Nice job ctom! I'm getting ready to paint some crank baits, and have a weird question.
I see some baits with the lips painted and some not. Is there any advantage to the clear lip?
I don't paint lures like some of you, but my thought on this is that folks believe that the clear lip is "invisible", which IMO is silly. If you look at lures that have the lip molded in & is the same color as the rest of the lure, they still catch fish. Cordell Red Fins are a good example of a lure that the body & lip is all the same color, although they're under the body.
If you want the lure to appear larger, then painting the lip would probably have that affect, but then it's not going to conform to the idea of the lure representing some natural, at least not to us. I frankly don't think that's real important either, as it's the movement, sounds, & vibration that gets the bites, and the illusion of life it creates, not necessarily the colors & form.
Much of the painting is for us too, and not the fish, although people see what they want to see.
So, to your question, the advantage is what you believe. If you look at all the lures that have been, and are on the market now, you will see a lot of crazy looking lures and people catch fish using them. That should really answer your question. Then it boils down to whether or not you have the confidence to use a lure that has a clear lip, or one that's been painted.
I admit being surprised over the years, with lures catching fish, that I was reluctant to use, because of how it looked to me. I've since tried to be a bit more open minded about it all.
