mark poulson

That is a very clear way to show the critical factors in building a walking/gliding bait. For me, the lower the tail hangs, the shorter the glide. I keep the ballast in my big Pupfish-type glide lures closer to the mid point, so they sit almost level in the water, with just the front third out of the water. And I put a ramped chin on them, so there is more drag at the head. These are bigger baits, and this also reduces the amount of force needed to get the bait walking, which is important to me so I can fish a big bait longer, with less effort. My Spook/Sammie- type baits hang slightly more tail down, because they are light enough to walk more easily, and the shorter side-to-side walk caused by the ballast being farther back is what I'm looking for. I still ramp the chin, but it's not as critical. His video showed my why what I do works. Thanks.

I can't even imagine trying to put a treble that small on a bait. I couldn't even see the eye, I'm sure.

Mark the center point, use an awl to get a starting hole, and then drill it free hand with a cordless drill. Trust your eye, and know that the bit will follow the grain, so it will not be that hard to get a hole that's pretty close to center.

Once you've sealed the wood, test float it next to a similar commercial bait, to be sure you have it ballasted right, before you paint it. It's a step you don't want to skip, or you'll wind up having to ruin your beautiful paint job in order to install your ballast.

I always add some new, virgin plastic and some heat stabilizer to any old plastic I'm trying to reuse.

It's been a while since I had any, but Createx clear gloss may be clearer. Just be sure to clean your airbrush well after shooting it. It is much stronger/harder to clean than their paints, and will lock you needle into your airbrush if you're not careful.

I'm sure it's a two way street.

Probably to lock the tail in and keep it from sliding back out.

Sounds like a great wife!

I have been pouring my own baits for a while now, and I am wondering if the plastisol Bear and Caney Creek used to sell were degassed. I never had any problems with them. Maybe ignorance is bliss, or maybe they were both degassed, or of a different formula. Or maybe degassing isn't that important. Does anyone here know if those brands were degassed, or of a different formula that didn't require degassing?

I would try Createx transparent base. It works for me with both Hi Lite powder and Gonation powder. If your airbrush won't shoot it, you can brush it on, after being sure your paint is dry and hard, and then use a hair dryer to set it, too. I use a well loaded brush, so I don't have to repeatedly stroke it to get good coverage.

I have found that, for me, masking the lip is faster and easier than trying to install the lip correctly after the lure is painted. I use blue painter's tape, and remove it after I've painted, but before I top coat.

I use 28 gauge gardening wire instead of braid, because it's easier for me to handle. Once it's in place, I reinforce it with crazy glue.

Jack hammer, or dynamite. Hahaha Seriously, I have found the only way to remove it is to slowly whittle away at it with a sharp knife. Be sure the lure is on something like a towel on a solid surface, and watch your fingers!

I am a hobby pourer, so, for me, a microwave works best. Just take your time, heat it a minute at a time until you get close to the 350 degree conversion temperature, and then do small time intervals until you get it the right temp. I use a wire coat hanger, bent double, to stir my plastic, which seems to cut down on stirring bubbles. Buy a digital thermometer, so you can check the plastic's temp. as you heat it. Once it starts to read 325 or more on the surface, and it has become more clear and runny, stir it, because the plastic heats from the center out, so it will be hotter than the surface reads. You don't want to heat it much past 350 overall, or you can scorch the plastic, which makes it yellow and useless. I always add a little heat stabilizer (1/2tsp to 4 oz of plastic) because I do lots of reheats, and that keeps the plastic from yellowing. If you mess up a batch, toss it, and learn what not to do from your mistake, but don't get discouraged. We've all thrown away our share of plastic. Once you've begun pouring, let us know how you do, and do ask questions. Everything I know about pouring soft plastics I learned here, from members who shared their knowledge.

I always add some yellow carpenters glue to my POP, to make it stronger so it holds details better. The more you add, up to a 50/50 mix with the water you add, the more gloss your mold will have, but you still have to seal the cavities before you pour.

If the weight of a second coat is an issue, but you still want to add some glitter, mix it into some Createx transparent base, and brush it on. Brush lightly, and be sure your paint job is really dry, so you don't move the paint with your brush. I find keeping the brush well loaded helps. Once the transparent base has been dried with a hair dryer, you can add just one coat of D2T, and you're all set.

You can also put the two plastic bottles in the microwave for a few seconds to get them warm. When the components are more fluid, they are ready to use. Because they aren't mixed yet, the heat won't affect the final product.

Bear in mind I am just a hobby pourer, so this might not work for you. I bought a small paint mixer for my colors. It works. You can Google small paint mixer and see a lot of options.

Dang! Please return the four dozen swimbaits I just sent you to foil for me. Hahaha

I found a way to make my spinnerbaits hold up better, without having to resort to titanium wire. I bend my spinnerbait wire closed at the R bend to get a 60 degree+- angle, instead of 90 degrees. I use #6 Indiana blades on the back, with smaller Colorado blades on the clevis, and they keep the blade up so I can fish them at lower speeds. That way, I can use the 60 degree bend and keep the blades closer to the hook and trailer, which I think makes for better hookups. Then I lock the spinnerbait body in my fly tying vise, so I can work on it more easily. I use 28 gauge gardening wire to close and reinforce the bend, putting three or four wraps around the blade wire, then four loop wraps around the back of the R bend, and finally another three or four wraps around the wire leading to the head. I reinforce and lock the wire in place with crazy glue, being careful not to let it run down either wire too far. I can fish the same spinnerbait for 20 fish or more without having the wire open up or break. I also put a bead right up against the loop at the end of the blade wire, and lock it in place with crazy glue, to keep the split ring for the swivel from accidentally slipping through any opening in my wire loop. This whole process adds five minutes to my building time, but it avoids the frustration of having a spinnerbait open up or break on a fish, and of bringing a spinnerbait back to the boat with the rear swivel and blade gone.

At the top of this forum page, on the left hand side of the black banner, use the More tad to find the Contact option.

The Spike It dip and dye that I use is a dye, with really fine pigment particles, and all of their colors run /bleed onto whatever soft plastic baits they lay against. I think you would have to go to some kind of a soft plastic paint, which has larger pigment particles. I think Spike It sells that paint, too, but I've never used it.

You might ask the site host here.