AT Grimaldi

So basically, what I am getting is the following. In any one bait there could be upto four (4) colors. My understanding is that all the plastic has to be hot liquid, at once, for it to all bond together seamlessly. If that is the case I would have four (4) hot plates going with the four (4) colors I will be using. 1. I pour the belly color. 2. I pour a thing layer for the lateral line 3. I pour the back color. 4. I pour the tail color and/or the top color. does this sound correct? Once I get my molds, plastics and burners set up, I'll document with pics. - ATG

So I am new to pouring plastics, but have had good success so far. I am primarily pouring 9" - 15" sluggo-like baits for offshore tuna trolling. Upto now, most people pull white, pearl, pink etc. The standard color palette. However, when it comes to their spreader bars, the colors leave the chart and get wild real quick. Attached are some simples of rubber squid used in this fishery. I am no looking to make those squid. What I was interested in doing is pouring some matching 15" soft baits. For instance, the first squid on the second picture down, is predominantly pearl/glow in the dark. However, it has bubblegum pink bands cutting across it with glitter all over the place. How would I pour this? I was planning on heating up two pyrex cups one of pink and one of the base color, I'll call glow pearl. I would sprinkle the glitter in the empty mold. Drizzle or dab on with a chip brush the pink side bars, and then fill up with the glow pearl. what do you think? A few other questions. Would the colors blend where they meet? How can I make those edges sharper? If I wanted to make a bait out of 6 colors, would I have to have all 6 hot and molten at once for a quick pour, one right after the other or could I let each "layer" set up then pour the next color or layer? I have to get some more colors in house and make a few more molds. When I get something that warrants attention, I'll post any pics and share my experiences. many thanks, in advance, for all your replys. - ATG

Hello all. Thank you so much for putting up such a great resource and sharing candidly about how things are done, mistakes made and final successes. You have all really helped me tremendously. I have been fishing for 30 yrs and started making my own spinner baits when I was 15. I am pretty good at making wood plugs, lead jigs, flies etc for saltwater fishing. I am from Rhode Island. I just started getting into Tuna fishing. Around Cape Cod, they use HUGE plastics from 9" sluggo like tings to 15". I made a POP mold and poured my first batch last night under the guiding eye of a more experienced cohort. They came out better than I had expected! I can now see how one could do all sorts of cool things with the plastic and colors, glitter, layers etc. I bought all my stuff from M-F. I only got my three most fished colors - bubble gum, white and pearl white. I know there are many sources out there, Dels, Lurecraft, Zeiners etc for all sorts of additives. My main question, is to the all work with each other? In other words, if I stock up on 5 gal.s of M-F saltwater plastic, can I use some M-F colorant, some from LureCraft etc? Lurecraft just has Waaayyy more colors right out of the bottle than does anyone else I have seen so far. I'd love to be able to use many of their colors, but I already have M-F Plastic and don't know if they will all mix well with each other. Any and all advice appreciated. - ATG