Something Made My Lure Turn Red! But I Like It.

[nedyarb]

I photo finished this balsa lure. I applied two coats solarez to seal it, then sprayed loctite spray adhesive and applied my photo, which was put on foil using loctite. I then applied another coat of solarez mixed with glitter. And finally finished with Bob Smith 30 minute epoxy. I took it out the next day and caught an eight lb catfish (dang)! On the way home I noticed the red streaks and thought it was blood. But it's not, the paint somehow bled and it looks kinda nice, like the crappie is bleeding. However I don't know what caused it! Any ideas? Thanks Rob

[jt_ncbassman]

I don't know about the red streaks,  but that lure looks fantastic.   I may not ever pick up my airbrush again. 

I think you've got a special one there.  

[nedyarb]

I'm 100% sure that something reacted with something! I made a bluegill one also that had the same deal. Thanks for the compliments not the lure though!

[nedyarb]

This blue gill one has not been in the water! I initially thought it was catfish blood but its not!

[Brent R]

You might have stumbled on to something that turns out to be good not bad. By the way the baits looked great.

 

take care, Brent

[hazmail]

Probably the red toner/ dye in the printing ink, red is renowned for 'Bleeding' through other colours, also renowned for fading..

Nice looking lure all the same, and it works.

Pete

[RayburnGuy]

Are you using any type of "fixative" or clear over the photo? When I do a photo job on a bait I allow the ink to dry after printing the image and then apply an "ink fixative" or rattle can clear over the photo before I ever apply it to the bait. I've never had any problems with colors bleeding when doing it this way.

 

Ben

[nedyarb]

I applied a coat of solarez over the photo. I think it may have been one of two things. Either the solarez reacts with the printer ink. Or I didn't allow the spay blue to dry long enough before applying the solarez!

[RayburnGuy]

I would try sealing the photo with something other than Solarez and see if that stops the problem. When I do mine I let the printer ink fully dry and then spray a clear over that and let the clear dry overnight before applying it to the bait. I'm just guessing as the solvents in what your using and the solvents in what I'm using probably aren't the same thing.

 

Ben

[A-Mac]

That bait is sweet.  It looks like the fish is hemorrhaging and provides all the more reason for a bass to crush it.  Since it is in small doses, I'd say it is a major plus! 

[Net Man]

Where do you guys get these images from to do this?  I have never done this before and would love to try it.  Is it hard to do?

BTW they look awesome!!!

[mark poulson]

Pete is right.  There is something about the red pigment that make it run.

If you've ever shot Createx red you will see it gets into the needle barrel and everywhere else right away.

I found Solarez makes red sharpies bleed, so maybe it's doing the same with the red ink in your photos.  Maybe there's a solvent in it that reacts with the red.

Try sealing the photo with a clear, like Ben said, before you put the Solarez on.

I don't do photo finishes, but I use clear Createx over my red sharpie, and it works.

I also like it when my red gill arcs bleed, so I don't always clear over them.

I hit the sharpie with a hair dryer to make sure all the solvent is gone, and then I dip or brush on the Solarz.

I hang the lures by the nose after I dip or brush them, so the excess collects on the bottom hook hanger and can be pinched off with a paper towel.  Since that process only takes a couple of minutes, the red only runs a little before I put it in the UV nail light box to cure.