Fish_N_Fool Posted February 19, 2007 Report Share Posted February 19, 2007 I'm working on a new mouse bait. In testing last fall it was a killer bait that got hits from much bigger then average fish, at around 3.5lbs ave. I'd say. It has a great walking wobble on the surface. Although it caught lots of fish it had problems. First off it didn't float, it would stay on top as long as you were reeling but if it stoped it sank. Second problem was being soft plastic it pulled down the hook and tore up to easy. I found a way to cure both these problems by molding a body inside the bait. Well my prototypes were made from wood. They worked well, floated the bait right side up after some experimentation with added weight and lots of floater bubbles and held the plastic in place very well. Now i want to try to replace the wood with something I can mold onto the hook before I pour the plastic to make the mouse shape. I need some thing that is very light so it will still float, but strong also so it will stay in place on the hook and keep the soft plastic in place. I tried some featherlite plastic that a friend gave me. It was just a hard piece I carved to shape and superglued to the hook, but I could not get the bait to float. I even drilled it full of holes hoping to trap some air inside the bait but it still sank. I have never used this stuff could I ad floater bubbles to it? Here is a ruff sketch of what I'm tring to do. The dotted line in the middle of the bait is the part I need to mold a hard body to and the dark line in the bottom is my lead weight so it floats right side up. What can I use that is very lightweight and strong enough to work. I need it easy to mold onto a hook and then pour the soft plastic over it. Yah got any ideas????????? Here is a short video of athe bait with a 4ish lb. bass hanging on to it that I got last fall. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MDC Posted February 19, 2007 Report Share Posted February 19, 2007 Maybe you could make a mold of the shape that you need and that will also contain the hook and keel weight. Then use expanding spray foam from the hardware store to fill the mold. Once the foam dries you can take it out and mold your plastic over it. BTW why wasn't Barn Dog in that last video? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fish_N_Fool Posted February 19, 2007 Author Report Share Posted February 19, 2007 LOL I'm sure he was there asleep somewhere. Sometimes you have to wake him up to let him know there's a fish in the boat, he is 16 years old now and he can't hear at all anymore and is about half blind, but he still loves ta lick fish. I dont think spray foam would be strong enough to work and it for sure would be very hard to mold. So I'll keep looking but tnx for the reply. Oh I used a 6/0 eagleclaw weedlees hook in this Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vodkaman Posted February 19, 2007 Report Share Posted February 19, 2007 This sounds like an ideal application for 16lb foam. I have never used it but read everything that tu has to offer as I will be using it in the near future. It's reputation is hard as rock, so it should be strong enough. You are already into molding, so that is not a problem. As for floatation, 1 cm3 weighs 0.25gm, this means that for every cm3 you use, you gain 0.75 grams of floatation. Obviously, you do not want to be making molds or even buying materials for a trial and error situation that, at the end of the day, may not meet your requirements. But it is possible to calculate the result very cheaply using only a couple of jars, some plastic tube, plastic cups etc. By measuring the volume of your lure and the weight of the lure, it is possible to calculate how much foam you would need to float it. I intend to post an article on the subject soon, but if you feel upto it, I can send you what I have so far. It includes making a set of accurate scales and equipment to measure the volume. I can add a section for your application too. Let me know if you are interested, I am using the system and it does work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fish_N_Fool Posted February 20, 2007 Author Report Share Posted February 20, 2007 I'd like to hear more about this 16 pound foam. Any1 else have any ideas that might work Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MicroSalm Posted February 20, 2007 Report Share Posted February 20, 2007 I have this 2 part foam on order. You'd think it would be easy enough to mold it into any desired shape. I heard the stuff expands very fast once mixed so not much is needed for your application. I do not know how it will hold up to heat. http://www.jgreer.com/Foam%20Page.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Travis Posted February 21, 2007 Report Share Posted February 21, 2007 Yes the 16 pound stuff will work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fish_N_Fool Posted February 21, 2007 Author Report Share Posted February 21, 2007 I searched here at TU and on the net both I could not find anything on 16 pound foam. If anyone has a link or info on where to find this stuff please post it here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SwampBaits Posted February 21, 2007 Report Share Posted February 21, 2007 MicroSalm posted a link!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fish_N_Fool Posted February 21, 2007 Author Report Share Posted February 21, 2007 Is that the 16 pound foam? I look at that already and I dont think that would work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vodkaman Posted February 21, 2007 Report Share Posted February 21, 2007 I would like to here your reasons why not, then we could help to find a diferent solution. There is always a solution to every problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nathan Posted February 21, 2007 Report Share Posted February 21, 2007 Fish_N_Fool, I'm not a soft plastic guy,I build wooden lures.I was looking at your design and I think your going too run into a problem when you find the buoyant (spelling) material your looking for.Your bait is going too roll over.You have more buoyant material on the bottom of the bait than you do the top which will cause it too roll over.You need too flip the bait and put the flat part on the bottom.Trust me on this..Nathan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fish_N_Fool Posted February 21, 2007 Author Report Share Posted February 21, 2007 The soft plastic it's self is bouyant with a lot of floater bubbles in it and I know it will work because a made one out of a piece of balsa wood that I glued to the hook and added the pencil lead to and it worked great, floated right side up and high in the water. Thats why the lead is low in the bait to keep it from rolling . So the wood worked fine, but I dont want to carve them all, so I need something that will pour or and least mold somehow. BWT the drawing is NOT to scale on how the bait really is, it's just a ruff draft so you get the idea. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vodkaman Posted February 21, 2007 Report Share Posted February 21, 2007 I still think the solution is the 16lb foam. It is stronger than balsa, almost as buoyant. You already have molding skills. You are going to be making large numbers, so the cost is not an issue, it will be a lot cheaper than whittling yards of balsa. If balsa is good enough, you could even go down to 8lb foam with double the buoyancy of 16lb foam, but less strength. I really cannot think of another solution. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
