The lies about salt for the newbie

[one-off baits]

This is a topic that many of my fishing buddies have asked about when they want me to make them a few packs of baits. I answer them the same way every time

 

Most makers all know and understand that salt is good for modifying the sink rate and helping some baits cast farther when weightless (trick worm for example). But do y'all (after years of fishing your own baits) still believes the flim- flam that salt causes bass to hold onto the bait longer? 

 

Do I?

Not a single bit.

Why?

Because every one of my saltless baits gets swallowed when I let them have it too long. 

So why is this believed even though salt is not a natural flavor to a bass?

Because big bait makers needed a way to cheapen their baits. Needed a filler. They can make nearly 2x the baits with the same amount plastic and they needed it to be justified in the fisherman's eyes. With the way fishermen are superstitious it helps baits sell when there's a makeshift "edge" to the bait, right?

 

P.S.- my saltless baits last for a very long time. The record so far is 32 bass on one fluke style bait. 

 

 

Edited April 3, 2018 by one-off baits

[SpoonMinnow]

Salt and other flavor enhancers like garlic and Tom Mann scents were a joke from the start. But the first time I was exposed to the idea of salt being added was the Senko. Whether GY used salt exclusively to add weight to his stick, I don't have a clue, but weight and soft grade plastic account for the faster drop rate and tip wobble. without added weight and/or  a firmer plastic, and IMO the lure would never have got off the ground.

Lure action and profile make all the difference. Everything else just hype, which is one of the reasons I don't bother reading my lifetime subscription BassMaster magazine.

 

BTW, my flukes need to be repaired with heat after only 4 bass.

 

Edited April 3, 2018 by SpoonMinnow

[MonteSS]

AMEN! Preach it Brotha!

I think the salt craze started in the 70's. Was it Kalin that was first to add salt for taste to soft plastics? Some pros probably had success and the craze started

I also dont think it makes fish hold on longer, but it seems to be a good selling point for those that believe the myth. It also is a cheap filler and makes the baits weaker, so users come back for more.

As far as GYBC Senkos, the heavy salt is required for ballast to make them sink when fished weightless. It is cheaper and REALLY makes the baits weak.  

As we have found, Glass beads are a great substitute to add weight to a stick. Glass beads would be way to harsh and destroy  production machines.

Once again more durable is not a good thing for manufacturers who want you to come back for more.

I know guys that go through 2-3 packs of Senkos per outing.

My sticks with Glass beads are identical to a Yammy but I use and o-ring and rigged wacky regularly catch 20+ bass per bait.

 

Edited April 3, 2018 by MonteSS

[alsworms]

I think this is about confidence and personal preference.  When a friend of mine would fish our local river, we would do salt tests during spring and early summer.   Most of the time, the guy fishing in the back of the boat would catch fish 3 to 1 with a salted bait.  Was it the salt?  I can't say, but we always felt more confident with salt injected baits. 

[SpoonMinnow]

I bought a bag of glass bead based on the rec's from TU.  Should be interesting. 

I still use the old Fish Formula  oil but only to make the lures shiny plus I like the smell on my hands. 

[Roger Linnell]

5 hours ago, MonteSS said:

AMEN! Preach it Brotha!

I think the salt craze started in the 70's. Was it Kalin that was first to add salt for taste to soft plastics? Some pros probably had success and the craze started

I also dont think it makes fish hold on longer, but it seems to be a good selling point for those that believe the myth. It also is a cheap filler and makes the baits weaker, so users come back for more.

As far as GYBC Senkos, the heavy salt is required for ballast to make them sink when fished weightless. It is cheaper and REALLY makes the baits weak.  

As we have found, Glass beads are a great substitute to add weight to a stick. Glass beads would be way to harsh and destroy  production machines.

Once again more durable is not a good thing for manufacturers who want you to come back for more.

I know guys that go through 2-3 packs of Senkos per outing.

My sticks with Glass beads are identical to a Yammy but I use and o-ring and rigged wacky regularly catch 20+ bass per bait.

 

Pretty sure Larew started the  salt craze and I can't think of anything a fish might eat that is 1/3 salt

[hpssports]

Can't remember where I saw the link but someone posted a link to the original salt in bait patent & it even explained that it was used as a filler only. I wish I could find the link. I may have to do a search.

[hpssports]

https://patents.google.com/patent/US4530179 

 

Don't know if this was the same one I originally read but this one does say it's also for fish to hold on longer.

[one-off baits]

Alsworms- yeah confidence helps. But there are so many factors when it comes to comparing front and rear of boat fishermen. The guy up front has the advantage to hitting the better spots first but I've sometimes spanked the guy in the front of the boat using the same baits because of lure placement, technique, and probably tons more variables that I couldn't see.

 Also I've seen some weird things in clear water and I can imagine they're exaggerated in stained water.  I've seen dormant fish become active when a bait came through and then hit the 2nd bait to come near.  Also seen baits go behind a fish that's in some cover and they ignore it but when the bait is presented in front of them they became interested. 

 

 

Spoonminnow- yeah this "record" fluke was at a time when i was adding some hardener to baits that didn'T need flexibility. Still a dang good run though lol

Edited April 4, 2018 by one-off baits

[one-off baits]

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Edited April 4, 2018 by one-off baits

[mark poulson]

1 hour ago, one-off baits said:

Another side note. Many of your bigger custom makers aren't using salt. Look at roboworm, for example.  Also, strike king and zoom hand poured baits are without salt. Zoom has their catch phrase "better than salt" attractant on those bags lol.  Pretty much every single hand made swimbait you'd find at tacklewarehouse is without salt as well. You get much much better action and durability along with a softer bait. 

This is a quote from TW's Roboworm site:

"The super soft plastic Strait Tail Worms end up having a very sensitive, alluring action complete with a Salt Release System that provides a burst of salt when a fish bites ' causing them to hold on longer for solid hooksets."

[one-off baits]

Oops, I forgot they sprinkle some on the bottum of the bait before it cured

Edited April 4, 2018 by one-off baits

[SpoonMinnow]

Larew did sue GY and won though I'm not sure for how much. Not important.

Edited April 4, 2018 by SpoonMinnow

[MonteSS]

Yes it was Larew and not Kaylin. ty

[Baitjunkys]

I don't believe Larew sued yamamoto. It was zoom they sued way years back.

[SpoonMinnow]

 

Quote

Of course GY was sued for using salt in his plastics by Gene Larew:

Quote

It was an unusual patent, but they (Larew) had a patent. We fought it for awhile, but then decided to just drop it. I think I made Gene Larew rich. He never sold near the quantity that I sold, but I paid him a royalty. (GY)

The source is Bass Resource.

Years ago I read the court document naming Yamamoto as the target for the suit regarding the use of salt in any lure he produced. The GY quote came from GY's forum when it was on-line.

 

[Baitjunkys]

Maybe he did, I know he went after zoom, Then went after Arkie lures, which settled out of court, years later they deemed the patent worthless because it was a Mixture any practical person could develop on own free will. 

 

http://caselaw.findlaw.com/us-federal-circuit/1188371.html

Edited April 4, 2018 by Baitjunkys

[one-off baits]

It' not a special process or ingredient so I see why they dropped it

[mark poulson]

On 4/4/2018 at 11:22 AM, Baitjunkys said:

Maybe he did, I know he went after zoom, Then went after Arkie lures, which settled out of court, years later they deemed the patent worthless because it was a Mixture any practical person could develop on own free will. 

 

http://caselaw.findlaw.com/us-federal-circuit/1188371.html

 I heard Gary Yamamoto speak 10+ years ago, and he said he was still paying Gene Larew for the salt use suit.

[rdhammah]

speaking of additives, can you add scented worm oils to the plastic before the completed heating process?

 

[Driftwood]

You can but it would probably cook out. It's best to add the scent just before you shoot ( or pour ) the plastic.

[rdhammah]

thanks - after the final heating

 

[ipt]

salt gives baits a nice natural feel. it also adds weight to either sink or throw further. yes it saves us money too by being a filler.

being a bait maker do you really care how long your baits last? i'd rather catch 20 fish on 20 baits than get 19 fish on the same bait

of course there's a hype behind salt, but i think it is a good additive

[Baitjunkys]

1 hour ago, ipt said:

salt gives baits a nice natural feel. it also adds weight to either sink or throw further. yes it saves us money too by being a filler.

being a bait maker do you really care how long your baits last? i'd rather catch 20 fish on 20 baits than get 19 fish on the same bait

of course there's a hype behind salt, but i think it is a good additive

Thats my thought to, 1 bait, 1 big bite,  for my 5 on tourney day is all i care about...

[one-off baits]

I addressed the sink rate and castability with salt. I was only addressing the hype issue when I typed that. It is a misleading fib that keeps getting passed around from generation to generation.  

 

As a bait maker, I do care. I do not make baits as a means of income  and only make for myself and a few friends. 

It's not making much sense to me what you said  by you'd rather use 20 baits for 20 bass than 19 bass on 1 bait. It might be just me but it seems illogical

Edited April 26, 2018 by one-off baits