longhorn

A photo of what you are talking about will get you more answers. Just a thought.

I make a lot of swimbaits these days and they are dipped in clear plastic as the final step. My dipping plastic wasn't lasting very long before it was turning amber. I was using heat stabilizer but only 10-12 drops. On a recent batch I put in a healthy squirt of heat stabilizer and it really made a difference. The dipping plastic is lasting as much as four times longer before it starts to discolor. Each time I remelt I add more stabilizer. I've read where guys have trouble remelting light colors without scorching. My lesson learned is add more heat stabilizer to prevent the scorching.

I've watched those videos also. He doesn't use a respirator and is unsafe with hot plastic but aside from that the information will be useful to someone who's new to pouring and mold making.

I'll still be in Alabama then and can't change that date. I'll try again next year. Could you please send me the final headcount when you have it? I intended to give some baits for everyone so I'll send them to your address if it's okay. Thanks.

I'm glad I saw this...I hardly ever get on anything but the Soft Plastics. Count me in but only for the first two days. My annual pilgrimage to Lake Guntersville is already set in stone and I drive to Alabama on the 25th so I'll have to drive back to Texas on the 24th. Looking forward to meeting everyone.

Shawn are you talking about pouring or mold making? For making a two-piece POP mold I've used petroleum jelly successfully...I'm sure there are others.

I wish the best of luck to you that are trying it and look forward to seeing your baits.

Lurecraft is the only source I know but there may be others. Do a search as there is much discussion about painting on here. soft plastic paint

Not sure of the number but it's a Gamakatsu 4/0 frog hook bought from Barlow's Tackle shop.

I've poured and weighted some baby E type baits. Immediately after pouring the cavity drop in an egg sinker. It will sink to the bottom but won't be sticking out of the bait because the plastic on the bottom will have begun to harden. If you use lead weights the will turn white over time unless you coat them with something. I make a weighted baby E and mold in a 4/0 frog hook....have got lots of big bites on that thing and it will come through weeds and brush surprisingly well. Good luck.

What I did when I got the swimbait bug in '07 was to buy a few different types to try. I made molds of some of them (not for retail). I caught fish on almost every swimbait I tried but realized that I was not in California and needed to come back to earth and fish something of reasonable size. I've since designed a couple of my own that fit my style of fishing and my waters. I suggest you try some baits before you buy a mold.

The dipping type of dye is great for adding say a chartruese tail to any soft bait but I think it's intended for use while fishing and I think it'll bleed if dipped too far ahead. So if you want different color tails on baits that you fish then the dye should work. If you want to package some baits with dipped tails I wouldn't recommend it.

Great work? Welcome to the machine.

Yes, it's possible to do. The eyes come with adhesive but it's really not permanent....prepare the surface with alcohol and I then dip in clear plastic to seal and hold the eye in place. Eyes are available in all kinds of sizes in inches so just measure your bait and decide from there. I get my eyes from Barlows Tackle Shop.

Good Information...thanks

V&M has used pork fat for years. Here's some of their advertising I got off Land Big Fish.com I can't find a site for V&M. ATTRACTANTS: OK, sure they smell, but once again it's simple: non only are fish not blind, but they can smell and taste, too. Early on we discovered that Pork Fat cooked into every V&M bait not only attracted fish but made them hang onto our baits longer. The process of actually cooking the pork fat and other ingredients in the bait means that fishermen are assured that they are getting the right amount of attractant on every bait, plus there's none of this spraying or squirting in. Fishermen go fishing to fish, not spend their day treating bait with an attractant that eventually washes off anyway.

Good work...too bad you have to wait so long to use them.

Great work!!! Those'll get torn up

Might try putting them in boiling water for a minute or so....not sure but think I read this. I know it relaxes the plastic but not sure about permanently. I do this to straighten out store-boughts that are deformed in the package.