Bass Fishing Forum - Westernbass.com

Any good remedies for fixing the paint? I've tried painting or putting clear fingernail polish on them, but it never lasts.

My buddy powdercoats his. Just take the skirt off, heat the head up with a torch, and dip the head in the powder. It turns into a hard glaze. You can get the powder at almost any tackle store.

I have done jig heads and spinnnerbait heads with nail polish, it hardens quick, stays on good, and they have cool pearl white and browns and purples....Steal some from wife or Girlfriend

You could also coat your paint with a 2 part epoxy, much tougher than nail polish.

Not to be contrary to the good advice given, but I wouldn't paint 'em until they stop working. If the fish don't care, you probably shouldn't.

And secondly, seeing their condition may remind you that you've had the bait awhile and that you have been stressing the wire (stainless) on all those other fish. As you know, the only time those line ties ever break is on the big kicker you desperately need to make the money.

I keep a few of the The small auto touch up bottles with the brush applicator in white, black, and red in the boat for touch up on the water or between tournament days. Powder coating is easy at home and longer lasting. A newer looking bait may not be necessary, but it gives me more confidence, and that is usually what matters most.

Agree with GK, don't bother repainting or powerder coating.
I have this debate from time to time regarding jig heads; plain oxidized dark gray color lead with no coating works best for me. If I paint them it's with Testers model enamel paint.
The harder the coating on soft lead only causes the head to chip when it hits a rock at the end of a cast. Ounce the jig is in the water, rocks, pilings or fish rarely chip the paint.
Torch heating the lead to powder coat it may weaken the steel hook or wire shaft, if done incorrectly.
The lure mfr must make the lure look good to sell, the bass don't care if the lead doesn't look new.
Tom

GKramer wrote:Not to be contrary to the good advice given, but I wouldn't paint 'em until they stop working. If the fish don't care, you probably shouldn't.

And secondly, seeing their condition may remind you that you've had the bait awhile and that you have been stressing the wire (stainless) on all those other fish. As you know, the only time those line ties ever break is on the big kicker you desperately need to make the money.

Very good point. Each fish caught (or smack on the trolling motor or rocks) stresses the wire and weakens it just a bit. And like Tom said, heating the head with a torch can be torcherous (ha!) on wire that's likely already stressed.

Don't forget to take your beat up baits out of your tournament rotation. I only use fresh ones in a tournament because a bent wire only bends so many times without breaking. Titanium lasts a lot longer (approx. 30-50 fish), but they eventually break also. The golf course lake in my backyard claimed two more broken titanium spinnerbaits last Saturday night! I don't understand why my wife says I fish too much!

I don't worry so much about the color in stained water, the color of the skirts is the main thing as it's 80% of what they see.

This Terminator blade landed me some 40 bass, including this momma last Saturday at Barrett, but blew up on the bend when it hit a bush on a direct hit out there yesterday. What if she had hit it when it was at that breaking point? Would not be in the picture, that's for sure.