How to Custom Color Soft Plastics After Buying?

[smalljaws99]

I would like to custom paint some soft plastic baits like Zoom flukes.  I know about the Dip It stuff but the color choices are very limited.  I am looking instead for a way to take a thin paint brush and paint on a lateral line and different colors using some different dyes and hues.

I was in a huge chain Craft store and they literally had hundreds of different types of paints, dyes and permanent markers for things like porcelain and paper and china in a huge variety of colors and hues.

Can anyone tell me if one or more of these things will work on soft plastic lures and if so, what is the best one(s) to buy.

Thanks ever so much.

[SwampMan]

LureCraft sells a type of paint that is intended to be used on soft plastics.  You might call them up and see what the paints called, that would give you a better idea of what to look for.  Chances are though you probably won't find what you are looking for.

[smalljaws99]

What about using the same dye that lure makers use to tint soft plastics when they pour them.  Couldn't one dip a paint brush in that and use it????

Thanks

[SwampMan]

It will either fade after it hits the water or pretty much wash off.

[pete s]

a laminated bait like shad. black back and pearl belly can be dipped in dye to make red shad,blue shad,chatreuse shad,green shad and so on. it is messy and bleed all over the place. the early colored laminated worms were made this way.   they all started out as shad, black back and pearl belly.  pete s.

[ominousone]

doesn't spike-it makes some soft plastic dyes?

[WidowMaker]

Im not too sure about adding lines to soft plastics after they are poured because this is usually done during the pouring process. But i do know a couple of guys who uses a needle to thread flashabou down the sides of tube baits.

But if you were to have black and pearl laminated shadd bodies and want to change them to black and chartreuse laminated it can be done. It can also be done with a minimum waste of the Spike It. You should get a piece of clear or pearl soft plastic and dip it several times into chartreuse Spike It. Then place it in the bag of shadd bodies and add some worm oil. Over a period of two to three days the chartreuse will leech out of the dyed worm and onto the shadd bodies. Remember to squeeze the bag and move the baits around every once in a while. This way you can check the bag daily and remove the dipped piece of plastic when you get the right shade of color. You cant adjust the shades of color by dipping straight into the bottle of Spike It...when dipping directly into the bottle you are stuck with what you get.

[SENKOSAM]

Spike It will bleed throughout the lure and into other lures.

To do a quick laminate, I take a pipe cleaner, wet it in one color dye and swab the bait where I want the dye to be. Easier and less is used. Of course, if you do make a two color lure, both colors will bleed throughout the plastic and blend into one. I depends on how much you use.

To paint stripes or dots, I use Spike It Chunk Paint which will not bleed and stays on the surface of the lure in an opaque color. Use white Chunk Paint beneath florescent orange or chartreuse for the brighest, true florescent color.

There are a few other brands which are cheaper but Spike It service is great.

Here's an example of a fire tiger pattern. (The black glitter is .090)

(The chartreuse shad--- pumpkin over chartreuse)