Eyes on Soft plastics

[Landry]

As I work on a new master Mold for a muskie bait I feel I should ask this question even though I think I know the answer. 

 

Is is there a way to attach really eyes to a soft bait that will stay on without dipping f afterwords. 

I currently  paint the eyes  and they look good but some of the new fisheye eyes look amazing. 

Thanks guys!

[Anglinarcher]

If you are looking for glue, etc., for the fisheye eyes, nope, no easy way that I know of.  

Larry Dahlberg has/had a video showing how he made his Mr. Wigleys before they went commercial.  He used an eye with a post on it, poured a tube in the Muskie Bait that went from left eye to right eye location, then inserted the post with some superglue.  That works well and I have done the same with fisheye eye styles.  I glue a little wooden dowel to the back of the eye, insert the dowel into the embedded tube with some glue (normally epoxy for me).

Perhaps that will give you some hints that might help.

http://www.makelure.com/store/pg/54-How-To-Videos.aspx

Go to about 1:06 on the video below.

MakeLure - Advanced Mr Whiggley fishing lure - make your own

[mark poulson]

This stuff will hold an eye, and top coat it, too:

 

http://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Mend-It_Glue/descpage-MIG.html

[alsworms]

15 minutes ago, mark poulson said:

This stuff will hold an eye, and top coat it, too:

 

http://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Mend-It_Glue/descpage-MIG.html

 

I'll second that.  Great stuff!

[MonteSS]

Get the Spike it eyes. They are made from plastisol so mend it melts them on permanently.

If they dont list the size/color you want, call them

 

Edited November 8, 2017 by MonteSS

[DoubleT]

I use Fix-A-Lure glue and the LureWorks soft plastic eyes. Both come from Spike It. So far I am very pleased. Like MonteSS mentioned, if they don't list the size you want give them a call and they can likely get you what you need. I recently ordered some soft plastic eyes from Lurecraft. Haven't received them yet but I,m hoping they will be good as well. 

[uttexas]

All good options above.

Another would be to insert a glass rattle for an eye ball effect (traditionally used to give eyes to Zoom flukes)

Here's a screen shot of Captain Dave's video on how to do it.

If you first coat the rattle with a generous amount of Loctite superglue, I'd guess it would stay in there longer.

 

 

[Anglinarcher]

Lots of great ideas for eyes on soft plastics, and everyone above is good.  But, the question was regarding the new(er) fisheye eyes, which in my mind links to a specific type of eye. 

http://www.jettsonlures.com/product-category/lure-eyes/fish-eyes/

or maybe the following:

http://lisaandedseyes.ipage.com/lure_eyes.htm

or even 

http://www.lurepartsonline.com/Online-Store/Lure-Eyes/

These are not so easy to attach, with any glue form my experience, which is what I thought the question was about.  But, several things are for sure, uttexas is dead on with the rattle, and you can paint the plastic to increase an "eye effect".  MonteSS shows a beautiful option for soft plastics.  

[mark poulson]

I have two 5+" silicone swimbait molds from Lurecraft  http://www.lurecraft.com/Plastic-Mold-894/productinfo/5X894/ that have recesses for the eyes.  It makes installing them, and having them stay on, much easier.

[Landry]

Thanks guys. Great info. 

I think I will explore the plastisol

eyes idea as I feel like anything else will come off after a vicious musky attack. 

[Landry]

Maybe I will use some doll eyes and make an open pour silicon mild so I can pour my own plastisol eyes with clear glitter gold and black pupils. I need bigger ones. 

Or or maybe I will just keep painting on my eyes. Lol