Best way to fade a Crankbait color?

[RayP]

But why do you fade it, just to create a non-duplicated bait?

Back in the 80's I think David Fritts and Rick Clunn talked about how the sun faded crankbaits were more natural and the duller colors caught more fish than the bright and shiny ones.

When I bought cranks back then the first thing I did was take the hooks off and hang them on the clothesline until they looked "right". I would have a clothesline full of Bagleys, Poe's,and Rebel cranks.

Some 200 grit sandpaper will knock a lot of the "shine" off and make it more of a matte finish. It does dull the color some too, I think the clearcoat on most crankbaits now has some UV protectors and once you sand them they fade easier too.

[adriancretired]

gerald Swindle has a piece on "Wired to fish" about sanding shad raps in the winter with 100 sandpaper do dull them .says the bait fish in winter look duller.they make sunlamps,that might fade them. not for sure
. good luck