Author Topic: Making your own lures (Read 657 times)

Bowkill · « **on:** October 02, 2003, 07:11:27 AM »

I am looking for ways to make my own raccoon, coyote, and bobcat lure.

Bogmaster · « **Reply #1 on:** October 02, 2003, 09:18:51 AM »

Bow ,unless you are planning to make very large quantities--you will find it more economical to buy your lures already made. Tom

conibearer · « **Reply #2 on:** October 02, 2003, 09:25:56 AM »

First you need to catch a few Bluegill(3) or other fish that size then you put them into a bucket with a lid and about 2 gallons of lake water or faucet water. let the fish stay in the water for about a week then remove the fish and the lure will be ready. this lure works great for coons and other fish eating animals.

Bowkill · « **Reply #3 on:** October 02, 2003, 10:42:06 AM »

Do you mean to let the fish die, and use the smelly water, or do you mean to let the fish live in the water for a couple of weeks?

minkman63 · « **Reply #4 on:** October 03, 2003, 10:17:57 AM »

I agree that is good to buy pre-made lures especially for the canines like fox and coyote. These animals i prefer to use a lure that has been proved to attract these wary animals. When it comes to animals like the raccoon, sweet smelling home made lures can work well. I have used a combination of vanilla extract, honey, ground up fish(bluegills), and or molasses.. Peanut butter is also a great attractor. Be careful where you use household combos to insure domestic animals are not attracted. Dead rotten fish also attracts coon, possum and skunks along with fox occassionally.

TMFLDEM · « **Reply #5 on:** October 03, 2003, 05:41:24 PM »

in my opinion any bait will work 4 anything,, it just needs to be an attractive set, in the right time of year, try rabitt,deer,fish,, anything that is natural, sometimes un natural to get a lil on the intersting side of things, if u have a stong stomach and will, extract the scent glands of a skunk and let the fermentate over the summer, or warmer months and then u will have a great long distance call, good luck

conibearer · « **Reply #6 on:** October 04, 2003, 08:19:39 AM »

I mean to let the fish die. Because fish cant live in a bucket for that long and sometimes when you catch bluegill the hook gets stuck in them and you cant get it out unless you kill them so when that happens you can just take them home and use them for the lure so that they dont go to waste.

jim-NE · « **Reply #7 on:** October 05, 2003, 05:46:07 AM »

Hard to beat a good commercial lure or bait because of all the experience and trial/error already behind their products. Most have withstood the test of time in this industry, which given some interesting markets has not been an easy road by any means.
It is fun, however, to concoct something yourself...especially if you have some success with it. I love experimenting myself. But, I have gone back to buying commercial bait & lure for canines, cats, and beaver. I do still make nearly all of my own coon lure and bait though...and I believe that of any animal we trap the coon is the most "forgiving" of my efforts.
Honestly, there is a wide array of items from around the kitchen or grocery store that will work. Bluegill, rough fish, etc. caught in summer are great bait/lure items and they are mostly "free" as well. I hit the clearance racks at grocery stores and dollar stores for all the canned mackeral and sardines (ones packed in oil, not water) that I can buy for a song.
My favorite paste bait for coon at pocket sets or dryland dirtholes right now is a mixture of mashed sardines, canned mackeral (both with the juice dumped in too) and about 1/2 cup of bacon grease, then add about a cup of honey to it and give it a stir. I mix up a fairly big bucket of this stuff and then let it sit for a couple of days at room temperature, then I add about 1/2 a round container of table salt to keep it from molding or spoiling too quickly at a set. I then pack this mixture into the pint-sized clean plastic peanut butter jars with screw-on lids. (these are unbreakable, tough plastic, and the size serves me for carrying a couple of jars at all times). I freeze what I don't need right away and thaw out the night before what I need for the next couple days. Hard to beat it at dirthole sets for coons along high bank trails, especially with a good canine gland lure or sqirt of strong fish oil.
I also use a lot of bananas, table scraps, fruit pieces, poultry giblets, strong cheese, etc. and have had pretty decent success on coons on every one of these.