Eyes on soft plastics...Advise?

[Willy]

I've seen Eyes on and in soft baits a lot.

Can any of the vets here suggest techniques they have incountered for adding eyes onto and into lures they pour?

Through my experience I do much better with a softbait in the water that has some sort of eye either added on it, or poured into it.

I assume the preditory nature of a fish drives it to attack when a few elements of a bait are identified. As a fighter I know the eyes are a very important tipoff of intention and emotion. Preditory fish are likely no different, If they see big eyes when they do their initial split second assesment of a passing bait fish, or in our case lure, that, combined with a few other quickly identifiable things, triggers the primal "hit it kill it" instinct.

For that reason, I would like to EYE some of my baits.

Tips?

Thanks all,

Willy

[Delw]

Glue your eyes on then dip the bait in clear plastic.

Delw

[Willy]

Hot clear plastic Del?

Glue them with what, super glue? Epoxy?

Thanks for the tips.

Willy

[bojon]

Willy,I have done as said above ,glueing with super glue then dipping in clear.This works,and I also used this method when making a trout tube with a red thread lateral line glued on,then clear dipped.You can also get a can of PVC cement,and mix it with the lure dyes,dip the head of a nail,into the mix,and quickly touch the background color of the eye(I use yellow)then put a black eye center with a smaller nail.Not much neatnes here ,but it will work.DO THIS OUTDOORS because of the vapors.You also can use a MKE, (I THINK I"M RIGHT),solvent to thin the glue and extend the use time.I belive that the paints for soft plastic lures is fomulated pretty much the same.Any chemists out there?

The eye will really stick to the soft plastic lures,when using the pvc glue.It seems to bind into the outer surface of the plastic.You do not have to clean the plastic before applying the eyes.

[bojon]

Willy,Send your email address to me and I will send a photo of how I used the PVC glue and dye.I forgot to mention to use in small lots only.Really sets up quickly.For a brush I use a flared paper match match stick.The photo was on my old scanner bed and the tubes look a bit flattened,but you will get the idea.

[earthworm77]

I've done this extensively on tube baits that I hand dip.

To get started, get a 10" long 1/4" diameter steel rod. I fill a pyrex with plastic in the color I need and also fill another with clear.

Dip the rod to your desired size, diameter in the colored Pyrex. When it cools enough to be worked on, stick on some adhesive 3D eyes. The glue on them will hold them in position long enough for you to re dip the bait in the clear which will laminate the eyes inside the bait permanantly. It really works nicely. I know I have photos, let me check out what I have and I'll post 'em up.