Trying A Bait Or Bait Style Before Spending The $$$

[GB GONE]

I am curious how many try out the baits they are going to make prior to spending all the big bucks on the molds. Reason I ask, I have seen a lot of molds out there on the secondary market now, some only weeks old. Baits perform differently when we make them by hand injection or hand pour vs what you get out of a bag from a bigger manufacturer. Mostly due to our limited use of heavy salt.

When bringing on a new bait, I generally like to start out with at least the number of cavities I am going to put into a bag or think is reasonable for my personal use. At 10 baits per bag, many molds can run you $500+ (10 single cavity molds @ $50+), just to set-up a system to do 1 bag of baits per blast.

I have gotten in the habit of making a plaster of paris mold of a similar bait I am thinking of buying the corresponding mold for and fishing that bait for a week or so prior to making the final commitment. Of course, this just goes for molds that are not "ordinary" like a senko-type bait or trick worm style bait. Some that you fish alot, you know you have to have!!!

Here are a few I have recently done to try out. POP is a cheap way to really get an idea of how the bait performs with softer plastic and how the mold may pour or inject.

Made a 6 cavity flick shake bait

Frog

Skinny dipper with hook slot

http://www.ghostbaits.com/new%201644.jpg

Grass craw

After a couple weeks of fishing all of these, I really like the flick shake and grass craw. Not enough to buy the current aluminum molds avaialable in all these baits but certainly enough to continue pouring a few baits up for myself for further testing. I almost bought bait molds of all of the above baits prior to testing. Would have been a mistake on my part.

As a note, I do watch to avoid duplicating baits that are patent protected except for very limited testing purposes. If I like the style/action of a particular bait I test, I will go to an already available mold from the various makers or have a unique design created.

Do you guys go through something like this or just let the "mold monkey" have its way???

Jim

[daveh]

i always buy the mold but may stop doing it. i do have other pourers wanting baits i make to see if they like them before they buy. i think i need to learn from them. i also bought bobs bent worm mold but did not make baits with for about 5 months because all the talk about it not looking just like the flick shake. well i made some and man did they and still catch fish. i have never made a pop mold but looking at your sample baits i may just start.

[GB GONE]

Nice thing Dave is that I could bag any of these up and you would never know that they are not the original bait.

POP is that good and so inexpensive. Also, you have the mold should you desire to just pour a few up every now and then.

Jim

[Frank]

I am just a mold junkie and need to get new ones all the time. I dont buy enough of them to pour a bag at a time. In fact I usually just sell them by the piece. I need variety in my pouring and do so with differant molds out all the time. I will some times pour three colors at one time in three differant molds. It to me is the same as pouring three of the same. I think that molds are not what you think some times. I also get some request for some samples at time and am glad to help. But most of the time I just have one of them so it takes a while to pour. Just time doing what I like to do and making a little money doing it is not bad either. Frank

[GB GONE]

If anyone is ever interested in me making or helping make a pop mold for prototype or bait testing, just let me know. Never would charge for anything like that, I just love the challenge of getting the mold to work.

I have a new one that is cooking right now!

Jim

Edited September 2, 2010 by ghostbaits

[patrick reif]

I'm small taters compared to you guys, but I just look for a mold that most closely resembles a big name manufacturers bait that i fish. Pretty simple for me cause I only fish senkos, flukes, jnp, tubes and spinnerbaits. Im gonna get a buddy to show me the drop shot method he uses in the river so I'll probably be ordering Dels mold for that.

What i really need is an injection mold for a 2.5" tube. I've found these to be just as effective on big smallies as the 4" on the average day, but they often times outperform the larger 4" tubes on the tough days.

truthfully my next step is a spinnerbait mold and all the crap that goes with that. I'm sure the initial investment will run me a couple hundred bucks, but I'm reaching a point where I don't want to fish with a bait I haven't made from scratch.

This mess is addictive

[thelatrobe33]

I usually just buy them. If it doesn't work out there's someone that'll buy 'em at 90% of what you paid on ebay or the various forums.

[earthworm77]

Jim, I started my company based on using the baits in my arsenal first...originally it was jigs and it naturally progressed to chunks and then plastics. This way I always shot to build the best quality and obviously I would only get a mold in which I would actually use the bait. This saved me a lot of indecision and waste. I only carry what I would use. With these injection molds where your dropping 150 to 500 dollars a pop, you need to be certain that this style is going to be a seller. You and I think a lot alike on this topic, there are some seductive looking molds out there but I have refrained because if they do not sell, I may not even use them so they would be a total bust for me. I'm kind of in a dilemna right now about a certain Dels mold and two from Bass Tackle. I could see me using all three of them and they are all kinda close in style.....its a matter of which I would prefer. I guess thats one way to make the decision.

[tigerfire]

Now that I have made a few pop molds of baits that I like, I have started to experiment on things that I "might" like. I don't do a lot of finesse fishing, but there are a few finesse baits that I like. I made a pop mold of a finesse worm and I am happy with the results. That pop mold will keep me from buying a mold that I will only use occasionally.

[carolinamike]

Jim, that's one good thing about purchasing a large production mold. You get a single cavity prototype and usually a few samples to test before you make such a large investment. Some companies will give you a free revision and some charge for revisions. My 6 3/4" finesse worm mold I think we actually did three revisions on it before it was the way that I wanted it. But of course, for the price of a big mold, you definitely want the bait looking and working right.

[alsworms]

Dang Jim.....why weren't you doing that when I was pouring?? I would've been bugging you all the time!!

[nova]

I do all my own designing so I'm forever into the POP and testing the new baits. I've got a pile of old POP molds broken up behind my garage of designs that seemed like a good idea at the time but did not fish well enough.

A $20 bag of plaster can make you many many molds. Why waste money if you don't have to.

One day I plan on putting some of my designs in the gallery for all to see.

www.novalures.com

[Fish Candy Bait Company]

I tend to study the mold and see if anyone else has bought it & what theirs thoughts were. Sometimes you can get a single or double of a bait as well as 5 or more cavity mold. I would buy a single one if I am in doubt then see how it does. If you like the action and sales support it then go for the larger cavity. So far I don't have any orphan molds. I do have a couple that I need to get some bigger ones to cut down on pouring time though.

[jesse1378]

if its a bait that is one sided i will make my own mold and that's that. if the bait needs to be full round for what ever reason (stick baits) i buy the mold. does that make me cheap? maybe but i got into this at the same time i bought a 35k truck and i'm only a SrA in the Air Force so i cant afford to go out buying an alum. mold for everything i want.

[BuffTriton]

I do a lot of clipping constantly, generally trying to arrive at a bait that combines the best attributes of up to 3-4 of the same configuration, thank goodness for mend it. From there the prototype is developed and then poured. I don't make a lot of pop because I pour mostly laminates and use heat. POP only allows me to pour single colors BORING. One thing for pop since I'm making it they're always user friendly, I've purchased several aluminums that to me had designe flaws mostly in how the plastic was allowed to flow.

if its a bait that is one sided i will make my own mold and that's that. if the bait needs to be full round for what ever reason (stick baits) i buy the mold. does that make me cheap? maybe but i got into this at the same time i bought a 35k truck and i'm only a SrA in the Air Force so i cant afford to go out buying an alum. mold for everything i want.

[nova]

I do a lot of clipping constantly, generally trying to arrive at a bait that combines the best attributes of up to 3-4 of the same configuration, thank goodness for mend it. From there the prototype is developed and then poured. I don't make a lot of pop because I pour mostly laminates and use heat. POP only allows me to pour single colors BORING. One thing for pop since I'm making it they're always user friendly, I've purchased several aluminums that to me had designe flaws mostly in how the plastic was allowed to flow.

Why does POP only allow you to pour one color? I use mostly POP and in and open mold I can pour 1, 2, 3, or 4 color baits. In my double molds I can pour 2 colors with the split pot and I'm working on pouring 3 colors in a double mold.

Don't convince yourself that you can only pour one color with POP. Experiment with it.

www.novalures.com

[Kajan]

Why does POP only allow you to pour one color? I use mostly POP and in and open mold I can pour 1, 2, 3, or 4 color baits. In my double molds I can pour 2 colors with the split pot and I'm working on pouring 3 colors in a double mold.

Don't convince yourself that you can only pour one color with POP. Experiment with it.

www.novalures.com

Yep, good question, I only pour one pc open molds, and I do multiple colours all the time with no problems. Of Corse I stop at 3 colour pours LOL

[BuffTriton]

Yep, good question, I only pour one pc open molds, and I do multiple colours all the time with no problems. Of Corse I stop at 3 colour pours LOL

Let me clarify, my issue is that I haven't attempted to heat a pop (guess I will today), I don't cold mold pour ( unless I'm feeling lazy LOL ). I read this thread initially to discover wether or not anyone was heating their pop molds and what temp.

[GB GONE]

I would not heat my pop molds or if you do, do it just slightly. The great thing about pop is that it is an insulator. The molds heat quickly with your pours and holds the heat well allowing for multiple color pours easily. You rarely see cold cracks.

Downside is that the wait to de-mold will increase as you pour more baits as the heat does not dissapaite well.

Taking some pics of the last mold with thin appendages and detailed, thin claws. I am convinced that any bait style can be created using pop. I did use my injector for mold filling however notice there are ZERO vents in the mold....

Jim

Edited September 7, 2010 by ghostbaits

[BuffTriton]

I would not heat my pop molds or if you do, do it just slightly. The great thing about pop is that it is an insulator. The molds heat quickly with your pours and holds the heat well allowing for multiple color pours easily. You rarely see cold cracks.

Downside is that the wait to de-mold will increase as you pour more baits as the heat does not dissapaite well.

Taking some pics of the last mold with thin appendages and detailed, thin claws. I am convinced that any bait style can be created using pop. I did use my injector for mold filling however notice there are ZERO vents in the mold....

Jim

Thanks, that's what I was looking for.

Edited September 7, 2010 by BuffTriton

[rugbyfisherman]

Jim I sent you an PM about a POP mold you could help me with!

Thanks, that's what I was looking for.

[Marks Lures]

Let me clarify, my issue is that I haven't attempted to heat a pop (guess I will today), I don't cold mold pour ( unless I'm feeling lazy LOL ). I read this thread initially to discover wether or not anyone was heating their pop molds and what temp.

I put them in an old stock pot and put it on low for about 15 to 20 minutes. I have gas heat, watch if you have electic. Mainly to dry out the moisture that is in the mold.

Regards

Mark

[Marks Lures]

I am curious how many try out the baits they are going to make prior to spending all the big bucks on the molds. Reason I ask, I have seen a lot of molds out there on the secondary market now, some only weeks old. Baits perform differently when we make them by hand injection or hand pour vs what you get out of a bag from a bigger manufacturer. Mostly due to our limited use of heavy salt.

When bringing on a new bait, I generally like to start out with at least the number of cavities I am going to put into a bag or think is reasonable for my personal use. At 10 baits per bag, many molds can run you $500+ (10 single cavity molds @ $50+), just to set-up a system to do 1 bag of baits per blast.

I have gotten in the habit of making a plaster of paris mold of a similar bait I am thinking of buying the corresponding mold for and fishing that bait for a week or so prior to making the final commitment. Of course, this just goes for molds that are not "ordinary" like a senko-type bait or trick worm style bait. Some that you fish alot, you know you have to have!!!

Here are a few I have recently done to try out. POP is a cheap way to really get an idea of how the bait performs with softer plastic and how the mold may pour or inject.

Made a 6 cavity flick shake bait

Frog

Skinny dipper with hook slot

http://www.ghostbait.../new%201644.jpg

Grass craw

After a couple weeks of fishing all of these, I really like the flick shake and grass craw. Not enough to buy the current aluminum molds avaialable in all these baits but certainly enough to continue pouring a few baits up for myself for further testing. I almost bought bait molds of all of the above baits prior to testing. Would have been a mistake on my part.

As a note, I do watch to avoid duplicating baits that are patent protected except for very limited testing purposes. If I like the style/action of a particular bait I test, I will go to an already available mold from the various makers or have a unique design created.

Do you guys go through something like this or just let the "mold monkey" have its way???

Jim

Jim

Sounds like you are looking for the next hot seller.

Me I do the research to figure out what will really work.

I made my own lures, like 30 years ago (and on, and off), just can't find what I am looking for any more.

So I am getting serious this time. POP molds are cheap, but they do take up a lot of my time.

You don't always have to go to full blown production, something I used to do.

Pour a new one cavity mold with left over color, charge more (for 6) because it is new and if demand increases, invest and buy a produciton mold.

Me if I sell mine it is at 6 baits per bag and when I have them. Don't discount yourself, especially if you have a unique lure that you hand pour, you are selling yourself short.

I do this for fun. Might have to resort to selling lures to pay the wife tax, she busted me spending a grand on stuff.

Said something about I have to sell them now, (holy crapholy when will I have time to fish, if I have to make lures to sell) working on a solution.

Back to research, what do you want to catch? What size? What is on the market, but not what you are looking for? Then put some money in a new lure you have faith in.

By the way, I spend the money for a mold and do the final tweaks myself, the die grinding of the aluminum to make the lure exactly what I want.

So there are no real copies of what I make available.

Regards

Mark

[Largehead Louie]

Jim, who has a Grass Craw type mold? I have not seen one yet, but would love it.

[GB GONE]

Jim, who has a Grass Craw type mold? I have not seen one yet, but would love it.

Nobody I guess. I just made some pop molds for kicks and to have some baits in the boat. Basstackle has a nice small craw similar to the BB Cricket. I have punched mats with them and they are nice! Got them from the guy at Hawg Pours.com

Anyway, I just like to try a bait on the water prior to sinking $$$ into a mold. What I think looks good and what the fish thinks look good are totally different.

Fish are all that matter!

Jim