Soon after I received the Poison Swingtail mold I cast a batch and they came out beautifully, as Do-it molded jigs do. I had purchased this with the idea of skirting it, of course, and using a double tail trailer to make a reasonable facsimile of the GYCB Hula Grub which has served me well for more than 20 years.
Then I thought about my tub of baits labelled "Creatures" and thought further that this category of soft plastic baits utilizes so many flippers, flaps and flanges that a skirt isn't really needed. Could I get rid of the shaft that holds the skirt? Researching a way to do this I came upon a thread in TackleUnderground about silicone jig molds. Among the comments was weighinalimit's answer to smalljaw's question about using silicone to make temporary inserts for molds: "I've been doing this with Do-it molds for years." Let's have a look at this procedure:
Those who've tried dishwashing detergent to smooth silicone while applying have noticed that I didn't bother. But there is plenty where I want it!
After the silicone had cured for 24 hours I used a sawing motion at a very low angle with a brand new razor blade. The #11 blade in the X-acto knife was used to carefully pick out a few flecks of silicone that had gotten into the body cavities and to trim the back of the jig head.
Everything goes better with Drop Out.
I went a bit heavy with the overpour on the right but I do want a small dome so I can grasp it with linemans pliers and lift the jig out. If the sprue breaks at the jig head, I get a grip on the wire with needle nose and, with adequately colorful language, jerk the jig out that way. The "physics" of sprue demolding is preferred, however.
The original wire form loop has been cut off and the wire rebent. Note the tweak to the right on these loops-to-be. I did this so when I make the final bend I can go ever so slightly below the wire that exits the jig head. Then, when I tweak the tag end back, there will be no gap.
The most difficult - and inconsistent - part of this project was bending the relatively heavy wire with my small but good quality round nose pliers. If I consistently catch boatloads of bass with this bait, I'll contact Do-it and suggest a Swingtail Creature mold in next year's new releases. Let them bend the wire!
Here's the first one ready to go. That's a TJ's Tackle Crinkle Copper powder painted head leading a Mudbug Z Man Boar HogZ. The sharp-eyed reader may be wondering about the small red thing on the bottom of the bait. It's a rubber skirt collar cut in half lengthwise and very, very carefully pulled over the hook point. Leave just enough space between the hook shank and the ElazTech to insert the nozzle of a container of Loctite super glue gel, squeeze out a dab, then press and hold for say, 20 seconds.
I hope to get back to you in a couple weeks with a pic of this rig hanging from a smallie's jaw.
