A customer asked me if I could put a shad pattern on a few swimbaits. No problems, I said. When he dropped the baits off I was surprised to see they were Hinkle Custom Swimbaits. Here's my first attempt at painting one. The pictures don't get close to doing this bait justice. Its all done with pearl and iridescent paints so it shimmers in sunlight. Gold on the nose and gills plates, flesh tone around the anal fin and under the gills, black back, just a touch of purple over turquoise, iridescent yellow along the lateral line, and a very light iridescent blue with just a hint of gold on the sides and a pearl white belly. Its not clear coated yet....just paint. Not sure what method to use for clear coating... brush, dip or spray??? Once the clear coat gives it that simulated fish slime it'll be hard to tell its not alive. Hinkle baits are awesome looking.

Great job

Those things are expensive. That would give me so much stress...

They cost hundreds of dollars each. I dropped one on the garage floor and it didn't do a thing to it...they seem to be pretty durable. Needless to say after the drop I'm very, very careful with them.

I've been trying to figure out what to use to clear glide baits myself. Most are very sensitive to weight change so I would go with something thin. I haven't thrown the Hinkle so I can't really say that's the case with it. Just a heads up

I have 2 Hinkle trout and 2 shad....they very nice baits and catch fish. I haven't thrown them much since I been in texas but in Arizona I have caught close to 10 fish on them and all have been over 7lbs

I decided to use an automotive clear coat. Messy and smelly but it works great. Here's a pic of three baits on the drying wire.

Cool YouTube Video

Finished products. Threadfin, Carp and Gizzard

nice

Got an update on the Hinkle swimbaits I painted....

Threadfin pattern pulled these two big gals. That pattern has been killin' em on several different lure bodies this year.

Just saw this thread! Have a Hinkle shad coming in the mail so I’m hoping to get a chance to throw it at some chubby girls on whatever lakes will still be open by the time it arrives. Great looking paint jobs on the baits above! Anyone else throwing these? I know they’ve been money on Fork in the last couple of years.