Swimbait Maintenance

[Angry John]

This is a section of tips listed on a guys page that i have not considered doing.  I fish a lot of swim baits and have never done any of these things.  Considering the costs of these baits i am reconsidering trying some if not all of these things.  I do use mendit and if your not doing that i have no idea how you can afford to fish...

 

 

Swimbait Maintenance

Have you ever wondered how guys are getting 15-20 or more fish per soft swimbait when yours are getting torn up after only a few fish? There are a few tips that every swimbait thrower should do to get the most out oh their baits. The first thing I do when I get a new bait is to glue all the potential weak spots. Anything that protrudes out of the plastic should be reinforced with super glue.  I will gently pull back the plastic away from the hook until there is a small hole just big enough to put a drop of glue into it. I will do this where the hook eye comes out of the bait and any other metal eyes that are used to add hooks. If you have problems with getting the glue all over your baits just put a drop on some cardboard and dip a tooth pick into the glue, then apply the glue with the tooth pick. It is also important to inspect your bait after every fish.  Check for tears and make the necessary repairs with Mend-it before you make another cast. This will keep them from tearing any further.Now that you have your bait reinforced and you are ready to fish it you will need to apply some lube to the bait. Most scents that will stay on the bait for a long time will make a good lube. I prefer Pro Cure and Mega-strike because they have the consistency of Vaseline. Most guys know how important it is to lube your Swimbaits because it increases your odds of hooking the fish when you get bit. The lube will also help your bait resist tears. Even if you don’t think scents and attractants will get you more bites you should still apply a generous amount of lube to your Swimbaits. If for nothing else it will prolong their life.Another common problem with soft Swimbaits is they tend to get warped or twisted when they are not stored properly. It is usually very easy and quick to straighten them out. Soft plastic will return to its original shape if you put it in boiling water. It is not a good idea to submerge the glue on eyes in the boiling water because they could become clouded or fall off, but the rest of the bait will be fine. Dip the body of the bait in the water for about *** minutes and then suspend it in cold water until the bait is completely cooled. This should bring it back to its original shape. Now maybe you will get more fish per bait.