Lure Rehab

We are all guilty of forgetting from time to time to rinse off our gear. Maybe we carelessly toss a lure or two into the box, only to find later that the hooks are rusty and the color is worn or chipped off. Many times these lures end up getting tossed when we clean out our boxes or buy new lures to replace old ones. Before you throw those old lures away, take the time to look them over and you may be able to save them, and save money as well!

Rehabilitating lures is not a new concept. There are many anglers out there who replace trebles on brand new lures to suit their needs, or replace straightened or rusty hooks with new ones. When lures get some age on them, frequently all they need is a good washing to restore the luster of the original finish. Applying a little mineral oil or marine rubbing compound to the body will also help restore the shine and minimize scratches.

There is a growing trend to completely re-new old lures with paint, clear coat and hooks. Steve Woosley has a startup company known as Lure Rehab. And he does just that. Steve takes old lures, strips them down to the bodies, and adds his own patterns and hooks to make a new custom creation. In fact, some of his lures are so nice his customers don’t want to use them, considering them artwork instead.

For do it yourselfers, there are a myriad of different lure part supply websites out there offering everything from realistic eyes to reflective tape. Anglers can restore their lures, customize the look and even add parts to completely change the action. Given the retail price of many lures today, a small investment in some of these components will keep you from replacing them over and over.

Lure Parts Online (www.lurepartsonline.com) has a very large variety of spinner blades, reflective tape, eyes and paint. While they deal mainly in freshwater lure parts, Mud Hole (www.mudhole.com) is known worldwide for their products which include many saltwater lure components. And if you need ideas and feedback for your creations, Tackle Underground (www.tackleunderground.com) has an extensive member gallery and helpful forums to guide you.

So don’t throw those tired old lures away because whether you have your lures repainted or clean them up and add new hooks yourself, you will be happy with the outcome. Adding these new treasures to your tackle box will be worth it and save you money in the long run.