Airbrushing trolling spoons is a skill that combines artistry and angling, enabling anglers to create custom-designed lures that entice a wide variety of gamefish. The process involves adding color, patterns, and unique designs to traditional metal spoons. Enhancing the spoons visual appeal can increase their effectiveness in attracting fish and if you are selling your lures, the angler. In this post, we will delve into the art and technique of airbrushing trolling spoons, offering insights into how this rewarding hobby can elevate your fishing experience.
The Power of Customization
Trolling spoons are popular lures known for their enticing wobble and flash underwater. However, customizing these spoons through airbrushing adds an extra layer of attraction. By creating personalized designs, anglers can mimic natural baitfish patterns, introduce eye-catching colors, and experiment with innovative visual effects that trigger fish to strike. Sometimes having a pattern that no one else on the lake does, can mean the difference between catching fish or just going boating.
Materials and Preparation
Before embarking on your airbrushing journey, gather the necessary materials:
1. Trolling Spoons: Start with your favorite trolling spoons. These are typically available in different sizes and shapes to cater to various fishing conditions. Blank spoons can be had from various suppliers including here at Van Dutch Fishing.
2. Airbrush and Compressor: Invest in a quality airbrush and an air compressor with adjustable pressure settings. This allows you to control the flow of paint for precise detailing. We suggest buying a brand name airbrush with good parts availability. If you are on a budget, look for sales at certain times of the year or check your local online classified site, there are often good deals to be had on airbrushing equipment in the used market.
3. Paints: Choose high-quality, water-resistant acrylic paints specifically designed for airbrushing. We are not sponsored by anyone here at Van Dutch Fishing but we recommend and use the Createx Wicked line of airbrush paints. Spend the time to watch some YouTube videos and read the literature for whatever line of paints you decide to use. Buy a range of colors that mimic baitfish hues and bright colors, metallics, pearls and color shifts for those Great Lakes patterns. Your paint collection will grow as your interest in the hobby does.
4. Masking Materials: Use masking tape, stencils, and frisket film to create intricate patterns and protect specific areas of the spoon. Fabrics like mesh and lace can also be used.
Step-by-Step Airbrushing Process
1. Prep and Clean the Spoons: We have an entire post dedicated to how to prep fishing spoons for paint, its a must read if you want the best results. Basically you need to ensure the trolling spoons are clean and free of oil, dirt, or residue and that the nickel is slightly etched for the primer layer to stick. A clean surface ensures proper paint adherence.
2. Base Coat: Apply a thin and even base coat of primer to the entire spoon. This base layer sets the canvas for your design. As to what product to use we have had good success with Createx 4050 Gloss UVLS. If you have access to a proper professional spray booth and the proper PPE there are better products but we are assuming most hobbyist are using spray booths that are not rated for solvent borne coatings. There are some specific safety protocols to follow with the 4050 UVLS, we HIGHLY recommend carefully reading both the SDS and TDS sheets for any paint you use.
The 4050 must be applied carefully following the instructions and most importantly in order to get full adhesion you must let it dry for a minimum of 48 hours before applying any further coats. If you want to have the plated finish of the spoon show through in your pattern you can start painting once the UVLS is dry otherwise a base coat of white will be the next step.
3. Masking: Use masking tape or stencils to block off areas you want to protect. This creates defined patterns and adds dimension to the lure. Learn more about making stencils here.
4. Design and Detailing: Utilize your airbrush to add intricate details, patterns, and color variations. Gradually build up the design to achieve the desired effect. Generally apply your colors from light to dark although very interesting effects can be achieved by layering transparent colors and candy colors over darker base colours.
5. Effects and Highlights: Add visual effects like scales, metallic highlights, or glows. These effects mimic natural light reflection and enhance the lure’s realism. Decals can also be added to the spoon and even painted over for a unique look. In order to paint scales and different patterns we suggest taking a trip to your local fabric store. Different meshes and lace fabrics can make amazing patterns when used as a stencil.
6. Sealing: Once the paint is dry, seal the design with a clear, water-resistant topcoat. We suggest prior to applying the final clearcoat that you do another coat of the Createx UVLS. In our experience our final clear coat ends up turning out better when we take this extra step. The clear coat protects your masterpiece from water damage and preserves its visual appeal. It is especially important when using water-based paints. The topic of what clear coat to use for fishing lures could be the basis for an entire website of posts and everyone has their opinions. Generally we use a 2 part epoxy to finish our lures.
Experimentation and Personalization
Airbrushing trolling spoons is a blend of angling expertise and artistic expression, allowing you to craft personalized lures that stand out in the water. By mastering this technique, you can create lures that not only look visually appealing but are also custom designed for the specific body of water and species you are targeting. As you refine your skills and techniques, you’ll discover the joy of designing and using custom airbrushed trolling spoons that consistently attract and land impressive gamefish. There is nothing quite like the feeling of catching a trophy fish on a lure pattern you designed and painted.
