About us

 

Like most, I started fishing when I was a child. My older brother took me fishing when I was around 7 years old. We are from the midwest and the best fishing in these parts is the Kankakee River. I guess that’s when the obsession started to set in. I took a liking to watching fishing shows and all the fishermen on TV were using artificial lures. I'll admit, I spent most of my allowances on fishing poles and lures. 

As I aged through the years I acquired several types of lures. Fishing slowed down for me mostly because I got a job! Growing up I also acquired drawing and was quit artsy with a pencil. When I was 16 years old I bought myself a 50.00 dollar airbrush which proved to be impossible to control. I tried painting with it for a few weeks and decided I wasted 50.00 dollars! 

Life goes on, I got a real job at 18 years old working in the electrical power industry. Along the way I was married and had two wonderful sons. Fast forward to the year 2015 I retired. I then got back out there fishing. Moving along in my years February 2020 I was looking for a youtube video about fishing lures when I came across a young man airbrushing a fishing lure. The “aha!” moment. I contemplated a few weeks on buying an airbrush and the rest of the accessories that go along. I did some homework, actually a ton of homework. I painted my first lure and it actually turned out pretty awesome. I was hooked, as time went on I had airbrushed 60 lures.

 I wanted to see if the lures appealed to any of the local fishermen. I packaged them and took them to a local bait shop. I asked the business owner if he would allow me to sell my lures in his store and he was more than accommodating. The bait shop sold practically all of the lures.

I find airbrushing is a relaxing craft that lets me expand my design and creativity. I believe custom painted lures are unique one of a kind lures. The lure designs all differ. The quality of the lures exceed the factory cookie cutter lures. Our lure blanks are tested, they first are submerged in water to check for faulty leaks, then the lures are prep sanded, airbrushed primred, then airbrush painted, then they are clear coated. Hook eyes are cleaned, split, ringed and hooked. These are the attributes we commit to at Salas Lures Custom Baits. Growing the sport one lure at a time!