Bass4Me

I want to make some super floating snakes as long as 18 inches but the micro bubbles are very, very difficult to use. Nothing can be around you to cause the bubbles to get airborn like a fan, air conditioning/heater fans etc. I am aware the plastic floats with a light wire or small normal hook, I'm talking about making snakes that need 5/0 & 6/0 heavy duty hooks with braid line to haul the bass out of heavy lilly pads and thick grass.. Would this idea work? I have thought about using a larger eye dropper to add the micro bubbles to the plastic First thing: add plastic and extra color to cup. then place the eye dropper slowly into the bottle of bubbles, then gently suck up the bubbles, Next place the dropper deep into the plastic filled cup and slowly squeeze in the bubbles, then mix your plastic, color and bubbles together. Extra color should be used as I recall reading the the bubbles will make the bait a lighter color than planned. I hope this method will lessen the risk of air born bubbles getting inhaled. Let me know what you pros think and has anyone tried this before.

For the record... Ebay changed it's rules for 2013. Any items sold on Ebay by the same person over the set income limit for the year will result in Ebay sending a w-2 to the seller and the IRS!

Another thing people do is to claim the losses as a hobby. BUT!!! If you make any profit in 3 years out of 5, then your troubles will begin. The IRS will consider your hobby as profitting and your will be hot water for sure. Do a Google Search "IRS and Hobby Profits" Then select on closest to this - Is Your Hobby a For-Profit Endeavor? Direct from the IRS and It lays it all out for hobbiests that want to write off losses.

I use the screwlock but it isn't molded into the jig head. The first thing I do is cut the screw off at the halfway point leaving 3 twists. Then I take the "lock part and put it on the hooks eye then clamp it closed. This leaves the screw loose and in line with the hook. My favorite bait is a 4 inch curly tail ring worm. Tail dipped in chart dye. This set up allows the bait to be at a 45 degree angle while on the lakes bottom. I also use a plain jighead and hook the bait like a texas rigged worm and then push hook into the bait. This rig allows the bait to be in a more upright position.

Just what I was thinking when I started reading this post. I would buy the biggest ball bearings possible and drop several of them into the barrell. Them roll the barrell about once a week for a couple minutes to help prevent hardpacking. The only change I would make is to have the barrell on rollers, but sitting up at a 45 degree angle. Also maybe buying a used bench top drill press and mount a paint mixer on an extension rod. Just set the drill on top of the drum insert mixer into drum and lock rod into drills chuck and tighten, turn on then walk away as it mixes This drill will be more powerful than hand helds and no strain on the arms.

Here are a few options: You can be the manufacter and wholesale your product to stores ONLY!!! No retail to anyone except stores. Create a business name and everything else involved with it. Less profit in this per unit sold. Be the retailer and sell what you make yourself to individuals. More profit per unit. The average mark up is 40% per unit. Do both... Create 2 seperate businesses, 2 seperate sets of books, ID numbers and taxes. Sell your wholesale product to your retail side. Then sell to your customers. It's all legal and this would allow you to expand to other states and sporting good stores / tackle shops while selling local to individuals or online. The wholesale side is where you can write off the free samples you give out. :-)

I like Zooms full size brush hog for flipping and pitching (pumpkinseed and green pumpkin). I do make 1 modification to all my hogs though and would make a mold with the mod instead of the original. Of course I dip the tail part in Chartreuse dye too. I remove all material in the red boxes because I do not like the chance of the loop hanging up on trees or brush. Brush Hog Mod Cuts.psd This is my finished hog and slides into weeds with less resistance also. Brush Hog Mod Finished.psd Brush Hog Mod Cuts.psd Brush Hog Mod Finished.psd Brush Hog Mod Cuts.psd Brush Hog Mod Finished.psd Brush Hog Mod Cuts.psd Brush Hog Mod Finished.psd Brush Hog Mod Cuts.psd Brush Hog Mod Finished.psd Brush Hog Mod Cuts.psd Brush Hog Mod Finished.psd Brush Hog Mod Cuts.psd Brush Hog Mod Finished.psd Brush Hog Mod Cuts.psd Brush Hog Mod Finished.psd Brush Hog Mod Cuts.psd Brush Hog Mod Finished.psd

I have a story to tellyou and it will help in making the decision on how to sell to the big boys. Most everyone has heard of Al Lidner from the "In Fishermen Tv Fishing show and monthly magazine. Here is what happened to him back in the late 70's or early 80's. He invented a lure used for Walleye fishing. .Al did the same thing many other guys did. He had everything in place and protection from theft of his lure. Al Linder invented the now very famous "Lindy Rig" They kept his name and sold several million over the years. Al's biggest mistake he made and he's talked about this several times - He sold the bait for around $2500. And no right to any compensation from future sales. If Al had picked option 2 below... He would be rich today! Well Every inventor has 2 or 3 options when they decide to approach a company with an idea or actual product. 1) Out right sell the Company all rights and ability to make the lures for a set amount. Done deal get your cash and the company takes the bait and deides to do what they want with it and they keep all money earned from the sales of the bait. 2) They sell the bait / idea to the Company and get an agreed set percentage of each bait sold and that is a flow of cash. If the bait is popular and makes good sales then the inventor can make a ton of money - or his lure could justt fissle out and be put on a shelf somewhere never to be seen again and he makes nothing from it. 3)I'm not sure if a company would make a partial cash offer with a prcentage of sales to follow. Hope this little story helps. Making the right decision can make or break the inventor of a lure/bait.

What about "Torpedo Craw or Torpedo Bug"

This is getting interesting, lol. OK, now, try going to a craft store and finding some material that is very fuzzy. TO get on your baits do this. 1) remove your baits from the mold a bit sooner than you normaly would (while tacky). Then press your material onto the backs of the baits and let baits cool off and harden. Pull the material off the backs of the bait and see if any of it sticks into the plastic like you want. 2) If #1 doesn't work, - Prep some clear plastic like you were going to make a clear bait. Pour you a few test baits. heat the clear while you are pouring the test baits. When ready, remove baits from mold and lay out so the back is facing up. Take a small brush and brush on a thin coat of clear plastic to the backs of the baits, when clear coat is still tacky, but not too dry. Press on fuzzy material and let sit till clear coat and bait is cool.. Then pull material off each bait and see if it sticks into the clear coat of plastic and has the right effect on the bait. Hope one of the idesa work. Steve

Would deep well sockets work better? AND..... They would be much easier to hold on to while wearing gloves.

Let me get this straight. Calhuns makes more bubbles. I want to make large 12 - 15 plus inch floating snakes. If I do not use micro-bubbles, Would the bubbles in the plastic be a good thing to help float my snakes higher on the surface? These are for personal use so I'm not really worried about a very smooth appearance on the outside of the snakes.

What is the finish like on your baits? I did some foundry work in my senior yr of HS while taking Industrial Arts. I made a circled peace sigh and remember it took a lot of work with a file and special sandpaper for metals to get a shiny finished piece. After pouring the molten metal and cooling - the surface was dull and had some small pits. Now I wonder if the mold was machined correctly and defect free, would the baits poured in the final alum mold be smooth?

I do not see the need for UV in worms. Maybe it's just something new to catch the fisherman and not the fish? I will be pouring my own baits. A cross between crappie assasin and the bobby garland baits and want to pour glow in the dark baits. I fish glow baits in the darkest shade under and around boat docks.

Get well soon Mike. I know of some gloves that may work to prevent burns from spills.,Not sure about heat from holding items. The gloves are pilot gloves the Air Force use. They are made of Nomex and . Thin leather in the palms and bottom of the fingers. Great finger dexderity yet the nomex is fire retardent to 700 degrees or more.This company charges $32 a pair. How much would your co-pay at the emergency room be if you didn't wear them? I have a couple pair as the pilots always needed them and our shop issued them out. We were allowed 2 pair a year as they also worked for early winter weather. http://www.gibson-barnes.com/prod-293962/Nomex-Flying-Gloves.html

Can this be an easy fix by modifying your mold? Just file the ridges flat in the claw area. Once flat, then alter the craws by grinding a few grooves on each one..

Here is an idea. Take a shoe box which should hold 2 - 3 cups - thicker cardboard will be best. Mix your POP and would only need to cover the bottom inch of your cup(s) to keep it secured while using it.(thinking thicker is better so it doesn't soak cardboard and leak). take box and prop an item under the back side of the box to lift the back higher than the front. This creates an unlevel area.in the box. pour your pop and let thicken up. Just before the pop is too thick/dried, put some type of release agent on the bottom of your cups so they can be removed from the pop when dry enough. Set cups evenly spaced inside of the front side of the box. Elivated end to the back. If you can picture the shape of a door stop. that is how your finished cup holder will look. cups sitting in it at an angle. If your cups want to slide forward and not stay in place for the pop to harden. Just put a spacer between the cups and front of the box. Spacers will keep the cups away from the front of the box and pop material between the cups and edge of base. Hope this helps. I tried to make a design of it, It's too hard to draw and save for posting here..

Too bad you couldn't mass produce them. You would make a ton of money. Bass Pro shops would sell a bunch for sure.

Do any of you have trouble with the oil leaching thru the bags while sitting in storage?

Try some type of vacuum sealing system. There are several types and price ranges on the market. I own the larger Food Saver and is more expensive than needed for sealing small paint bottles. This hand held Food Saver product will be perfect for small bottles. http://www.kitchenkool.com/go.php?url=qXsY8uwWQwFfpeqVNiksVDGGmFzHXzxrVKnRRfSSJ2jaBDDV12PFnbxN%2Bkker9v6lZ38WuBfamAhLBKFYrXRjyieUKxC0kyquGzZWjTG93yFkYlW3G9EmL0eKj2pELWt0qQ7P9vm9Z5i6aseyug04Iv71VAZQguWrkNPFLwYg1xhzYJqP4wYRW6Y3fdVoYvAjuD4N7ju7PpR07uQp7pqltJfhqkUUOp1jp1J22PFDEwDKxj87q6diNGU3tuHgN5t6eySxsRQD8rTR%2FrD8fHjNon0He7nWKL5RDAonyIuzUXrVPy3PtLqk2U7PyYPqG77Eqf5qo73Vu10RfkbHio8u7o7G11iasSPPtOMTQvHI8mui2yBd7VPpVC6HC598x5Es7GJjCCHghE%3D&productId=0&categoryId=18004700&placementId=2759312&offerId=2371680903&prv=shopzilla This is just one site, Check others for better prices.

Wow..... Where does one start on a subject that will get you several different oponions. Do it right and do it legal & by the books. By that I mean keep accurate records and do not try to stiff the IRS. You are always subject to an aduit. Buy a book on how to start a home based business for help or search online for help & tips. First you need to think long and hard about what you will name your business. Using your last name is ok, example: Jones Tackle Company, Jones Lure Company, etc. Next is naming your product! The most important stap in starting your own lure making business. MY best friend told me it took him 2 years while in the planning stage to come up with a product name that stands out (He was in the Air Force and planning his business the last few years before retiring). He decided on FishAction Lures,/ Motto - Put more action in your fishing with FishAction lures. After the name came to him, he then started on the logo which is multi colored and eye catching on store pegs. Do not -, I repeat - do not if you can avoid at all costs name your lures using your last name. ie Jones water creatures. If.... in a few years you want to sell out, It would be much hrder to sell your rights and lure manufacturing / operation to someone else with your name on it. It's better to have a distinct name.. You can name one of your top lure designs after yourself,like a jonesy bug,but under your products name brand. I even gave him the rights on a brand name I came up with that he really liked. After 2 years I gave it to him and he now has it registered under his company name. It's called Brim' Spin/s. Named for small beetle spin type lures that are sized for panfish. One other thing that can sink your business before you even start up is product pricing. It isn't as easy as just slapping a tag on them and selling. You need to include your costs:plus overhead., Amount of Time to produce them, Qty per bag, amount of plastic used per unit (each bait) for plastic purchased. example/ Bought 5 gallons, - you can make 1000 baits per 5 gal.. Each 5 Gal bucket with tax,excise tax and other costs = $300.. 300 divided by 1000 gives you cost of unit per 5 gal bucket..You'll also need to figure in wasted plastic etc. This is just a short list of costs and overhead you SHOULD include when product pricing... I hope this info helps out.

There's a product on the market used to clean aquarium gravel and to empty the water from them. The price is reasonable and will not require a person to use their mouth. Buy one or make it yourself.

Lurecraft tells you what each plastic they sell is best used for when making baits. They have 3 or 4 types for different applications and even 3 green plastic versions that is eco friendly (plastic is still same color - just named that way becaues of eco friendly qualties)..

There are also crankbait versions like this. I still have the one I found back in the late 80's / early 90's.

Larry Dalhburg uses another product called alumidust from the Alumilite corp. It is a powder that is brushed onto the mold BEFORE the plastic is poured. After your plastic is cooled, remove it and dip it in extrememly hot and thin clear plastic to coat the lure(no colors added). Then you let the baits drip the excess clear off. See if this link works. It's a vid of him using the dust.