Soft plastics go bad??

[switz]

Ok--so here's the run down....... I have a rather large soft tacklebox and it has 6 hard plastic storage cases in it. All of these are stuffed full of tackle. 4 of the 6 storage cases are nothin but soft plastics. About half of the soft plastics are stored in the original zip lock baggies in the plastic storage cases and the other half are just lying in/on the plastic cases. Will these that are just lying in/on the plastic cases start to disfigure or lose their original shape? Second, will the soft plastics that are in the zip lock baggies start to disfigure or lose their original shape due to the cases being stuffed full? If so, would you still use them or toss them? Lastly, my hard baits have 2-3 baits per compartment in the plastic storage cases. Will this mess them up over time?

I know I probably should get another bag or a larger one but.............

[Pa Angler]

I haven't ever had any lose shape or go bad but some colors will bleed into other colors so keep like colors together and separate from others.

[Avalonjohn44]

Will these that are just lying in/on the plastic cases start to disfigure or lose their original shape?  

It is possible.  Some soft plastics will melt together with other hard plastics, such as the surface of a tackle box.  Folks call it worm burns.  They can ruin crankbaits and tackle boxes.  To be safe, I would check it every so often, and whenever possible, keep your soft plastics in the baggie they came in.

[Fish Chris]

"WHEN GOOD PLASTICS GO BAD" !!!   Sounds like one of those TV shows on Spike :-) LOL

Seriously though, yes, some plastic baits will go bad quicker than others. Being kept in a cool, dry place will greatly increase there life expectancy. I'd say that quality plastic baits, if kept reasonably well, should last at least 7 to 10 years. But if they are kept in a tackle bag that spends a lot of time on the deck of a boat, maybe only 2 or 3 years..... at which point, they might still be usable, but are likely to rip, or tear a lot easier.

The other day, I pulled out a Zoom Fluke, that was about 5 years old (for sightfishing) and when I tried to rig it, it basically crumbled.

Peace,

Fish

[Raul]

Heat is the number one enemy of soft plastics, some may even melt, so don 't leave them cooking under the sun, it will also cause kinking; sunlight is the number two enemy of soft plastics, UV light from sunlight degrades the metrial making it brittle and fades the color, so son 't leave them under the sun getting a tan; ozone is the number three enemy of soft plastics, atmospheric air contains small ammounts of ozone, the more your baits are in contact with the air the more they will be in contact with ozone, ozone destroys the chemical bonds in the polymer, the baits turn brittle, so don 't leave them breathing, they ain 't gonna choke to death in a sealed plastic bag.

Yes, soft plastic baits go bad. If kept properly stored and cared they can last decades, I still fish with soft plastics I purchased a couple of decades ago and they are as fresh as the day I bought them.

[Bankbeater]

The only plastics that I have ever had go bad were some with salt inside them. I think that moisture got in the bag and when the salt started to break down it ate up the plastic.

[bassmaster8100]

They should be ok if kept in a cool enviroment, if they get too much heat they may melt or stick together. Also as someone has already mentioned some colors will bleed into other colors. Keep somewhere where they dont get alot of heat and they should be ok.

[Top]

my baits are fixing to be left for 15 months in my storage shed... I sincerely hope that they make it... the wife will not be very happy with me if I get home and tell her that I need to go out and buy all new soft plastics... I have become quite the hoarder lately.

AL

[Long Mike]

I can give you the answer in one word. Keep your plastics in their original bags, in a cool, dry place, out of the Sun, and they will last forever.  Uh, I ain't too smart.  I think that was more than one word.