One of the most rewarding parts of building your own fishing lure is the painting. It's where your lure goes from a plain wooden blank to something truly unique — and something fish actually want to strike. Whether you're using an Outcast Kits lure building kit or painting a blank you've shaped yourself, this guide will walk you through everything you need to know.
What You'll Need
- Unpainted wooden lure blank
- Acrylic craft paints (included in your Outcast Kit)
- Small paintbrushes (fine tip and medium)
- A lure drying stand or something to hold the lure while it dries
- Clear coat sealer (to protect your finish)
- A cup of water for rinsing brushes
Step 1: Plan Your Design
Before you open a single paint jar, take a minute to think about your color scheme. Are you going for a realistic baitfish look — silver, white, and blue? A bright attractor pattern in chartreuse and orange? Or something totally original? Sketch it out on paper first if it helps. There's no wrong answer here — creativity is the whole point.
Step 2: Apply Your Base Coat
Start with a light base coat across the entire lure. White or light yellow are great starting points since they let brighter colors pop on top. Apply thin, even coats and let each one dry fully before adding the next. Rushing this step leads to streaks and bubbles — patience pays off.
Step 3: Add Your Main Colors
Once your base is dry, start layering in your main colors. Work from light to dark — it's much easier to add a darker color over a light one than the other way around. Use a medium brush for larger areas and switch to a fine-tip brush for detail work along the belly, back, and sides.
Classic lure color patterns to try:
- Perch pattern: olive green back, yellow sides, white belly with dark vertical stripes
- Shad pattern: silver or light gray body with a white belly and blue or green back
- Fire tiger: chartreuse, orange, and black — a proven attractor for bass and pike
- Natural crawfish: brown and rust tones with dark spots
Step 4: Paint the Details
This is where your lure really comes to life. Use a fine-tip brush to add details like:
- Eyes — paint a white circle, let it dry, then add a black pupil. A dot of red or orange around the outside makes it pop.
- Gill lines — a thin curved red or pink line just behind the head mimics a real fish's gills
- Scale patterns — use the edge of a small brush or even a piece of mesh to dab a scale texture
- Stripes or spots — add personality and match local baitfish patterns
Step 5: Let It Dry Completely
Before you apply any sealer, make sure every layer of paint is fully dry. Use your drying stand to prop the lure so nothing smudges. Depending on the humidity, this can take 30 minutes to a few hours. Don't rush it — you've put in the work, give it time. If you have particularly heavy paint sections, you can use a hair dryer to cure these areas.
Step 6: Seal Your Lure
The included acrylic clear coat sealer is essential. It protects your paint job from water, fish teeth, and general wear. Apply 2–3 thin coats, letting each dry between applications. This step is what separates a lure that looks great on the first cast from one that still looks great after a full season of fishing.
Be sure to let the gloss coat dry completely. Again, a hair dryer can help speed this along.
Step 7: (optional) UV resin
Your kit came with our acrylic gloss top coat finish, but many builders recommend using a UV Resin clear coat to truly finish your lure for action. There are many types available at art/hobby stores or online. We recommend SolarEZ Ultra Thin Bone-Dry Clear. Apply the resin in a this layer and cure with a UV flashlight, or simply expose to direct sunlight. The cure times will vary, but it is often surprisingly fast. You can add multiple layers to build up the finish and smooth any drips.
Step 8: Add Hardware and Go Fish
Once fully sealed and dry, it's time to add your hooks, and any other hardware included in your kit. Give it a test in the bathtub or a bucket to check the action — then head to the water and put it to the test.
Tips for Painting with Kids
If you're building and painting as a family activity, keep it loose and fun. Let kids pick their own colors and patterns — a bright purple lure with pink polka dots might not look like anything in nature, but it's a trophy they'll be proud of. And you might be surprised — fish are curious creatures.
Ready to Build Your First Lure?
The Outcast Kits Custom Lure Building Kit comes with everything you need to paint two fully functional fishing lures from scratch — paint, brushes, blanks, hardware, and a drying stand. It's the perfect starter kit for anglers of all ages.