GB GONE

Well said guys... Travis is dead on. Anyone can be a "hand pourer" these days. Buy a kit, dump some plastic down a hole.... Days of doing what Chris (Al's Worms), Javier (bass8baits) and so many others did so well are pretty much gone. The line has blurred to much. I enjoy the super custom stuff that I get requests for. The website and "mass colors" are just to keep the supplies up for those real trying pours that come in once a month. Without that on the side, it would be difficult to just do custom stuff. Money is not there. Most will still not pay you more than what Zoom or Berkley get for a bag of baits regardless of what you make them. With the availability of "hand pour" injectors, pots, and the 2 piece molds, might as well just buy an injector and blast them out that way. The art of pouring core shots, veins and multi color baits will still have its calling for those that see how well these baits can catch over even laminate colors. The few that still do those will have a place in the hand pour business but most others will come and go. I agree with the others...When it becomes like a chore, go do something else... to this day, I still LOVE going out to create the "perfect" bait!!!! Good luck!!!!!! Jim

I would say beware. Don't try to mix plastisols. I.e. Super soft M-F with some medium Calhoun's or LC with Poly One...Plastisol resins are measured and added in specific amounts to make each product. As you see, the products are very different from the various manufacturers, especially with resin settling. With stabilizers, there are barium and zinc varieties. They are chosen to work with the resins used in the plastisol. Bottom line is, if you do decide to mix manufacturers products, the resulting product may not be as expected and the manufacturer should not be expected to stand behind that mixture of products. I have used softener interchangeably with no issue but the manufacturer did not recommend it. Contact each manufacturer to be sure. Jim

If memory serves me, the chemical smell will "evaporate" away after a couple days from the poured baits. Not suggesting I would keep the plastic or use it for customer baits but I believe that extra stabilizer smell will go away quick. Hope they have not changed things up again!!! Jim

Let us know DJ as I am interested in keeping up. BTW... Did you cook any of the plastic and did it react any different than the "normal" batches? Guessing you did as you mentioned the scent did not cover up the chemical smell.... Good luck!!!!!! Jim

DJ..... email or call Jeff right away. I haven't had any issues and I know they have not changed their fomula recently. (Been talking with Jeff lately..) Jeff makes all the plastic batches so he can tell you what is up. Maybe he doubled the stabilizer by accident.... One thing is FOR SURE, they will make things right quick!!! Jim

Bob..... www.bobstackleshack.com. If you don't see it on his site, drop him a note! Jim

For that few, just get them from Stamina or Lure Craft..... Jim

www.placon.com You have to buy a case or more to get a reasonable deal... I believe Impact plastics has one that a few folks use as well. Jim

Also.... Be aware, as mentioned, that some baits are patent for their action and not for their design.... All that being said, there are many ways to make something up that is original. Good luck and have fun! PS I graduated from ISU up in "Normal", IL... Go Redbirds!!! Jim

Your MONEY man!!!!! I think with that many fins you would almost have to create the master via computer and have it cut. The room for error is so small. As stated, the slightest imperfection will cause significant issues. Even a slight amount of extra bait on either side of the axis will cause issue... Good luck though as "where there is a will, there is a way"!!! Jim

Ha..... I made a mold last week for the larger body, the 3" one, as I have a friend that fishes that one religiously..... Made some "old school" white with red dots and some black with yellow lines!!! That was a fun project!!! Jim

Also meant to add that if you add some extra (glue a portion of a thin worm) onto the sprue and make the hole longer, you will never have to re-fill.... I like that!!! Jim

If you have other 2 piece molds (like a senko), use the plastic from the sprue hole. Just put it halfway like you do the bait.... Makes a perfect sprue every time. I always threw mine back so fast I never had any available when I was mold making though!!! Jim

Thanks!!!!!!!! Jim

Kajan.... Can you post a pic of bear's frog... I like the design. Seems the hook slot is on the bottom of the frog though and would make a weedless presentation difficult. Noticed he does not have the length on that mold either....I'll buy one cause I LOVE me some frogs!!! Still have a mold like the 3:16 Lure companies frog I am going to pour up soon!!! Maybe I am looking at it upside down... Junior Frogologist !! To funny!! I'll have to tell my buddy with a Doctorate in Flipping (PhD in Flipology) that one!!!! Jim

LOL!!! I know it is not funny to the guys experiencing it as I have been there! This topic comes back time and time again. As Del stated, there are so many variables and it happens, more or less, to all plastisol products. It is impossible to know what is going on unless you get into the person's shop and dissect the environment, tools, ingredients, etc. If you use a mic, bubbles are a part of life. Like gunnies said, get a hot plate. Just be careful with the pyrex on the hot plate!!! Jim

I fish and make A LOT of frogs. I have used every single soft plastic frog that I could find out on the market, even from small vendors and hand pour companies. They all twist! In my experience, all buzz frogs can/will twist on retrieve if the frog is not rigged properly. You can even use the belly weighted hooks or front end weighted hooks made to prevent this and have a frog roll on retreive. Salt on one portion of the frog won't stop the roll. Keeping the frog on the hook properly will though. Use a bobber stopper to keep the body from coming down or add a 2 pronged treble trailer hook (Cut the top treble portion off) and embed those hooks into the frog legs. Either of these techniques will help to prevent slipage. A bead in the front of the nose of the frog will also dramatically help reduce the frog from moving down the hook. Pouring the nose portion in "hard" plastic and the body in medium will help keep the frog on the hook as well. Just a few things I do as I throw soft frogs in tournaments all year long and a spinning, twisting frog wastes time! Might be an interesting experiment just to try but first hand I have had the weighted frogs spin. Even better than the split cup, just pour the belly in salted plastic and then clost the mold and do the rest in whatever. Salt makes the bait brittle though so your frog will demise quicker. Richard will chime in here soon also I hope. He is a "mad frogologist" also!!!! Sure he has some tips as well.... Jim

When you cut your sprue (fill) holes, also cut small vents in the end of the cavities (at the end of the worm). I have made several of these molds and the ones without a vent at the end will give you air pockets in 3 of 4 worms when poured. The air gets trapped easy and will not make it up the cavity to vent. Molds look real good!!!!! Jim

I'd like to see some results (pictures) and here how Del's mold pours. Sounds to me like that would be the best and least expensive (but most time consuming) method. i'll be on the look-out for some one that can shoot these for you. May want to give Carolina Mike a shout and see if he knows anyone "in the business" that can do them for you. Jim

Thanks Rusty!! Gary is right again. A swimbait is just like any other bait in your arsenal. Use it in the right place at the right time and you'll get bit. This should be prime time for a lot of places as pre-spawn, spawn and post spawn are ideal. I use mine as search baits over flats and through grass. We have had some pigs this spring already!! Jim

I'll take the challenge if you will throw some! Not sure what colors might be good that way but I can do almost anything within reason.. I like sexy chartreuse shad and watermelon red myself... Be glad to send you a box for some field trial!! Jim

Finally got to this guys... Gary is right on. My baits are solid with a hook slot that is dipped over. Gives them a semi-hollow feel. I have started making the heads of the baits tougher to help hold the hook or screw in deal. I think the big companies made a mistake in making the baits from tougher harder plastic and killed the action of the bait. That and the nasty paint smell!! Like Shane said, if your bait is not getting torn up, you aren't getting bit!! Rather have them a little softer and get some bites! Jim

Thanks Shane but I take no credit. The idea came to me when Dave and Nil were talking about the insulative properties of pop vs aluminum molds. They provided the light bulb!!!! Jim

I just took a gallon milk jug, cut it in half, then sunk my 2 cup pyrex cup in the center after filling the milk jug halfway with pop. I had to put some balanced weight in the cup to keep it down in the pop. I would guess the thickness is about 2-3 inches on all sides. Jim