Bts 702 Salt Or No Salt?

[Bruiserbeagle]

I was wonder if you guys use salt or no salt when pouring these craws. I know no salt would make the float up more. But i always like some salt in my baits for a confidence thing. Just was wondering what your guys thoughts were?

 

Thanks

[bryanmc]

Sometimes yes, sometimes no...  

[MonteSS]

Salt in a bait is an old wives tale. Just use scent if you think it helps

[Walking Dead]

I know anglers demand salt.  I do not use it.  I believe it is a filler used by companies to offset the cost of plastisol.  Additionally, it makes the plastic baits easier to destroy with the hook and by the fish, thus making you buy more baits.

 

It has some purpose for adding weight should you choose to want the bait heavier.

[Skimpy]

I only add salt to senkos.

[DaveMc1]

Salt in a bait is an old wives tale. Just use scent if you think it helps

 

According to who? 

 

Salt as a filler could be applicable when it comes to VERY heavily salted baits but the vast majority of baits on the market with salt in them the difference in cost is really negligible.

 

My take on this is the vast majority of people making baits that tell you "Salt is for french fries" and that salt doesn't make a difference etc. don't want to deal with it. It can be problematic figuring out how much to add to do what you want, what type of salt to add and some of the moisture issues that can pop up with salt (must keep it in a cool dry storage as it will absorb moisture). 

 

You will need to really play around with the amount of salt to add to the plastic you use in order to achieve the results you are after. Yes you can make transparent baits just fine that have a noticeable amount of salt in them, Yes you can make baits that will be neutrally buoyant, claws will stand up etc with a noticeable amount of salt in them, Yes you can make stick baits loaded with salt that are still relatively translucent and show flake within the bait and finally Yes you can make a fairly durable bait with salt in it, even a stick bait LOADED with salt can be fairly durable if you choose to use a very fine grain salt. Don't let the nay sayers sway you against using it, try it out and really mess with it. One little tip, use the finest grind you can buy, DO NOT grind it yourself, I found after years of messing with it that grinding it causes it to really cloud up and clump, using a VERY fine grind eliminates 99% of those issues. 

[MonteSS]

No real proof either way so agree to disagree. As said, add it if you or your customers think it helps.

[Painter1]

So on the controversial subject of salt - who sells the finest grind?

[DaveMc1]

Any one of the places selling plastic supplies. BaitJunkys has a salt that is damn near identical to the stuff I buy

[MonteSS]

Walmart pickling salt gives a fairly clear bait.

[rynesgto]

I don't use salt, and my main reason is I can leave it on the hook between outings without worrying about my hooks rusting. therefore, not wasting baits like I would a Rage craw for instance

[mark poulson]

I think salt helps the fish hold onto the bait longer, because it is a mineral they need.  I have lead a bass out of cover with gentle pressure, and then set the hook, with both a Senko and an Ika.  I don't like how it makes my Senkos weak, so I use a 1 cup plastisol to 3/8 cup blasting beads to 1/8 cup salt ratio for my Senkos, and they hold up just fine.

I tried making them without any salt, just some scent, and they were nowhere near as effective.

 

One tip I got from a local and regional stick who used to fish the Elites, Greg Gutierrez, is to slip a tight O ring over the nose of a T rigged Senko, down where the hook would turn out, and then push the hook point past it before turning it out.  That way the bend of the offset hook snugs up against the O ring so it doesn't tear up when it's repeatedly cast into cover.  A good fish will still tear up the Senko, but that is a good problem to have!

Edited September 21, 2016 by mark poulson

[MonteSS]

No salt or scent in my sticks. I can wait 30 seconds and then set the hook for fun. It drives my buddy nuts LOL

 

I find the little guys shake more and slide them up the line more than two pounders+

[mark poulson]

No salt or scent in my sticks. I can wait 30 seconds and then set the hook for fun. It drives my buddy nuts LOL

 

I find the little guys shake more and slide them up the line more than two pounders+

 

Funny how that works.  Those smaller fish shake a lot more, for sure.  And rat stripers are even worse!

I fish in lots of tulles and grass here on the CA Delta.  The water can be clear, but it's still nowhere near the gin clear water down in SoCal, or in some of the NoCal lakes.

I love the 7" senko.  It's heavy enough to flip and pitch, and I use 50lb braid, a frog rod, and a 5/0 VMC offset hook.  The VMC hook has a dab of epoxy to close the hook, so there's not chance of the hook wire cutting the braid.

It is a kick when a big fish hits it, and the snell knot cams the hook into it's mouth, no matter what position it's in.  I have stuck more fish in the bottom of the mouth since I began snelling my hooks that I did in all the years I fished before.  

Man, I sound like a nut.  

I guess I am a fishing nut.

[Apdriver]

A snelled hook kicks it in another gear for big fish. We snell all our hooks for Salmon. They just work!

[mark poulson]

A snelled hook kicks it in another gear for big fish. We snell all our hooks for Salmon. They just work!

 

I think it makes up for my slower reflexes, and covers up a lot of other sins.

[ipt]

i use salt or no salt, doesn't seem to matter much

 

id have to agree fish tend to swallow salted baits faster / more often