Kasilofchrisn

If you scrolldown there's a post on this already going.

Maybe you could make a homemade tool like this until you can save up for a proper bender? Or perhaps a Janns Netcraft Tack-L-tool would work and fit your budget? https://www.jannsnetcraft.com/041571100003

If your talking about the safety wire pliers then I'd say no. The wire is to thick for those style pliers. They are designed for softer wire used for securing castle nuts on bolts for airplanes and the like. Usually using soft flexible aircraft stainless wire. Spinnerbait wire is too stiff for these pliers. You could use round nose pliers along with some needle nose or something. They certainly won't look as nice as if you used a wire former though.

*Seriously!

Yes, downriggers of course. The closure on the Kenai and Kasilof shouldn't effect the other fishing much if at all. Nobody uses bait for red salmon or trout on those rivers anyway. It might effect silvers a little bit. But, they will also readily hit spoons, plugs, and spinners so not really a big deal there either. Though I do miss the river being full of king salmon. They are a blast to catch in fresh or saltwater.

The fish we caught were feeder kings caught out of Homer in the saltwater. These kings caught in the winter are not usually spawners from local streams but, often from other states or canada. I would not use these to target freshwater kings even if I could find an area open to fishing for them. If we could get those Pollock trawlers shut down the kings, crabs, etc. thrown away as bycatch might have a chance. I started making exact replicas of the wicked lures King killer. Then decided I needed to make something original. I call them the "Heazlett Special" named after my buddy who takes me fishing in his saltwater boat.

I think it adds contrast and a bit of flash to a traditional wedding ring spinner. And at 1.33 cents each it's not breaking the bank. At a $1.76 each for the name brand I can't justify it. Just trying to save my fellow tackle makers money!

I've had good luck fishing them for trout without bait. I just recently made a new spinner that i use 2 wedding rings(Rondells)on The King salmon here in Alaska love it!

For those of you who have fished a wedding ring spinner for trout or made your own variants using the wedding ring like I have you know how expensive they are. Sure the stack beads are cheap but, the Macks wedding rings cost over $5 for a pack of three. https://www.lurepartsonline.com/search?keywords=Wedding ring spinner&page=1 I've been testing out a much cheaper option. A box of 900 Rondells on Amazon cost about $12. They look the same, quality seems similar, and the Alaskan King Salmon can't tell the difference! https://a.co/d/95cQpaX

Then why even mention it? What does any of that have to do with the design of a finesse worm mold? Curious minds want to know! Eriously I'm not trying to start anything, but, it seems that's what you are after. I appreciate it when mold makers ask me for advice. I know what I like and what works for me. Which can be invaluable to the mold makers and makes a better product for me to buy. I appreciate the vendors on here. Another good example is when a guy asks about a specific lead mold fitting a certain hook. Barlows has gotten involved in those threads and tested hooks in molds for people that way many times. Tight lines to you!

Maybe you didn't know this but, I've been buying molds from lakeside molds for several years now. So he is not exactly brand new to this business. He also makes some unique and popular lead molds. Including all the required wire and plastic inserts for said molds. I own several of his lead and at least one of his soft plastic molds. All are top quality. I'm not defending him just pointing out some facts you might not know. I'd worry about my own business and not worry so much about whether or not someone else's business fails! I'd say the tackle market is flooded but, some guys still make money selling their handcrafted stuff. I don't sell so the market fluctuations don't bother me at all. But, I do like having lots of options on mold designs from different manufacturers and seeing what they come up with.

I agree! Look at the Bloodline swimbait mold a 2 cavity with included bloodline is more expensive. As is the 10 cavity Ice Preybait with included tail mold. I know as I own both of those. Both from different manufacturers and both at a higher price point. Yet cheaper than 2 molds sold separately.

Barlows has a list of all the hooks that will fit this mold. Including some VMC and Gamakatsu hooks. Just another good reason why I shop Barlows so often! https://barlowstackle.com/do-it-freestyle-jig-mold-with-wire-keeper-p3975/

Yes, definetly like the included tail mold. No extra mold to buy!

I've heard smoking a mold works. But, I've been using Frankford Arsenals dropout spray. It's a game changer and I think much better than the smoking method.

All your favorite online vendors have them. I like the Xurons from Barlows for the American made quality. But, all the tackle parts vendors sell them. As do most hardware stores. Just ask for flush cut nippers.

Tin is actually a bit harder than lead. Especially pure lead. I've noticed this myself when casting with it. But it is rare I use pure tin for much. Being pure tin is so expensive I bought a palmer hot pot just for tin jigs. Thst way I can use 100% of the tin in the pot. In fact that IMHO is about the only reason to use my hot pot. For everything else made with lead or lead alloys my bottom pours and my ladle pots are far superior to the Palmer hot pot.

Yeah, the current one is in Minnesota iirc. Never heard of or dealt with the other one in Texas. I can say I highly recommend the current one as I have a few of his molds.

Lakeside molds is still in business. I just ordered a mold from Kent back in October. https://lakesidemolds.bigcartel.com/

Looks like a custom mold to me. Shawn Collins may have something similar in his eBay shop. But, not this exact one. Most likely you'll need to get it custom made. It's not cheap but, likely the only way to get this mold.

Thanks Kent! Welcome, it's nice to see you here. We've talked before via email as I do own and enjoy using several of your molds lead and now soft plastic. I'll probably order this one here soon.

What does this have to do with making bass jigs that don't hang up in the rocks as much? The OP is looking for a mold to pour his own. Not your life story or who makes what jigs commercially. Obviously from your post lots of lure makers make and sell a version of the puffball jig. I wish I could help the OP but, I don't fish bass or fish really rocky water.

Why didn't you just say it was a custom mold/lure in the first place? Most of us are here because we want to make our own tackle. The OP did say he is looking for a mold to pour his own.

Yeah, I can't recall a Barlows sale either. But, I did jump on this one. Because of their normal low pricing and shipping plus their great customer service Barlows has become my go to place to order most things anyway. Many other places seem to think us Alaskans are on Mars when it comes to shipping charges but, not Barlows. And unlike Zeiners they package things properly so I don't receive a box full of loose powder paint covering everything.

Where can he order one of those molds if he wanted one? Is it a stock mold from someone or a $$$$$ spendy custom job that takes months to get? A link to the mold maker would be helpful.