Anyone make their own lures?

[Trany]

As the title says, I am looking for some answers. I have access to some "exotic" fish and shellfish that I want to strip the oils and essence from for use in lure. I am wondering the best method to strip the oils into a solution. maybe wood spirits or grain alcohol, or isopropyl. I would then evaporate off the alcohol without heat to leave me with pure fish oil. Then adding Sodium Benzoate to preserve it, and cutting the pure fish oil with Glycerine oil. I also plan on doing this with shellfish, for the same purpose. I am guessing what ever "solvent" i use I will just have to take the shells of shellfish and their meat and use the same process.

[jigginjim]

I looked into making my own lure, decided it will be more work than i want to spend. I have been thinking of trying to grow my own maggies for ice fishing.

[J48jake]

Here is Hawbaker's recipe for fish oil that I have tried with success.

Use fish such as trout, eels, pout, or any fish with few scales. Clean out jars by boiling them. Cut heads off fish and put them in running water over night. (I used the river) Next morning use a clean fork and put them in the jars. Fill the jars half full and set on sunny side of a building. To keep the flys out I have used cheese cloth banded around the top of the jar but I found that a small piece of glass works best, its tight enough that the flys can not get in but lets the pressure out. If you seal the jar it might blow up on you. Flies can also be kept out by putting jars in a screened box. Three months are usually long enough to make fairly good oil. Use the juic as well as the oil. If you want the pure oil just boil the water out. This is the cheapest way and you dont have to mess with any chemicals.

[Trany]

I thought about the Hawbakers jar, but the kicker is I have secured a source for high grade salt water fish. I would like to keep the essence of the fish as fresh as possible in the oil. I have also read about a centrifuge, which is not an option. I have also thought of cold pressing like the way olive oil is made, but that would require some engineering to make something strong enough to handle pressing fish pure into juice and pulp. I would then have to separate the juice into oil and "water". I would also have some leftover fish solids that should make a pretty good coon bait.

[jigginjim]

what makes a good bait for muskrats?