Mattlures

I use many diferent materials for diferent types of masters. For a swimbait like that I would first make a flexible mold of the original Hammer. I might even peice together a rough master from diferent baits. Then make the flexible mold out of silicone. That mold would be filled with bondo. From there you have something to work with. When you have something close you can push it into some clay and carefully pull it out. You then pour your hot plastisol into your temparary clay mold. You can do this over and over again untill your rough bait swims the way you want it to. Once you achieved the desired action finish your hard master by sanding it super smooth and a few coats of high gloss paint. Now its YOUR Bait!

I am prety sure Hammers are not patented. I can never understand why everybody copies other baits. Why not just take the time and carve out a master and make a mold of it. Believe me the Hammers action is good but it can definatley be improved. You will get much more satisfaction catching fish on a bait that you designed than making a mold of somebody elses bait and calling it yours. Those simple swimbaits are the easyest to carve. Also when you do make your own baits you will learn what makes a bait swim and what you can do to get a desired action. By copying other baits it is dificult to fully understand them. BTW I first started by copying Fishtraps. After a year or so I started plying with my own designs and made my own ocean swimbaits. Its much more rewarding.

You guys are too kind. Sidewinder, I realy like that little bait. It looks clean. The only reason I mentioned the hooks is because, generaly the bottom type baits have the hooks on top and the slow sinking or floating have them on the bottom. I wonder if you could reverse the tube insert to come out of the top. Either way That is a very nice little bait. Also there are many others out there that are making great baits, Most would be hard to copy without injecting, but The Chinese can copy just about anything. I think The reason I dont get knocked off very much is because its just not worth the trouble.

OK Ghost I will give you a couple good little tips. The most important thing about making clean pours is to be stable. When you hold your cup, put your forarm or elbow on the table and slide your arm as needed. You can also hold your pouring arm with your other hand and have your other arm on the table. Also it is dificult to pour with a full cup. tyr using it half full. and one more. Whipe off the drips from the spout of your cup between pours as needed. Practice and it gets easy.

I make my living doing this so I cant tell all but I might help out a little. First I realy doubt you can inject the paint into the plastic. It doesnt work like that. No you can not buy one of my molds. It took many years of trial and error to work out the kinks. In the molds, not the baits. I can tell you guys this. I have learned very little from other people when it comes to making baits, If everything you learn is from sombody else than how can you design something better? I have experimented so much that I have actualy figured a couple things out. When I started, 8 out of 10 experiments failed. now most of them work. I see so many guys asking basic questions that would only take a minute to figure out by trying to. This site is absolutly the best there is for learning how to make baits but I see a ton of questions like Can I do this? or what will happen if I do this? well my answer would be try it and see. Of course sometimes its a matter of saving money or saftey but usualy its not. You will learn so much more by experimenting on your own AND using the info you get here. Than just by asking. The "panit" is deadly stuff and you need to be well ventilated. It is also a pain to use. It cloggs brushes quickly and is tempramental. BUT.... you can do some cool stuff with it. Get some, play with it, and learn.

That little bait is great looking. I am not sure about the hook though. You might not be able to stick many fish with the hooks pointing back up towards the body. You will only know after you fish it.

Do you realy have that much soft plastic paint? If so would you like to sell some. I only want paint not PVC glue. I know its similar but its not the same.

can you post some pics?

Any body want to trade some of your custom built buzzbaits for a few of my swimbaits? They have to be made to my specs. I want 3/8 oz and a single blade with a copper rivet and NO beads. I want on oversized hook and a planing head. Preferably Titanium wire. The buzzer has to sqeak loudly and not have any extra junk on it like beads balls or clackers. Any takers?

If you are pouring worms or sticks than you dont have to have an injection machine. HOWEVER if you are pouring large full bodied baits than an injection machine can be a huge improvement. If you know how to use your machine you can eliminate shrinkage dents. Also you go through a lot of plastic pouring a big swimbait so the big machine helps. The LC machine that I bought can be used without pressure so I could pour a ton of sticks if I wanted to. I think the biggest advantage for a worm guy would be haveing a lot of plastic ready to go, but you could do the same thing with a pot.

Where on that pot is the part that can kill you? I want to stay clear of it on mine thanks

I also have a 5 gal pot and It is awsome. I might even buy more of them. I did have to put a little grease on mine when I first tried it because it was noisy but the greas made it quiet.

Make my shad!!!!! I am going to need some more fins soon too:wink:

There is no million dollar WR bass!!!! Nobody is going to just give you money. There is no prize or bounty!!!! I dont how many times I have heard people say this. It is a myth. It does not exist!!!!!!!!!!! Now thats not to say if you marketed yourself properly you could make a lot of money maybe even more than a mill. It just depends on how marketable you are and how you take advantage of the situation. The bait you use would be on your IGFA aplication. It would be public knowledge. They wouldnt have to pay you a dime. Now maybe you could work out a comercial deal or something. You could do seminars or write a book or something. A savy guy could make a living of that fish. Joe average would get some free product and maybe a little money for his story. Dont kid your self. The big tackle companies are smart they wouldnt just come running to you with big wads of money.

Holmer they have insurance policies that cover legalfies if you need to defend you patent.It could cost you very little to defend your patent. There are also atorny'y who will defed your patent for a largere share of the settlement and you pay them nothing unless you win. A patent is expensive and can be dificult to get. A copyright is easy and protects your original sculpture.

I think it is easyer to marked and produce the baits your self. Once you are established and creat a demand then it would be easyer to "sell" your ideas or product to a larger company. I have been aproched by a couple of them wanting to produce baits for me. At this point I still manufacture all my stuff but I may have to sublet some labor in the future. Also you have to be very careful and protect your ideas. the fishing industry has more theives and crooks that you could imagine!

You guys are way too nice. I dont even respond to those emails (I average about 2 a week)unless I recognize they are from one of the top pros on tour and then they get a discount but not free. Stores get a price sheet with photos unless they aleady have an account with me and they buy alot then I have no problem sending them samples.

design has more to do with the type of plastic that should be used. Once you create your bait you should pour some with hard and soft and see for yourself what has better action. Some baits wont swim unless they are soft and others swim much beter when they are firm.

Thank you.

Can anybody recomend a good source for inexpencive lables?

I buy all my silicone at smooth-on. It is way cheaper and they have a lot of diferent kinds for diferent aplications. THEY EVEN HAVE 1-1 RATIOS

Probably 1-5 cents each

pro's soft bait glue

Thanks boomah, I apreciate the compliments Delw That is exactly what I was looking for. Thank you. I wont try to make my own though. I have burnt myself enough. Matt

I am doing ok. I have sold one or two baits