Open Pour/Sprinkling Salt

[RSNeely]

I have bought a few hand pour baits (From an open pour mold) throughout the years from a well known pourer. They always seem like there is a concentration of fine almost flour type salt on the bottom of them (Open side of the open pour mold).  Do you think salt is sprinkled over them while the plastic is still hot? Any benefit to doing this?  I kinda like it. 

[Travis]

Yes it is sprinkled on when still hot.

The claims that many that I hand pour these style baits for are:

1.  the salt is exposed to the water and not encapsulated in the plastic making fish hold on longer.
2. once dissolved the salt leaves and irregular base that creates greater water disturbance
3. once dissolved cavities are left in the plastic that trap air and then during the retrieve bubbles are dislodged enhancing the appeal of the bait
4.  the bait has a more life like feel and the fish hold on longer
5.  the baits don't stick in the bag

 

[McLuvin175]

Yes, for sure it is sprinkled while the bait is still molten. I wonder if this method will it help the bait orientate better when in the water (assuming the open portion of the hand pour mold is the belly.) Meaning having ballast in the belly portion and not the back.

[RSNeely]

18 hours ago, Travis said:

Yes it is sprinkled on when still hot.

The claims that many that I hand pour these style baits for are:

1.  the salt is exposed to the water and not encapsulated in the plastic making fish hold on longer.
2. once dissolved the salt leaves and irregular base that creates greater water disturbance
3. once dissolved cavities are left in the plastic that trap air and then during the retrieve bubbles are dislodged enhancing the appeal of the bait
4.  the bait has a more life like feel and the fish hold on longer
5.  the baits don't stick in the bag

 

SO then you do not add salt in your mix when pouring the bait? Just dust once your plastic is poured into the mold? 

[mark poulson]

Steve Merlo had a video on Youtube showing how he poured and salted his baits.  He was a master.

I can't find the link now, but, basically, what he did was sprinkle popcorn salt on the still hot baits, so it soaked in to the belly.  He thought it created a salt cloud around the bait that lasted 20 minutes or so, and that was a key for getting bit.

I know I've had a fish refuse to let go of a senko when I've tried to shake it off when prefishing, and those are full of salt.

[Travis]

Traditionally salt was not added prior to the pour for these type lures the way I recall when first coming across them but then at that time soft plastics guys were making were the traditional western hand poured stuff.  Clear colors, smooth blends, a very unique and different product to the "bubba" baits of southern bass fishing that most of us were accustomed to.    Salt started to be added in some instances and by some guys but don't think it was normal.  Salt in general wasn't used as much based on the Larew lawsuit from what it seams.   

Wasn't really until the senko came around that most got crazed with adding salt to everything.  

Edited January 17, 2017 by Travis

[rockslide]

yes merlo worms had salt on the flat side of there worms! roboworms does the same thing now days. the plus side to the salt was you could dead stick a worm forever an all of a sudden your line would swim off. the negative side is you would hook a lot of fish deep. people thought the packing salt in the bag was the reason the worms worked it was the salt sprinkled on the flat side not the salt in the bag.

[rockslide]

on another note  Steve Merlo  passed away not to many months back 

[mark poulson]

14 hours ago, ronald rig1 said:

on another note  Steve Merlo  passed away not to many months back 

 

I read that.  I never met him, but spoke to him several times on the phone.  What a nice guy!