YES! and NO! (lol)

It really depends on the aggressiveness of the fish. Most Crankbait's are "moving" and the fish only have a few seconds to react, (or not). As a rule I like to use red, gold, or silver eyes- with an emphasis on red! Why red?? Have you ever heard the expression,"He saw red!". Red eyes can bolster a fish's reaction strike by making them (for lack of a better word) "mad". When do colored eyes NOT work as well or make as big of an impact?  

My Answer is: When the clarity of the water is extreme (clarity of 15 FT plus) and in conjunction, when using a suspending Crank, (where you are letting it pause right in front of the fish's nose). It is my belief that you'd want a more realistic looking Crank as the clarity of the water gets better and COLDER. (Cold water typically allows fish to SEE better-for a variety of reasons.) SO, silver eyes would probably be a safe bet in super-clear water. However, in fishing, all "rules of the road" are not set in stone. Some days they want a bright purple/red lure with pink highlights and GREEN eyes! (Go figure!) We can only make our best guess and go with that!      

What do you think????

I'd like to take a moment to give a shout out to my Wife, Tanya Back. She is one heck of an artist and designer. If you'd like to see more of her works go to-  www.tanyabackdesigns.com

We're having a heat wave today- it's 25 degree's here in MN! 

Wish I was fishin' a canal on Alligator Ally!  (lol) 

Good Q! Although I'm relatively new, I have done quite a bit of research about lure painting, checked out the competition and applied what I've learned to the Swamp Zombie brand. 

I believe I make solid lures for a fair price. Yes, some of my competitors have amazing paint jobs- but, they tend to skimp on clear coat. And many don't apply the same amount of time or energy into each crank. Most of what I do is free-hand painting- I rarely use stencil's and I like to add other little things to make the lures more appealing to the fish- UV'ed eyes and shad "spots", glitter finish, Crystal Flash hooks, ETC.     

Again, a Crankbait should be judged on the sum of ALL it's parts. A magnificent paint job is only great if it doesn't rub off after a few fish. I use a 2-2 1/2 layer epoxy resin system, (sometimes 3 -4 layer). The only thing better is many layers of a clear automotive coat, (or "DK" dip)- and even then, sometimes the automotive dries wrong and gets "brittle". When this happens you can use a fingernail and scrape the top-coat (and paint) right off the lure. (Many large lure company's have issues with this....) 

Realize- an epoxy resin coat must be foam brushed on- not sprayed. It's like syrup when applied- add too much and the lure is ruined- Add small layer's and the lure is encased forever. Do they eventually wear down??? Yes, eventually they do- all lures do - after, oh, 100 plus fish or so! (lol) The guys I sponsor have done field tests and they've caught literally 100's of fish with my lures- SO MANY fish that the crankbait bill had worn down before the sides, belly, and top! That's pretty good durability. 

Plus, I try to give the best service possible. Many of my competitors just don't interact with the client. I do my best to engage and converse with customers making sure I know exactly what they need or want- this makes a difference in the quality of the final product and how well it actually works in the environment. If you can't/won't converse with the client and try to find out what they (really) need how can you make good merchandise?  

Swamp Zombie Lures- making lures the old fashion way- one at a time.        

Interesting question! Basically, some older Crankbait's perform as well (if not BETTER) than the MOST expensive lures of today. 

Email me for a list of "The best of the best" older Crankbait's! 

There IS a difference between white and "bone". The color bone has a yellowish/chartreuse hue. White has no yellow/chartreuse AT ALL. Bone has been a mainstay in fishing for years- but, unfortunately most major lure company's don't paint lures bone anymore. (They may "say" bone on the pkg- but it usually isn't bone- it's white OR white/pearl.) I guess it's because you actually need someone to paint it- a machine can't "color correct" for bone. (lol) SO, what's the big deal??? White works- right??? 

Actually, in most circumstances the color bone will always catch more fish than a white or pearl/white hued lure. Many savy fishermen know this.....

Do you agree or disagree? Let me know your feelings on the subject. Post a comment!   

Got lots of emails last night, (and a few calls) about the revamped website. Thanks again for checking out the site. Let me know if you guys need a special lure or any information about fishing! Check back frequently. I'll be adding new Cranks, some soft plastic's, and other misc tackle. 

Understand- I do a lot of fishing- and have gone fishing on numerous lakes, rivers, saltwater marshes & estuaries throughout the USA. My color choices come from countless hours of on-the-water research by myself or by the Semi-pro's I sponsor,  (who hit the water at least 100 days a year).  If you decide to purchase one of my custom cranks BE assured that you will get my full attention and help deciding exactly what you want (and need).    

In fact, I hope if you decide to purchase any of my lures you will contact me first and allow me to make suggestions. I have many resources and can point you in the right direction on color and blank size.