WebbsBaits21 Posted November 1, 2015 Author Report Share Posted November 1, 2015 Hey, so I have an other question. I'm not trying to steal anyone's recipe or anything but I'm having trouble with durability with my plastics. Me and a buddy went to a golf course pond last night where we knew we would catch fish but to see how but I wanted to see how durable my baits were. We caught 12 fish between the 2 of us but I feel like we went through too many baits. I don't want to make a plastic that is a one and done. I want something that can last a couple fish but still soft enough to have the proper action. The baits are for freshwater bass fishing so I don't want them to be a harder plastic like saltwater baits but soft enough to have the proper action the bait offers but durable enough to to last several fish. Hope this makes sense y'all. Any help would be great. Thank you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark poulson Posted November 1, 2015 Report Share Posted November 1, 2015 Which plastic are you using, in terms of hardness. The harder the plastic, the better it will hold up. For me, it's a tossup. In the past, I ordered soft plastic, and added some hardener for my swimbaits and flipping baits, which seem to need a tougher plastic. But the next gallon I order will be medium, and I'll add softener if I need softer plastic, since most of the baits I use now need a tougher plastic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MonteSS Posted November 1, 2015 Report Share Posted November 1, 2015 (edited) I fish my Sticks wacky with an o-ring. 25 bass per bait is common. The glass beads make it more durable Edited November 1, 2015 by MonteSS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Apdriver Posted November 1, 2015 Report Share Posted November 1, 2015 If it doesn't mess your colors up, or can adjust your color to use it, DIC's HD sinking additive will also make your baits more durable and soft. It's an opaque paste so it messes with your colors. That said, you can work with it and develop a color using it to make a durable bait. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WebbsBaits21 Posted November 1, 2015 Author Report Share Posted November 1, 2015 I am using doits ES regular formula right now. I just having flipping creature baits and a senko. Idk if I should add hardener or not or anything else to add? I am using doits ES regular formula right now. I just having flipping creature baits and a senko. Idk if I should add hardener or not or anything else to add? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Apdriver Posted November 2, 2015 Report Share Posted November 2, 2015 I am using doits ES regular formula right now. I just having flipping creature baits and a senko. Idk if I should add hardener or not or anything else to add?I am using doits ES regular formula right now. I just having flipping creature baits and a senko. Idk if I should add hardener or not or anything else to add? DIC is Do It Corporation in my redneck abbreviation. It's their additive and it will make your baits more durable if you can deal with the color effects. It will make your Senkos and flipping baits sink also. Salt will make them sink but also make your baits less durable. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WebbsBaits21 Posted November 2, 2015 Author Report Share Posted November 2, 2015 DIC is Do It Corporation in my redneck abbreviation. It's their additive and it will make your baits more durable if you can deal with the color effects. It will make your Senkos and flipping baits sink also. Salt will make them sink but also make your baits less durable. Ok haha thank you just curious and idea where I should start with how much to hard? If I can help it I don't want to waste a bunch of plastic you know? However I understand if you'd like to keep that to your self man. Haha Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Apdriver Posted November 2, 2015 Report Share Posted November 2, 2015 No secrets here with me. Over the years, I've had a lot of help in tacklecrafting and I thank all of you guys for helping me along. Anyway, do it's HD Sinking Additive is two tablespoons per 4 ounces of plastic. I use it in medium plastic. It seems to have softener in it so don't add any softener even if you add salt to taste. Again, it will make your baits more durable, if you can deal with the affect it has on colors. A whole new discussion would be the effect it has on colors. Confusing affects and effects, I know :-) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MonteSS Posted November 2, 2015 Report Share Posted November 2, 2015 (edited) The Do it HD additive will make the plastic an opaque grey color so baits are on the dull side and flake will not show well. Many of us believe it is just glass beads with softener added. Ap is correct with the formula for stick baits but if you want the "Senko" soft you will need soft plastic or a lil softener to medium plastic. I found baits a bit sticky tho. Try 1 heaping tablespoon to 4 oz medium plastic for your flipping baits and see if that toughens them up. Twistlock hooks help too. PM me your address if you want a glass bead sample to try before you buy the big bag. Glass beads visibly scratch my injector badly so be aware. It still functions fine though Edited November 2, 2015 by MonteSS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FATFLATTIE Posted November 2, 2015 Report Share Posted November 2, 2015 I use the Do-It sinking additive in my stick baits and sometimes in my centipedes. I really only make greens and black in the those baits so it doesn't bother me a bit color wise but it will "hide" your flake a bit. I use two tablespoons of HDA and a 1/4 tablespoon of softener to 4oz of plastic. You do have to add a little more colorant as well but it really makes a great bait and much more durable than the OG Senko. Fishing them on belly weight screw lock hooks you can get upwards of 5 fish per bait which is a lot better than one fish per with a real Senko. Mine weigh a little less (6g compared to 7g on my crap scales) but I actually like the wiggle of mine better than the Senko. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WebbsBaits21 Posted November 3, 2015 Author Report Share Posted November 3, 2015 Ok so I have already ran into my next problem. I bagged some baits and when I went to use them a few days later they were all bent up. How long should I wait before bagging them to minimize this from happening? Or should I lay them out for a while to fully set up or...? Any help would be great. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Basseducer Posted November 3, 2015 Report Share Posted November 3, 2015 I usually wait about 24 hours before I bag. Then I use laminated bags and lay them flat in the bag. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveMc1 Posted November 3, 2015 Report Share Posted November 3, 2015 Ok so I have already ran into my next problem. I bagged some baits and when I went to use them a few days later they were all bent up. How long should I wait before bagging them to minimize this from happening? Or should I lay them out for a while to fully set up or...? Any help would be great. It generally takes a couple weeks to fully cure. I try to wait as long as possible before I bag, if I can hold off 72hrs I will. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MonteSS Posted November 3, 2015 Report Share Posted November 3, 2015 (edited) Curious why you use any additive if you use a weighted swim bait hook? Also Real Senkos weigh about 11g I use the Do-It sinking additive in my stick baits and sometimes in my centipedes. I really only make greens and black in the those baits so it doesn't bother me a bit color wise but it will "hide" your flake a bit. I use two tablespoons of HDA and a 1/4 tablespoon of softener to 4oz of plastic. You do have to add a little more colorant as well but it really makes a great bait and much more durable than the OG Senko. Fishing them on belly weight screw lock hooks you can get upwards of 5 fish per bait which is a lot better than one fish per with a real Senko. Mine weigh a little less (6g compared to 7g on my crap scales) but I actually like the wiggle of mine better than the Senko. I wait at least a week before I bag. More if I can Edited November 3, 2015 by MonteSS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WebbsBaits21 Posted November 3, 2015 Author Report Share Posted November 3, 2015 And how should I leave them? Just flat on a table? Or hanging some how? In water? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MonteSS Posted November 3, 2015 Report Share Posted November 3, 2015 I lay them flat on cardboard. Never in water. They will cloud Some 702's from leftover plastic remelts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FATFLATTIE Posted November 3, 2015 Report Share Posted November 3, 2015 (edited) Curious why you use any additive if you use a weighted swim bait hook? Also Real Senkos weigh about 11g I wait at least a week before I bag. More if I can I don't just throw them on a belly weight hook, I also wacky rig them and very rarely just T-rigged weightless. Although I have made some for other people without the additive because they said they would never use them weightless. And a 4" real Senko weighs about 7g. I know when most people say "Senko" they mean the 5". Might should have specified. Edited November 3, 2015 by FATFLATTIE Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MonteSS Posted November 3, 2015 Report Share Posted November 3, 2015 Gotcha Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WebbsBaits21 Posted November 3, 2015 Author Report Share Posted November 3, 2015 Thanks for the help y'all!! I'll probably be back soon! Haha Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emptystringer81 Posted November 6, 2015 Report Share Posted November 6, 2015 monte those baits look great, what color is the ones on the top 2nd row? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WebbsBaits21 Posted November 7, 2015 Author Report Share Posted November 7, 2015 Hey guys so I've been watching some videos and some people add color before hearing and some add it after does it make a difference and if so, what is the difference? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FATFLATTIE Posted November 7, 2015 Report Share Posted November 7, 2015 I feel like you can use a little less colorant if you add before heating. That's about all I have noticed. That and it seems to be easier to mix thoroughly if you add before. If you use the Do it x2 colorant it is almost mandatory to add before heating. Some of the thinner stuff like lure craft or Do-It's essential series colorant seem to mix fine after heating. But after trying both methods I just always add before now that I have certain color recipes that I use for all of the common colors. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
