Bluegills that used to sink... Now a topwater

[21XDC]

I dissected these sinking baits, removed weight to make these stay just at the surface.... Painted them to match my idea of a Bluegill... I think they came out pretty good.

[21XDC]

This is how they swim in stock form/sinking...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z9cipk4qOzc

[YpsiBass]

I'll take 2. Bring them to the swap meet.

[21XDC]

Thanks for the offer Rick.... They are not for sale... But I may bring them to the swap meet. I just made 4 more with a little more weight and a little different gill pattern... I just ordered 20 more last night to paint.

[Manxfishing]

They do look great

[YpsiBass]

Thanks for the offer Rick.... They are not for sale... But I may bring them to the swap meet. I just made 4 more with a little more weight and a little different gill pattern... I just ordered 20 more last night to paint.

Who said anything about buying them from you...?

[21XDC]

You better be well trained in cage fighting to pry these from my hands.... 

[YpsiBass]

Just going to slip you an extra sugary brownie and wait for your untimely demise from diabetic coma to make my move!

[21XDC]

Highly unlikely 

Trying some different paint and colors. None of these are clear coated yet.

[21XDC]

[robhj]

Great looking paint jobs! Be sure to post some pics of those in the mouth of a big largie when those get hammered.

[21XDC]

Thanks... I'm just playing with different colors, stencil/scales etc... I like the last ones I did best.

[YpsiBass]

Thought glossy colors did best for clear water and matte colors for stained? That latest batch you could call the Belleville Special Edition and sell a dozen to Laporte for $20 a pop easy.

[21XDC]

I prefer the all natural look of matte finish. I have never seen any glossy baitfish or bass... They look that way wet out of the water only... In my aquarium, they are all matte. I'd like to find a matte, durable water base waterproof finish to use... Kopper's Live Target uses one, But I'm sure it's not water base. Any lacquer bases finish will eat/wrinkle my paint.

The matte look of the last bunch's of baits are un finished.

[21XDC]

Seal Coat ruined all my paint jobs... 

I'm not very happy right now  .... I spent a ton of time painting some custom detailed baits. I brushed on the seal coat and put on my turner... All of my paint crackled even though it was heat set...    Ruined 12 baits I was counting on keeping for myself. It's too thick to airbrush... Not sure how many light coats it takes to finish a bait when thinned enough to airbrush...

[21XDC]

I have some of this coming to test... http://www.tamcopaint.com/hiclonclthca.html

And if I like it, I will be ordering the Matte finish.  http://www.tamcopaint.com/mahiclonclth.html

[djkimmel]

Did you ever figure out your paint issues?

[21XDC]

Yes... KBS Diamond Clear, thinned with 20% Zylene/Zylol.