I've never been a skilled drawer. Anybody know of a program that would let me design a stencil to cut out for carving my balsa baits? I don't need a 3d rendering, just something I can make to design a clean 2d outline of the top and bottom. 

Perhaps the easiest thing to do is search on google images for crankbait schematics. The adage no need to reinvent the wheel comes to mind. 

 

https://www.google.com/search?client=safari&channel=iphone_bm&source=hp&ei=F71aWq6_IoS8jwP-h4jwDQ&q=crankbait+schematic&oq=crankbait+schematic&gs_l=mobile-gws-hp.3..33i160k1.2907.13430.0.14317.32.27.4.7.7.0.307.2233.24j1j0j1.27.0....0...1c.1.64.mobile-gws-hp..0.31.1979.3..0j5j41j46j0i131i46k1j46i131k1j0i131k1j0i10k1j0i46k1j0i22i30k1j0i22i10i30k1j33i22i29i30k1.69.shMCWIMG_qM

 

If if you have a good enough eye, you can use a crankbait that you want to duplicate as your template. For example, when I made my first flat sided crankbait, I used a rapala flat rap as my template so to speak.

 

I would recommend you try a flat one if this is your first one from scratch. Less hassle and trial and error because the design is simpler. 

 

Update:

i didn’t realize you wanted a program. As someone who can’t draw either, it might be even more trouble with a cad program lol. If you find a good schematic just print it out. Beats drawing ✍️ 

Thanks! I'll do some research to see what I can find online. That was a pretty simple solution, but one that I did not think about. I'm sure I can find a similar looking stencil online to work with. 

Good luck. Fair warning to you however on this journey you are embarking.  This type of lure making is highly addictive. But also rewarding ?. Be sure to keep us posted. 

Just get the kraft paper, pencil, ruler, and scissors out and start cutting.   No sense making a computer drawing of something your going to do anyway.   Start big and trim as you go.  Trace an existing lure if needed.   You can use drawing tools like curves etc, it's how the whole world was made before computers...

If you go the computer route, might as well get a machine that carves them.

I've only just started toying with making wooden baits. But I've made a couple stencils so far in solidworks (I know you said you don't need 3D, just letting you know what has worked for me). You can create the solid piece of "wood" you plan to carve in the program, make a Top and Side view cutout templates, and then see in 3D what the final product would be if you cut it out. Plus you can then make drawings of the cutout profiles.