How to Paint Fishing Lures With Air Brush Kits

Painting fishing lures with an airbrush is very rewarding and has several benefits. For example, you can paint lures to make them look like the forage in the water where you fish. Once your skills develop enough you can make this hobby financially rewarding, too, by selling your painted lures.

Things You'll Need

• Airbrush
• Air compressor
• Airbrush hose
• Airbrush paint
• Fine grit sandpaper
• Denatured alcohol
• Painter's tape
• Epoxy

Instructions

1. Lightly sand the lure with fine grit sandpaper to remove the factory clear coat. You don't have to remove all of the old paint. If you are painting a lure that hasn't been painted yet, then skip this step.

2. Wipe down the lure with denatured alcohol to remove dirt and oil so the paint will adhere.

3. Tape the bill of the lure with painter's tape so you don't get paint on it.

4. Set the working air pressure of the air compressor to a p.s.i. between 30 and 40.

5. Paint the lure using the airbrush. Learning how to blend and fade your designs is something that takes practice and time.

6. Apply the epoxy by following the manufacturer's directions. Epoxy is required to protect the paint from water and abrasion.

7. Hang the bait up and allow to dry. Drying times will vary based on the brand of epoxy.

Tips & Warnings

• Take time to read the owner's manual that with comes your airbrush kit. There are several types of airbrushes and each operates differently. For the beginner, a single action airbrush is good to learn with.

• Choose a paint that is approved for use with your airbrush.

• Make sure the epoxy you choose is a waterproof epoxy that dries clear.

• Practice painting on PVC pipe before painting a lure.

• Airbrushing is a hazardous hobby. Water based paints are safer than solvent based paints but caution should still be taken. Take the time to read the tech sheets about the brand of paint you choose. Talk with someone from the company to discuss the proper precautions before painting. If using solvent based paints you must also follow local fire codes, so talking with a local fire marshal is a must.

References

• Airbrushing Lures

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish
• HowToAirbursh.com's Tips for Airbrushing
• TackleMaking.com's Stencils For Painting Lures