Natural Blue Sardine
CUSTOM FISHING LURES
Home of the:
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- "True 24k Gold" Fishing Spoons (starting at $6.00)
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- "Black Chrome" Fishing Spoons
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- "Heavy Duty" Fishing Spoons
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- "Sardine" Fishing Spoons
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(All spoons are assembled by hand on Vancouver Island, Canada). Thank you for supporting Island craftsmanship
3" Coho Lover Heavy Duty Blood Orange
Winter chinook caught on True Gold/Blue Pearl spoon
A nice coho caught on a Frog spoon with glow green stripe
New "Frog" spoon patterns.$12.00
Recently reviewed in Island Fisherman Magazine:
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https://islandfishermanmagazine.com/gulf-islands-south-fishing-report/
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"These spoons have good action in the water and do not bend easily - they are good and solid... The spoon from Custom Fishing Lures... outfished the hoochie 8 to 1."
​Updates:
Nov. 29: Please see the "Fishing Reports" section for a tip about adding a piece of worm to a trolling spoon to trigger bites in cold water conditions, when trout are less active.
Postal strike: it now seems that the strike might last for a long time. This makes it impossible for me to acquire high-quality components from the United States at reasonable prices, because using a courier service instead of postal service can double the cost of materials. I have a large inventory of components for many spoon finishes, but some sizes/finishes will inevitably run out in the coming weeks/months. For that reason, it is a good idea to order your fishing spoons for next spring, now. Once paid, I can assemble them and have them ready for you when the postal strike ends. I can ship via courier if required, but the cost is prohibitive. I am staying in Port Alberni for the winter, so if you are heading this way, we could meet here.
Ice fishing jigging spoons: I have been asked a few times for suitable spoons for ice fishing. The Coho Lover spoons happen to be designed as casting/jigging spoons, at .060" thick (even though they excel as trolling spoons too). Weights are:
2 inch: 1/4 oz
3 inch: 1/2 oz
4 inch: 1 oz
I have no way to test the spoons where I live because the weather never gets cold enough for ice to form on lakes. I have just shipped some of these spoons to a client in Northern Ontario. If you would like to give these spoons a try, I can offer a money-back guarantee: if you do not catch fish with the spoons, I will issue a refund. I can assemble these spoons in almost any color combination you can dream of. Basic two-color patterns start at $10.00. Three-color patterns start at $14.00.
I have recently received a small quantity of painted "glow in the dark" trolling spoon blanks, and I am assembling classic and custom patterns. I also have in stock numerous high-visibility lures I was able to assemble after receiving new UV reflective tape and fish eyes. I am now able to offer "Frog" spoons at a reasonable price ($12.00). These spoons are comparable to the famous Frog Flatfish, but with UV reflection as a bonus. They will perform well for fall coho, winter chinook, trout, walleye, or pike.
I have also found a true green lure tape that is UV reflective. Before, we were limited to using chartreuse tape when UV reflection was needed, as chartreuse was the only UV reflective tape available in the green spectrum. True Green UV reflective lure tape is a great addition to the lineup of available components, that will allow me to offer spoon patterns never seen before. For instance, I will now be able to offer a Blueberry Muffin spoon with a true green stripe, instead of chartreuse. On days when fish prefer true green, this might catch us a few more fish. Also, on classic spoon patterns that require true green, such as Green Sardine, the option of adding UV reflection might increase our catch rate on days when the water is murky. Please see the "Pictures" tab for a few examples of the new Green UV spoons.
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For those of you who enjoy the hobby of lure making: I am clearing out my overstock of spoon blanks. Please inquire for details.
​Welcome to my website. My goal with this business venture is to give you the opportunity to purchase some of the best lures available, so that you can catch more (and bigger) fish. Whether you are a professional charter captain or an experienced fisherman seeking a specific product, or a beginner wanting to start on the right foot, you can count on me to give you an honest opinion on what products could be suitable for your needs. The website is filled with technical information from many reputable sources, that will benefit the hardcore fisherman/fisherwoman.
For the last 2 years I have been on a journey to discover the best lures and methods to catch trout and salmon consistently, year-round. The spoons I have selected are one step above the competition. They feature highly reflective, durable plating, on which I apply by hand only the most durable lure tape available. The spoons will not bend when catching large fish. Please see the "Pictures" tab for August 15, to view a picture of a spoon that has caught over 100 fish in 4 weeks.
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Please note: this is a "one-man operation". There is currently strong demand for the lures. This means that I have fallen behind in website maintenance. The "Order" section of the website only shows 10% of the available products. Please see the "Pictures" and "Fishing Reports" tabs to view the newest products I have developed. I can assemble almost any spoon you can dream of. Just ask :)
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If you have any questions, please email me at: deniscanuel@yahoo.com
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​Two new product lines have been launched in August. My most expensive spoon so far, "Sardine" has also been one of the most productive (please see "Pictures" and "Fishing Reports" tabs). "Sardine" spoons feature more complex patterns than my regular production spoons (3 colors of tape, plus dots), take more time to assemble, and are offered at a price of $16.00 and up. Available in True Gold, Black Chrome, or premium nickel spoons. 2.5", 3.25", 3.6", or 3.75" magnum length available. Standard duty or Heavy Duty. Data gathered in August suggests that the "Sardine" spoon catches fish larger than average (12 to 20 lb chinook). It will be interesting to see if the Sardine spoon is suitable for trout fishing as well.
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"Sardine" features the distinctive black dots present on the front part of the centerline in real Pacific Sardines (Pilchards). It is available in "Natural" design (goldish yellow centerline), "Glow" design (pink or green "glow in the dark" centerline), "UV" design (UV-reflective chartreuse or opal centerline), with a pearl centerline, or with a glittery pink centerline. "Sardine" is available in blue, green, brushed green, black, bronze, or purple for the upper part of the spoon above the centerline. The lower part of the spoon below the centerline (belly) is an exclusive silver holographic coarse glitter tape, or brushed silver. Even though the whole front face of the spoon is covered in tape and looks fragile, longevity has been surprisingly good. One of these spoons has caught over 50 fish and shows minimal damage (see "Pictures" tab, dated August 15). Starting at $16.00.
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"Coho Lover" has been a very productive spoon for coho and chinook salmon when the baitfish traveling through our waters are small, catching up to 11 fish in 2.5 hours. The 2 inch and 3 inch nickel-plated heavy duty models start at $10.00, with the diagonal color stripe(s) of your choice, or $14.00 for a three-color pattern. Unlike other narrow, thin spoons, Coho Lover will not get bent/destroyed by large fish. At .060" thick, it is nearly indestructible. Please see the "Pictures" tab for more details.
What makes the spoons I offer different or better than what is already available on the market? There are 4 rare features to the spoons I assemble by hand on Vancouver Island (from the highest-quality components made in the USA):
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1- The use of precious metals like true 24k gold, which reflects light differently than brass, and simply produces more fish.
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2- The use of black chrome, which throws a unique "black flash" in the water, that triggers pure aggression from fish in certain light conditions.
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3- The use of unique colors of lure tape, to create a wide range of custom patterns that trigger reaction from fish - from subtle dots to wide stripes of brilliant colors. UV-reflective lure tape and unique colors of "glow in the dark" tape, such as matte green or pink, are used to increase visibility of spoons in deep water.
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4- The use of high-quality hardware: for salmon spoons, the use of American-made stainless steel split rings, and sturdy VMC Coastal Black hooks provides the best strength and corrosion resistance available. One solid ring at the top of the spoon, attached to the split ring, now comes standard on all salmon spoons. Please see the "Tech tips" section for a detailed explanation of this exclusive feature, called "assist ring".
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If you click on the "Tech tips" tab, you will also find links to articles that will help you improve your catch rate.
I suggest that you click on the "Fishing Reports" and "Pictures" tabs first - so that you can see the results you could obtain by using my products.
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Then click on the "Order" tab.
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Thank you for your time, and I hope that you will learn something useful by visiting this website.
Denis Canuel
Owner
Custom Fishing Lures
Email: deniscanuel@yahoo.com
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Testimonials:​
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​​​"The custom spoons have long outlasted any "off the shelf" spoons." - Captain Wayne, Full Melt Charters, Sooke, BC
"The lures came in and they look fantastic. Can't wait to try them. I feel like I'm going to be very upset if I lose any of them. Thank you." - Ed, Mississauga, ON
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"Blood Orange. 10 minutes. 3 bites. The third one was a success." - Roman, Sooke, BC (11 lb chinook salmon caught from shore)
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