How to Make Your Own Muskie Lures

Make your own custom musky lures to save money.

Musky are freshwater game fish found in many rivers and lakes from the Southern Appalachians to the Northern lakes. With an often devout and loyal following of anglers, Muskie can grow to well over 50 pounds and as many inches long. Fishing for musky often involves multiple large spinner blades and bright flashing skirts combined with an in-line spinner bait. Making your own musky lure allows customization and the opportunity to save some money along the way.

Things You'll Need

• Lure making wire
• Needle-nose pliers
• Treble hook
• Formed bait skirt
• Beads
• Clevis
• Spinner blades

Instructions

1. Form a bend in the end of a length of lure, making wire with a pair of needle-nose pliers. The U shaped bend should be 1 1/2 inches from one end of the wire.

2. Slide a 1/0 treble hook, or larger, depending on personal preference, onto the wire so that it sets in the bend of the wire. Wrap the free end of the wire, with a second pair of pliers, around the first pair of needle-nose pliers and hook so that a small loop is formed around the eye of the hook.

3. Slide a metal, plastic or glass bead onto the wire and down next to the wrapped wire. Thread one or two formed lure skirts down the wire. Use rubber lure skirts with bright colors, including green, white and yellow as well as metallic reflective materials.

4. Slide two or three more beads down the wire so that they rest above the lure skirts. Assemble a clevis through the eye of a spinner blade. Repeat the process by inserting another clevis through a second spinner blade.

5. Hold the clevis and blade assemblies so that the lure wire can be threaded first through the bottom of one clevis and then through the bottom of the second clevis. Guide the wire through the top of the clevis that was first threaded and then through the top of the second clevis. This will result in a double clevis and blade assembly.

6. Complete the musky in-line spinner assembly by forming a bend in the wire 1 1/2 inches above the blade and clevis assembly. Hold the wire with needle-nose pliers; form a U shape and then wrap the free end of the wire down and around the main wire. As before, use a second pair of pliers to form the loop around the first pair of needle-nose pliers.

References

• Nodak Outdoors: Homemade Musky Lures