This story is for you experienced ludemakers' entertainment. I am working about 35 miles of marten line, and hoping to expand to about 60ish this year, then 75 to 100 next year. That leaves me needing a good call lure I can manufacture myself in larger quantities. Cause I have been going through the Gusto like its going out of style!

For me what has worked best is a loud skunky lure, anyway, thinking "how hard can it be?" I ordered up some fish oil, glycerine for antifreeze, and skunk quill. I had experimented with fish oil as a lure, with some very limited success, but it makes a nice pasted in -20 temps. Anyway I mixed 1/3 cup of fish oil and glycerine....hmmmm, they dont mix lol....shoulda looked into that one. Next added some pure quill, just a splash....wow!!!! shoulda bought some disposable droppers....cause of course I spilled it...of course I wasn't making lure in the kitchen honey.... well, that worked a little better once it froze it made a nice paste. I was then able to mix the oil and glycerine.

I read somewhere that adding some vodka goves it a bit more lift, being out of vodka-it mysteriously evaporated.... I used 90percent rubbing alcohol. In the future I would like to experiment with castor, glycerine and quill.

I will let you know how it works, as I re-lured about 12 miles of line tonight. I have found here for me in interior alaska the louder the lure the better it works, once it fades my catch rate drops off dramatically...

Any suggestions on ratios or other ingredients or ratios to try? I have a newfound respect for luremaking, and quill...gosh that stuff is strong.

I hear you I'm a beginner too. It's one thing to set on the couch and formulate one in your head than to actually make it come together in real life.

Yes, it is! I have a newfound respect for what the pros are doing. I dont want to make a business of it, but am looking to make a lure that works for me, saves a few bucks, and is easy to use for my application. Fortunately, given the extreme nature of the northern environment if you can pull a marten in close to your set, it will do the rest. Not that I am a pro or anything, its just what seems to be the case.

Many gallons along with countless holes year round, rain, snow or shine along with camera work. Should yield you better results than anyone telling you what to add for example a 1/4 of this 1/2 ounce of X, 4 ounces of Y etc. Biggest mistake I see people make when it comes to attracting animals is the thought of one "MUST" have all these ingredients involved in the bait or lure. If people spent more time on learning animal behavior, habits, instincts etc. Attracting them would make more sense and become a lot easier. jmo,imho,imo,jm2c