My Resin Bait Painting Process
🎨 My Resin Bait Painting Process: How I Get Clean, Durable, and Realistic Finishes
Painting resin baits is one of my favorite parts of the lure-making process — it’s where the personality of a bait really comes to life. Whether I’m painting a one-off glide bait or prepping a small run for the shop, I treat every lure like it’s going in my own tackle box.
In this guide, I’ll walk you through my entire painting workflow — what I use, why I do it this way, and a few small details that make a big difference in your final finish.
🧼 Step 1: Prep Work Is Everything
The secret to a perfect paint job starts long before the airbrush turns on.
I start by scuffing the bait with these scuff pads to give the surface a little “tooth.” This helps the primer bond properly and prevents chipping down the road.
After scuffing, I wash each bait using this soap and warm water to remove any oils or dust. Once the bait is completely dry, I tape off anything that shouldn’t be painted — usually the lips or hardware areas — then wipe it down with denatured alcohol for a final clean.
⚪ Step 2: Primer Time
A good primer is your foundation. I use this primer for consistent adhesion and coverage. I give each bait an even coat and then dry it with this heat gun (link) to set it fast without overheating the resin.
🎨 Step 3: Painting with Precision
For paints, I stick with these airbrush paints — reliable, vibrant, and perfect for layering realistic patterns. I thin them right in my airbrush cup using this reducer to reach a “milk-like” consistency.
Before hitting the bait, I spray a bit onto a paper towel to ensure the spray pattern is smooth and consistent.
Between colors, I clean my airbrush with three spray bottles filled with:
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Water
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Windshield washer fluid
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Denatured alcohol
I heat set each color using my trusty hair dryer before moving on to the next layer. This not only speeds up the process but also helps avoid tacky paint or bleed-through.
(I’ll be doing a separate post diving into my color layering techniques and detailing soon — stay tuned!)
🖋️ Step 4: Sign and Seal the Work
Once the bait is fully painted, I let it sit for 12–24 hours to fully cure. Then I sign it using this paint pen — every lure I make gets my mark before it leaves the bench.
🧪 Step 5: The Crucial Mid-Coat Prep
Here’s one of the most important steps in my entire process — and one that’s often overlooked.
Before clear coating, I spray a diluted mixture of denatured alcohol and this intercoat clear. This locks in your paint, evens out the surface, and helps prevent fisheyes or wrinkling under your final epoxy.
Then I let the bait sit for at least 24 hours.
Patience pays off here — one of the most common causes of clear coat failure is rushing this curing stage.
🔮 What’s Next
That’s my complete resin bait painting workflow, from bare resin to a signed and sealed blank. In my next post, I’ll break down how I clear coat my baits — what products I use, how I mix, and the best ways to avoid bubbles or tacky finishes.
If you’d like to see every product I use for painting and finishing, check out my
👉 Amazon Storefront – Bait Painting Essentials List
You can also find my handcrafted lures, molds, and gear over at
🌐 www.lazybaitsco.com
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