The Lost and Found Department...This Way

It would seem a fairly safe bet that we've all left a smattering of lures in places we fished over the years. You know the kind I'm talking about...ones too deep or too shallow, maybe a bit too high in a tree, or perhaps snarled in a bush too distant to reach. I know I certainly have left my share behind. On the other hand, though, I also have been fortunate enough to run across some that fellow anglers decided wasn't worth the effort or chances involved in trying to retrieve.

I even read about a young, at-the-time high-school boy up in Alaska who made money by setting up a booth at Saturday arts fairs and selling fishing lures he salvaged by diving in local rivers. Those lures that cleaned up good, he sold for anywhere from $1 to $4 apiece. The more battered ones, he sold as parts--"great for arts, crafts, jewelry," a sign said.

The young lad got his entrepreneurial idea while living in Maine, where he often would spot lures caught on logs as he walked along the banks. With his dad and brother along to help, the young lad donned a wet suit and snorkeled the local rivers. Before you start doubting how lucrative a business such as this could possibly be, consider that he found about 500 lures in a single eight-hour day in just one river alone.

He took all the lures home and, with old toothbrushes and soap, cleaned them up. Then he replaced all the rusty, broken and missing hooks with new ones before mounting all the recycled lures on "For Sale" display boards.

A "before" photo by Walker Smith

The concept of restoring old fishing lures is anything but lost on Wired2fish team member Walker Smith.

"The next time you find an old lure, whether it's in a forgotten tackle box or on the bottom of your favorite lake, don't throw it away," he said. "With a little work and the right approach, you often can bring it back to its original luster and functionality." This angler and writer truly believes that one man's trash can become another man's treasure. Here's how he does it.

First, he removes all the old hooks and split rings with a pair of side cutters, even if they look remotely salvageable. Then he rinses the lure with warm water to remove as many abrasive impurities as possible. "If you start scrubbing beforehand, there's a big chance you'll cause irreparable damage to the lure's clear coat and paint," he cautions. "It's tempting to rub the surface of the lure with your fingers during this process, but avoid it if possible. Instead, use the spray setting on your kitchen-sink faucet to rinse any stubborn areas."

Once you can run your fingers over the lure without feeling any dirt, put a liberal amount of Dawn dish detergent on a wet paper towel and gently scrub the surface of the lure. This process removes a large majority of the grime. "Every few seconds, feel the lure with your bare hands," said Smith. "The smoother the surface, the harder you can scrub with the wet paper towel."

"After" photo of the same lures by Walker Smith

While the dish detergent will make a big difference, some bad areas will remain. To remove them, spray a liberal amount of toilet-bowl cleaner directly onto the lure, wet your toothbrush, and lightly scrub the problem areas. "I've found a tight circular motion to be most effective," said Smith. Repeated rinsing is suggested throughout this process in order to avoid removing the clear coat or paint. "I scrub for about 20 seconds, rinse, and check to make sure the lure is holding up OK, then reapply the cleaner and resume scrubbing," Smith continued, cautioning to "be sure to scrub the bill or, when applicable, any joints in the lure. These areas often contain the most crud after being exposed to the elements."

Next, rinse off all the cleaner with warm water. Smith usually takes the lures outside and sprays them thoroughly with a hose to remove all the remaining impurities. For jointed lures only, he then applies a light household oil to all the moving parts.

The final step in Smith's restoration process is to spray a bunch of Lucas Slick Mist Speed Wax on the lures, let them sit for 5 or 10 seconds, then rub them dry with a microfiber rag. With a separate, dry microfiber, polish the surface, "and the results are incredible," according to Smith.

The next time you run across an old, neglected fishing lure, don't throw it away. Use this process, and over time, you can amass an impressive collection of good-looking--and free--fishing lures.