Texas angler Goya Lin has successfully developed a 3D-printed bass lure that resembles a string of ducklings. Lin, who combines mechanical engineering knowledge with fishing passion, caught his first largemouth bass using this custom lure after nearly two years of development and over 500 casts. The project represents his effort to bring the creative approach of fly-tying to bass fishing.
Lin began his 3D printing journey in 2020, initially creating gadgets before transitioning to fishing lures. After considering aluminum molds for recycling plastic lures, he opted for directly printing his designs due to cost considerations. “I was surprised that in bass fishing, people usually just buy their baits from the store,” Lin says. “I thought maybe I could bring that mindset from fly fishing into bass fishing in Texas.”
The inspiration for the duckling lure came from Lin’s kayaking experiences where he observed baby ducks following their parents. “When I kayak, I see a lot of wild animals, and one day I saw some baby ducks following their parents, swimming along on the lake. I thought, ‘I bet that looks delicious to a bass.'” His design features multiple connected ducklings with moving legs to mimic paddling motion on the water’s surface.
The development process involved numerous technical challenges. Lin incorporated BBs inside the duckling bodies to add weight and create rattling vibrations, though this affected buoyancy and required adjustments. He documents his lure-making process on his YouTube channel, Yauck Outdoors, which serves both as a personal record and as a resource for others interested in creating custom lures.
Despite his success, Lin acknowledges he isn’t the first to create duckling-inspired lures, noting that Savage Gear won awards for a similar concept in 2016. “Nature is the creator. Everything else is just mimicking what nature is doing,” Lin says. “The 3D printing is what makes mine unique.” His next goal is to master multi-color 3D printing to eliminate manual painting.
Lin encourages other anglers to try 3D printing their own lures despite potential intimidation from the technology. “People look at the tools and feel intimidated by them, but they should just take the first step. There is always a first step. If you try it and like it, you take more steps and get better,” he explains. His YouTube channel includes tutorials for beginners interested in creating lures from scratch.
Source: outdoorlife.com