Make Your Own Spinner Baits, Buzz Baits, and Inline Spinners.
 
Instructions and lure component lists for making spinner baits, buzz baits, and inline spinners.
Including links to Barlow's online fishing tackle store.

 Lure pictures and specifications are at the bottom of this page.

 

Spinner baits and buzz baits are very popular and very simple to make.  The components are inexpensive and the selections available will allow you to make models and colors that you will never find available in retail stores.  The information provided here is a very basic discussion of the components required and illustrations of various spinner type lures and the specific components required to make them.  Spinner baits and buzz baits can be made from scratch, starting with a mold, wire form, and hook, or you can simplify the process and purchase molded and painted or unpainted heads and assemble the lures yourself.

 
MOLDS:   Barlow's stocks a variety of Do-It molds for making various types of spinner lures.  Usually  the molds will produce lures of the same design, but in a variety of sizes.  Most of the spinner lure molds will require that you place 2 components ( a hook and a wire form) in the mold for casting.  We have found that it is easier on this type of mold to make only one lure at a time rather than trying to place 4 or 6 components into the mold.  The Do-It molds are all made out of aluminum and have wooden handles.  They are a quality product and easy to use.    CLICK HERE for our molds index page.
 
MELTING POTS:   Bottom pour lead melting pots are the most popular and easiest to use, although anything that will melt and pour lead can probably be used for making lures. The most common comment that we hear about pouring lead into molds is that the cavities do not fill completely.  This is usually due to the lead being used.  Tire weights are usually the problem.  Tire weights are easy to obtain, but they often contain hardeners and impurities which tend to make the lead flow  poorly as compared to lead without the hardeners. Plumbers lead is usually a good lead to use.     CLICK HERE for melting pots.
 
WIRE AND WIRE FORMS:  Lure wire is available in straight lengths, coils, and in wire forms. We recommend that you use wire forms as much as you can as you will get a very consistent product and save lots of time. Of course if you cannot get a formed wire like you want then you will have to make it.  The majority of wire used in lures is spring stainless steel. We also stock some spinner bait forms in a premium stainless referred to as "Super Stainless" which has a higher tinsel strength and will increase the vibration on a spinner bait.   Spinner bait wire forms are available in "R" eye and "TWISTED" eye with the "R" eye wire form being much more popular.  Wire forms come in different diameters and the lure size recommendation for a wire form is usually a part of the specifications for the form.  CLICK HERE for wire forms.
 
BLADES:   A wide variety of spinner blades and buzz blades is available.  Plated spinner blades ( nickel, gold, etc. ) are usually made from brass.  Painted blades and inexpensive spinner blades are usually made from steel.  Buzz blades are made from aluminum or plastic so they will be lighter in weight and come to the surface faster. Buzz Blades are available in 2, 3, and 4 blade versions.  For spinner baits blade sizes determine how fast and deep the lure will run.  In a very general comment, the bigger the blade the slower it will run and the slower it will sink.    CLICK HERE for blades index page.

NOTE:  BRASS,  COPPER, AND BLACK NICKEL BLADES SHOULD BE LACQUER COATED. These finishes will tarnish and discolor easily and the lacquer coating will help prevent this. Lacquer coated blades cost a little more, but it is well worth it.  If you find Brass, Copper, or Black Nickel blades that are less expensive than nickel plated blades they probably are not lacquer coated and will tarnish easily.
 
HOOKS:   One of the important considerations for hooks used in spinner and buzz baits is the size of the eye.  The eye is molded into the head and restricts the flow of the lead, so it is important for the eye to be small to allow the lead to flow.  Positioning the eye/wire in the mold cavity can also affect the flow of the lead.  Spinner bait/buzz bait hooks are usually nickel plated although we are now seeing an increase in the use of red hooks.   CLICK HERE for hooks index page.
 
LURE SKIRTS:   Lure skirts are available made from silicone and rubber.  Silicone is by far the most popular because of the wide variety of colors available and the availability of colors with glitter in the material.  Finished skirts may be used or the materials are available to make your own skirts.   CLICK HERE for skirts and skirt materials.
 
SPLIT RINGS:  Split rings are used to attach the spinner blade to the swivel.  Split rings are available in nickel steel and stainless steel.  We believe the nickel steel is easier to use because it has more "spring" to it and will retain the original spacing better than the stainless.  CLICK HERE for split rings.
 
CLEVICES:  Clevices are used to hold the front or shaft blade on tandem spinners.  They are also used to hold the blade on the shaft of inline spinners.  When ordering clevices you need to make sure that the hole diameter on the clevice is larger than the diameter of the wire you are using to make the lures. Generally CL1 & CL2 clevices would be used on size 3 and smaller blades, CL3 & CL4  are used on size 4 and larger blades.  CLICK HERE for clevices.
 
SWIVELS:   Ball Bearing, Crane, and Roller Swivels are the most popular swivels for spinner baits.  We feel that Roller Swivels are a very good alternate for Ball Bearing swivels if you want to save some money.  CLICK HERE for swivels.
 
BEADS:   Beads are used on spinner baits and buzz baits to provide a surface for the clevice or blade to turn against.  They can also act as a spacer for the blades on the lures. Hollow metal beads are the most popular.  Plastic beads can also be used and will add a little color to the lure.  Solid Brass Beads are used on inline spinners to add some weight to the lure if needed.  Solid Brass Beads are also used for the bodies of inline spinners to provide a segmented appearance.   CLICK HERE for beads.
 
BUZZ BAIT RIVETS:  Buzz bait rivets are used on buzz baits for the blade to turn against and to keep the blade spaced from the bend in the wire.   CLICK HERE for rivets.
 
CLACKER BLADES:  Clacker Blades may be added to the shaft of a buzz bait so that the buzz bait blade hits the clacker blade on every rotation and produces a "clacking" noise. CLICK HERE for clacker blades.
 
BRASS LURE BODIES:  Brass Bodied Inline Spinners are very popular.  They can be made in a large variety of shapes, sizes and colors.  Plated and painted blades are available. Brass finish and nickel plated bodies are available. If you want to paint the bodies we suggest that you use the brass finish.  CLICK HERE for brass lure bodies.
Different types of spinner lures are shown below along with the components used to make them. 
Some of the components are given as a general listing where there are choices available for you.
For example if we list a "size 3 Colorado Blade" this tells you the size blade we used,
but does not list the finish as there are many choices.

You can click on the image for a larger picture.
3/8 OZ. TANDEM COLORADO SPINNER   

Components used in this spinner bait: "R" eye spinner bait wire, 4/0 spinner bait hook, custom 60 strand silicone skirt, size 2 colorado blade, size 4 colorado blade, size 3 split ring, size 10 roller swivel, cl-4 clevice, (2) 3/16 hollow beads.
1/2 OZ DROP SPINNER

Components used in this spinner bait: "R" eye spinner bait wire, 4/0 spinner bait hook, standard silicone skirt,  size 6 colorado blade, size 3 split ring, size 10 roller swivel.
3/8 OZ WILLOW SPINNER

Components used in this spinner bait: "R" eye spinner bait wire, 4/0 spinner bait hook, standard silicone skirt, size 3 colorado blade, size 5 willow blade, size 3 split ring, size 10 roller swivel, cl-4 clevice, (2) 3/16 hollow beads.
3/8 OZ TWIN SPINNER

Components used in this spinner bait: A & B twin spin wire forms, 4/0 spinner bait hook, standard silicone skirt, (2) size 10 roller swivels, (2) size 3 split rings, (2) size 4 willow blades.  This spinner also has a skirt umbrella to flair the skirt strands.  CLICK HERE for skirt umbrella information.
3/8 OZ BUZZ BAIT

Components used in this buzz bait:  3/8 buzz bait wire form, 4/0 spinner bait hook. standard silicone skirt, 3/8 buzz blade, buzz bait rivet.
3/8 OZ BUZZ BAIT WITH CLACKER

Components used in this buzz bait:  3/8 buzz bait wire form, 4/0 spinner bait hook. standard silicone skirt, 3/8 buzz blade, buzz bait rivet, large clacker blade.
3/8 OZ 4 BLADE ALUMINUM BUZZ BAIT

Components used in this buzz bait:  3/8 buzz bait wire form, 4/0 spinner bait hook. standard silicone skirt, 3/8 4 blade aluminum buzz blade pair, buzz bait rivet.
3/8 OZ TANDEM BUZZ BAIT

Components used in this buzz bait:  3/8 buzz bait wire form, 4/0 spinner bait hook. standard silicone skirt, 3/8 tandem buzz blade ( 1 CW and 1 CCW), (2) 3/16 hollow beads, buzz bait rivet.
3/8 OZ 4 BLADE PLASTIC BUZZ BAIT

Components used in this buzz bait:  3/8 buzz bait wire form, 4/0 spinner bait hook. standard silicone skirt, 3/8 plastic 4 blade buzz blade, buzz bait rivet.
3/8 OZ TURBO BUZZ BAIT

Components used in this buzz bait:  3/8 buzz bait wire form, 4/0 spinner bait hook. standard silicone skirt, turbo buzz blade, 1/8 plastic 4 blade buzz blade, 5/32 hollow bead,  buzz bait rivet.
INLINE SPINNER

Components used in this inline spinner: inline spinner wire form (.031), brass inline buzz blade, (2) 3/16 hollow beads, size 3 split ring, custom 60 strand silicone skirt, size 4 treble hook.
INLINE SPINNER - ALUMINUM BLADE

Components used in this inline spinner: inline spinner wire form (.031), 3/8 aluminum  buzz blade, (2) 3/16 hollow beads, size 3 split ring, custom 60 strand silicone skirt, size 4 treble hook.
BRASS BODY INLINE SPINNERS

   Top Right Lure:  Inline spinner wire form (.024), brass lure bodies,
size 2 french blade on a number 2 clevice, (2) 5/32 hollow beads,
size 8 treble hook, red plastic attractor tubing.

Bottom Left Lure:  Inline spinner wire form (.024), brass lure bodies that has been painted, size 3 inline blade, (2) 5/32 hollow beads- the beads are under the spinner blade, size 8 treble hooks, red plastic attractor tubing.