So I decided to try pouring my own soft plastics, and made up a few batches of lures over the weekend. I really wanted to give them a try, and all those Snake River smallmouth reports really got me wanting to catch some smallies. Well, there was no way I was going to make it up to The Snake, but I wanted to see if they really were in a bit smaller river closer to home. Well, I remembered a nice deep slow run that had looked bassy to me before, so I figured I'd give it a try. The first deep hole on the run brought hits on every cast, but I missed or lost the first few. The little buggers ripped the claws off my crayfish imitation, but I tossed it out one more time, and I finally got one. I put a fresh bait on and began working my way up throught the deeper holes. I landed ten in the first hour. 8 took my new crayfish, and 2 took a Big Hammer swim bait. I was pretty happy with how healthy they look. Very chunky. After that, the water got more shallow, and the fish weren't around. About this time I a terrible odor wafter over and I realized there was a putrifying deer carcass in the water about ten feet from me. I'd been up wind and concentrating on fishing, so I hadn't noticed it. Well, I was out of there to find another good run. Didn't find it. The next place brought three little dinks on Gulp Minnows, and then I had to leave for work. All in all a pretty fun couple of hours, I ended up with 13 smallmouth, and some pretty decent ones. I can't wait to get back up and explore some more for them.
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i have been wanting to try to pour some plastics just havnt got around to it were did you buy your stuff if you dont mind me asking. They look great.
Were you on the Utah side or Idaho?
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Thanks. I got them from Lure Craft:
http://www.lurecraft.com/catalog.cfm/mol...stic-molds
They have a pretty good selection of molds, dyes, etc. It's fairly affordable too if you don't mind trimming off the scraps. Those aluminum top pouring molds are expensive. I'm going to order some more stuff tomorrow when I get paid. It's pretty easy, I just heat my plastic up in the microwave. The only trouble comes is when you get some chunks that haven't quite melted and they glurp out while you're pouring. It's really addictive trying to get new color combinations, pour two colored lures, etc. I've already used more than half a quart of plastic since Friday night.
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Oh yeah, I was on the Idaho side.
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keep an eye on ebay you can get some of the metal molds on there cheap from time to time. I am going to have to get some and try them out. I am going down to tubedudes next week and he is going to show me how to do some hardbaits. I am excited for that.
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That's good advice, I will definitely keep an eye out. I was thinking about making some hardbaits, but I find I fish soft plastics so much more that I'm probably good on cranks right now.
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$85 bucks for a mold is to much for me but i have seen them on ebay for around 20. They are only 2 per mold but alot cheaper.
I have been painting spoons and they cost me about $3 per 10 to make and the hard baits are 6 bucks for 5 of them not sure how much materials are yet. It doesnt hurt as bad when you loose one for that price.
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Yeah maybe when I finish school and am making the "big bucks" I can afford those, but I'll have to settle for the silicone molds for around $10 for now. Eventually I want to start making my own molds and own designs, but I just don't have the time right now.
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Those were a couple of nice bass out of a small river.
I went through alot of jigs the last two Saturdays and it gets expensive. Are there any molds for spider jigs? Do you find that it saves you money over store bought? I may have to do some internet research to find out more.
SteelFisher
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Well thanks, I was surprised at the overall size there myself. I just started using spider jigs, and I'm a huge fan already. They really cleaned up for me on the largemouth last week. From what I understand, spider jigs are too difficult to hand pour. I know Lure Craft has the skirts for them. You then take a double tail grub and heat the head with a hot glue gun tip and then stick the skirt on to it. When it cools you have your spider jig. I think in the long run it saves money pouring yourself. Right now I'm just getting started, so I'm buying lots of molds which are about $10 each. Once I have them though, it's pretty cheap. A gallon of the extra soft and flexible plastic costs $36, but they estimate you can make about 600 worms with that. The dyes are a little over $3 an ounce, but you seriously only need a few drops tops. Glitter is around $3.75 for a 2oz bottle, but once again, a little goes a long way. Overall I think it's quite a bit cheaper, especially when you start shelling out for the nice soft hand pour baits. Mostly I just think it's a lot of fun experimenting with things and getting some really unique colors. I made some pearl green and silver slug gos last night that I'm anxious to try out. I've been tying flies for years, and this is another fun way for me to create. That being said, I made up some crayfish and dragon fly nymph patterns tonight that I'm going to throw at the smallies tomorrow. They're even better on a fly rod.
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do you add sent to them?
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also i have always wondered how long it takes for the plastic to set in the molds. IF you dont mind i would like to come help you one day and check it out before i jumped into it.
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They sell some scent that you can add, but I haven't ordered any yet. I do put them in a zip lock with baker's salt and YUM shad attractant while they're still a little warm. I need to start trying impregnating them with salt. Not only does it make them tastier to the fish, but it effects buoyancy as well. I'm going to try to make some salty slug-gos. I forgot to mention another positive about pouring yourself, you can melt your mistakes, or baits that the fish have torn up, and use them again.
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It usually only takes a couple of minutes to cool. The thicker baits may take another minute. One thing I discovered the hard way, it to be careful how you handle them while they're warm, the oils in your fingers will really dull the surface when you touch it. If you want to come watch, that would be cool. I think you'll like it.
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The best way to do your own spider jigs is make silicone skirted jigs with sparse skirts. Silicone skirt pads come in an endless variety of colors, then you can tip it with any kind of trailer you like. I.E. craw worms double tail or single tail grubs pork rind whatever you like. You can tie the silicone to the head with fly tying thread size A or larger or wire tie them.
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That's a great tip, and certainly easier than melting plastic together. I will give it a shot. Thanks.
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