longhorn

In my case the mojo weight would be too much...I mainly use these baits near the surface...but great idea for deeper use. That pellet idea is great too. Thanks for the suggestions.

Molds are not hard to make. You can easily make one out of plaster either one or two part....and you can actually make it have a hollow cavity...give it a try...there is lots of info on this site about making molds. Catching a fish on a lure I made from a mold I made adds to the enjoyment.

I've bought the antenna tubing and tried pouring over it. The tubing warped in the first cavity but not in the second so it's temperature sensative.

I've been completely happy with all the lurecraft molds I've bought...they are always good quality and the price is right.

Just my opinion but the 5X869 looks nothing like the basstrix....more like a silly rabbit or silly bunny...which are poor examples of swim baits. I'm sure it pours easy like all their molds but won't be like a basstrix. The 5x869 is 3 1/4 inches. Again just my opinion.

That trout color is awesome...good work!

I made some similar to this by cutting a notch with a small scissors after removing the bait from the knife.

What size in inches are you talking about?

The hook slot doesn't fill...there is nowhere for the plastic to go....when you take the bait out of the mold the sides stick together. Dipping is an awesome addition to making simple baits look so lifelike. I'm sure nobody will believe this but I dipped some baits about 25 years ago. I was trying to dip tubes and got the idea to dip other things.

Great looking baits...you could actually incorporate a hollow space/hook slot by adding an aluminum blade to your mold. After you dip the bait it becomes hollow. I've done this with good success on one-piece POP molds. Without a hook slot my solid swim baits tore almost in two on the first fish...with the slot they last for several fish.

That will get bit ! Good job.

One mistake I've made in the past is not having the plaster thin enough. I make it like pancake batter now so air bubbles can release easier. My release method is tapping the entire mold box on the counter. Most of my molds are multi-cavity and the masters close together so I use a big spoon to fill in between and around them before I pour in the rest of the POP.

Thank you so much!!! I thought everybody would get it but you're the first. Guess I need to be a little less subtle next time

I had some plastic that was bad about separating..won't mention any brand...so I decided to cook it all and pour it onto trays and then cut up and store. This worked great for me. I don't pour many sticks. The salt I add is a very fine powder used mostly to make the plastic retain light and enhance certain colors...so I don't have a settling problem. I agree with Sam...try less color. Do you have a photo of the color you're trying to get? You would get some better advice on a recipe that way. Keep trying though...it takes practice like anything else. You can always use the plastic that came out too dark for something else.

I pour in my shed...which is a rented 12x30 where I keep my boat and all my "stuff". It has a door on each end so I can always get cross ventilation for fume removal. No matter where you pour I recommend a good respirator...those fumes are bad news.

Great looking baits...I think the fish will like them all.

I would recommend you design what you want and make your own one-piece molds out of POP or RTV. The open pouring gives you the option to pour laminates of two or three colors and you can include a hook slot if you want. If you design it to be a dipped bait the final product will have a finish very similar to the ones made from an $150 mold...and they have the advantage of having a concave top for the hook to hide in. JMO and not a slam on anyone's aluminum molds.

Go to the TU homepage and scroll down to the Knowledge base....there are many tutorials on how to do all kinds of stuff including many on mold making. Good luck.

Don't know how small we're talking here but small baits can be made with a little practice. I made these crappie baits this past weekend. Both are made from home made POP molds. The shad is 2.25" and the minnow is 2.5"...both are laminated and dipped.

Yes, I dip them after putting the kill spot and eyes on....the kill spot is the only paint on the baits.

All are made from one-piece POP molds. The swim baits have a hollow belly. I was not successful at the dipping technique.

I didn't read very well...Nova's process is way better...I've got a few molds I'm going to try that on.

They look good....looks like you've caught on to pouring very quickly...and one of the best parts is when you catch fish on the baits you've made.

Thanks for the nice comments. This post was actually meant to be a joke....two sexy shad baits in one compartment....all the little sexy shads....get it? I never could tell a joke Sorry, but I don't sell baits. Since y'all asked...the back color is a mix of silver pearl and violet super hi lite and the belly is just blue super hi lite with a little .015 silver flake. The yellow is a sprinkling of some chartruese glitter. Sorry I don't have formulas...I'm very old school and just mix until it looks right.

Here's an online source: http://www.advantagehobby.com/search.php?mode=search&page=1 I've actually used a small coffee stirrer type straw for some inserts. It has to be put in after the bait is poured because the plastic would melt it. I use an awl to make a path then insert the straw with a little super glue and trim to fit. The antenna tubing sounds much more substantial though and hopefully will allow the option of pouring in the bait.