3D printed fishing lures catch fish when designed right, and solid lipless crankbaits avoid the waterlogging that ruins many printed lures, according to Upscale Lures, a YouTube channel that has printed lures for six years.
Hunter Vargo, a fishing YouTube channel, caught a bass on a printed bait. Anglers on Reddit recommend epoxy coats and say printed crankbaits work as well as bought blanks when the wire carries the load.
Here is what works, the materials to use, and how to get buoyancy right.
Lures That Print Well
Prices checked on Amazon Oct 16, 2026. I may earn a commission from links, at no cost to you.
- Crankbaits and lipless crankbaits
- Topwater poppers
- Segmented swimbaits
- Molds for pouring soft plastics or jig heads (check the mold material’s heat limit)
Materials
| Filament | Use it for |
|---|---|
| PLA | Cheap, takes paint, many colors; seal it for long life |
| PETG | Tougher, more water resistant |
| TPU | Soft-bodied experiments |
Buoyancy and Weight
- PLA and PETG are denser than water; floating lures need hollow bodies or low infill
- Add weights low in the belly (pause the print to insert them)
- Tune in a bucket before the lake
- Run a through-wire so the hooks, not the plastic, take the load
Sealing
Many printed lures slowly take on water, which changes the action. Epoxy or UV resin seals them; solid designs avoid the problem.
Best Printers for Lures
| Printer | Price (Amazon, Oct 16, 2026) | Why it fits | Link |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elegoo Centauri 2 Combo | $328.99 | 4-color: print painted-look lures | Check price |
| Flashforge AD5X | $349.00 | Budget 4-color | Check price |
| Bambu Lab P1S Combo | $549.00 | Enclosed; up to 16 colors with more AMS units | Check price |
What YouTube Creators Found About 3D Printed Fishing Lures
These are findings from popular YouTube videos, paraphrased from their transcripts and credited. They are the creators’ experiences and claims, not my test results.
- Upscale Lures (Upscale Lures: “5 Reasons To 3D Print Fishing Lures”) lists printing lures on demand, so you can fish snag-heavy spots without worrying about losing an expensive lure. He says many printed lures start taking on water within about 15 minutes to an hour, which ruins the action, so he designed solid lipless crankbaits that need no sealing. His favorite part is multicolor printing instead of painting.
- In a longer video (Upscale Lures: “6 Years of 3D Printing Fishing Lures Experience In 34 Minutes”) he says his PLA lures survived a hot truck on a Florida trip and that he avoids ABS, suggesting PETG first.
- Hunter Vargo (Hunter Vargo: “I Tricked Fish with a 3D Printer”) and his brother caught a bass on a printed bait, while other printed baits did not swim right.
- On Reddit (r/3Dprinting, r/SurfFishing), anglers report printed crankbaits working as well as bought blanks when the wire carries the load. They recommend epoxy coats to stop waterlogging and rusting weights.
6 Years of Printed Lures
Frequently Asked Questions
Do 3D printed lures catch fish?
Yes. Creators and anglers have caught fish on them.
PLA or PETG for lures?
PETG is tougher; PLA is fine sealed or in solid designs.
How do I make a lure float?
Hollow body or low infill; PLA and PETG sink when solid.
Do I need to seal printed lures?
Usually, unless the design is solid.
Sources
- Upscale Lures: “5 Reasons To 3D Print Fishing Lures”
- Upscale Lures: “6 Years of 3D Printing Fishing Lures Experience”
- Hunter Vargo: “I Tricked Fish with a 3D Printer”
- r/3Dprinting: Can I 3D print fishing lures?
- r/SurfFishing: 3D printed lures
- Amazon product listings for the printers linked above, October 16, 2026
Related: 3D Prints for the Garden | Best Budget Multicolor 3D Printer | PLA vs PETG for Beginners | 3D Prints for Car Accessories
Notes and disclosure
Note: Printer prices come from Amazon listings on October 16, 2026 and change often. The ideas below come from popular YouTube creators and Reddit threads, credited where used. My own hands-on results will be added after my planned test prints.
Affiliate Disclosure: If you purchase an item through the links on this page, I may receive a commission, at no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting the channel.