Do Soft Plastics Go Bad?

[MDP4BASS]

Hello BR members please help me out

So for my 21 birthday a few days ago my dad gave me all of his old bass fishing lures and soft plastic baits(plus a new st criox rod!) He said he wasnt sure if the plastics spoiled or if they just go bad in general.

These plastics are not dryed out and have been properly sealed and kept in SP 1001 Insert folding cases (made by Soft Pak USA i think?) in a closet for 5-10 YEARS. Most are Zoom products.

So if anyone knows if these soft plastics somehow spoil or just dont work anymore for whatever reason please let me know so i dont waste my time when i actually get to go fish!

THANKS EVERYONE

[JellyMan]

I dont believe so. Just keep them lubed with some oil/scent and you should be alright. As long as they are not dried out. I have had some stuff that I FINALLY threw away that was maybe 8 years old. No issues with them other them I cant remember what prompted me to buy them in the first place and why I had kept them for so long.

[Sun Fish]

I dont think so, as long as they look good I'd throw em.  If left in excess heat they can melt and get yucky though.

[OneShotOneKill]

What would you guys use to provide lubrication to them? I've heard of guys using a small amount of vegetable oil.

 

Never had plastics last long enough to dry out to give it a shot.

[Fishes in trees]

I would use garlic flavored Pam or some other flavored cooking spray, maybe one of the BAG flavored aerosol sprays, maybe just a little bit of olive oil, I don't know for sure.. I think you've got lots of choices.

 

I have had some soft plastic baits out in my unheated barn, sealed in zip lock bags, some of them have been there for at least 8 years, maybe more and they are still good.  How many years have Berkley PULSE worms been discontinued?  At least that long.

[Crestliner2008]

They don't "go bad" per say. As what's been said, if they've avoided the heat and are not sticking to one another, they're fine. As far as what dress them with, go with Megastrike. Put a small amount in the bag, close bag and massage the stuff into it your plastics. You're good to go! Good Luck!

[Sam]

Yep.

 

Add MegaStrike to them either in the bag or when you are ready to use them.

[Downeaster2010]

You can use any fish bait oil.  It is better if you add Anise or Garlic scent oils.  For 6 bucks you can generally

get the fish oil in any tackle store, or Walmart. 

 

I used to fish the bass circuit in the 80's and 90's then quit to chase Bluefin.  Now after 20 years I check my

old rubber worm stock, and all of my worm, craws etc, are still in perfect condition.  I added some worm oil

and bingo back to new condition.

 

If they are stiff, or worm, you can always melt them down and repour them into a different form using

a homemade mold or a POP mold.  I melted a lot of mine down and repoured them into Senko's.

[MDP4BASS]

Awesome! thank you everyone!

[Raul]

10 year old soft plastic baits if maintained properly are by my standards practically spankin new. I got a huge bunch of 25+ year old baits that are as fresh as if they were just poured..

[Catt]

10 year old soft plastic baits if maintained properly are by my standards practically spankin new. I got a huge bunch of 25+ year old baits that are as fresh as if they were just poured..

 

Yelp

[Scott F]

I would not use olive or vegetable oil (pam) on my baits if they were going to be stored for any length of time. Vegetable oil gets really gummy after a while. If you want to keep them lubricated, I'd think that mineral oil would be a better choice. I've had some plastics for 15 years or longer, kept in Plano utility boxes with no added oils and they are just like the day I got them.

[Maxximus Redneckus]

I got 20 + yrold plastics like new

[Maxximus Redneckus]

I got 20 + yrold plastics like new

[SudburyBasser]

I found some of my grandfather's Rebel Worms from the late 1970s that look and feel like new. As others have said, properly stored they should be okay.

[derekxec]

ive got some 8 year old plastic culprit worms that have been behind the seat of my truck the whole time lol i think i used maybe 2 of them so far and they look at feel brand new i check them out once in a while but i never take them out of the truck haha...but they are greasy as hell