Day 3: While we're on the subject of rigging huddlestons, how about painting them?

I've been attempting different paint jobs for the last 3 years or so with very mixed results. Kind of like scent, sometimes I think it helps, occasionally I think it hurts, and most of the time it probably doesn't make a bit of difference. Here is one of my first attempts. This lure was a killer, and produced my PB at the time plus scores of other nice fish before the tail was finally shredded off.

http://www.calfishing.com/dc/user_files/4485-huddpaint.jpg

Anyway. The first problem with painting huddlestons, or any other soft plastic bait, is finding the right paint. Most soft plastic paint is actually dye, which will bleed heavily into soft plastic. Kind of like if you've ever tried adding spots to a bait with a Sharpie. Looks good for a few hours, then the bleeding starts.

Nowadays they make good lure paint that is actually "paint" instead of "dye". It will stick to the surface of your lure but won't bleed into the soft plastic. Color-Right used to make good stuff, then I think they went out of business. LureCraft is where I buy it now. You can find it at the link below:

http://www.lurecraft.com/catalog.cfm/plastic-products/paint-for-plastic-lures

http://www.calfishing.com/dc/user_files/7116-paint.jpg

They claim if you add thinner to the paint you can use it with an airbrush. I don't own an airbrush so I just use toothpicks. They give enough working area to add a bunch of tiny dots with the end or to spread some paint or dye across the back with the flat side.

I haven't really found a good consistent color pattern yet. That first bait was great, but subsequent attempts at that color failed to reproduce. Anyone else got any good color mods?

Here are a few pics from years past


http://www.calfishing.com/dc/user_files/7117-colors1.jpg


http://www.calfishing.com/dc/user_files/7118-colors2.jpg