Making and selling fishing lures is like woodworking, everyone thinks it's too simple to pay someone for their labor and product.

Make yours different than the box store suppliers.  Replicas of old lures no longer made is probably one angle.  Give them a handcrafted look, not quite so polished as modern manufacture, promote them as hand made, special, rare, and maybe (gag) artisanal.  Nice packaging such as a little wood box lined with cedar shavings is something to consider.

When I was a kid a local lure maker and wholesaler sold a modified Lazy Ike style in two sizes and two colors that were amazing in Ozarks streams.  I wish I had a bucket full.  I have considered calling the old owner to find out if the has a couple or sketches that I could get.

Take a shot.  You should have a good idea about the popular lures in your region .  Streamline your process for production.

I have been wondering about that market for painted lures and whether a huge part goes to collectors, especially the handmade wood lures that require too many hours and financial investment to sell for fishing for more than $15 or $20.

 Last Thursday or Friday I ran across a lure maker that offers to trade one of his for one from other carvers.  That might be a smart long term strategy.

I have searched for contests for custom lure makers without success.  There doesn't seem to be crossover with the fly tiers that compete.

The molded plastic bodies are about unavoidable if sales to fishermen are the goal.  About the only use I would have is using them for painting practice.

There's a NFLAA show in Effingham Illinois next weekend that I might visit to find out about the collector angle.