes that pattern. Just roll it over the foil.

Here's a little set of cranks patterned after the Petey. 3/8" thick flatsides that weigh approx 1/4oz without the hooks and rings. Hot mustard or yellow craw color pattern. A little foil Bitty B thrown in for good measure.

Good looking baits. The new scales turned out pretty cool.

Wildlife colors are water based paints. If you did not have this problem shooting c-tex, I doubt the paint is the problem. Are you using a different cleaner or something else besides the new paint?

Welcome aboard Dwain, good to see you have not lost your touch with an airbrush. Very nice color on all those baits.

That bait turned out very nice. Should put off a lot of flash in the water, bass catcher for sure.

Stringjam is back in action, see what getting married will do. Good to have back on the forum.

Here is a batch of fat bodied stump thumpers.

That is a very good crank that will catch fish. Even better is the cool way he builds them.

Ben, very nice work on both baits and the top coat looks good. I'm still not switching

Here are few new craw patterns. Playing around with some different color combo's.

All of the baits look great but the first two are very sharp. Good work

I have always felt that action trumped color 90% of the time. Now after yrs of building and painting baits I find action is very important but so is color to a point. I'm not a great painter of details, my craw patterns are mostly splatter backs. But if you get the basic colors of the forage on the bait then it will catch fish. On my personal baits I never try to match the hatch. I want my baits to stand out just a little from the crowd. Great thread John.