What to Do With Gently Used Soft Plastics?

[Bazoo]

I've found I often will try a fluke, or worm, or other soft plastic for a while, and without any luck. Then when I switch, I have one that has holes in it, and or is slightly discolored from dirt/slime. I find it hard to put that used one back in the bag, but I also don't want to throw it away. I have relegated a section of my box for used soft plastics. This in turn causes the red ones to turn the others pink. Not to mention that it turns into a catchall compartment. What does everyone else do with those gently used soft plastics?

[WRB]

You either use a separate zip lock bag for each color or put them in trash at the end of the day.

Tom

[ElGuapo928]

I’ve got a plastic coffee can I toss them in - every so often the kids empty it out and drag them off for Lord knows what.

[Jig Man]

You can us mend it on some and discard the rest unless you have a way to melt them and make something else.

[FrnkNsteen]

If they are bad enough that I don't want to put back with the others, I usually toss them.

 

Or,... Throw them in a container together for others and use them when when casting around the yard for practice or checking setups.

[scaleface]

If its still useable ,I put it back in the sack . Unusable plastics are being saved  because I plan on melting them and pouring in a mold. Some baits such as stick worms , get snipped in half and used as a ned 

[Susky River Rat]

I use them till I use them or they are completely useable. 

[bp_fowler]

Like others have said, I carry a ziploc bag specifically for used soft plastics.  I’ll use them again for their intended purpose or trim the damaged section and use them for trailers or what have you.

[you]

I use them as long as I can until trimming torn portions, turning the bait upside down, etc. no longer work, then they go in the trash.

 

Occasionally I think about buying a few molds and gear to remelt everything, but never have. I'd rather tie more flies. Already have the gear for that.

[keagbassr]

I put it back in the package, as you never know when you'll get on a 'hot bite' with that particular bait and eventually that gently used bait is the last in the bag and is in better condition than the torn up ones on the boat floor. Yup been there done that.

[casts_by_fly]

If its unusable then its trash.  But it takes a lot to be unusable.  Just having holes in it is fine.  If the head is all beat up from fish and cover then nip the front 1/4" off or whatever it takes and its fine.  Mend it could work too if you bring it home.  If that takes too much off the bait then does it work as something else like a jig trailer?  If its just dirty with a couple holes then it gets a rinse off and goes back in the package when its dry.

[AlabamaSpothunter]

My good friend's kid is an awesome young man, he got worm molds for Xmas last year, and I've been saving, sorting by color, and then donating them to him since that time.

 

Apparently, he's all the rage in the neighborhood, all the boys come over and make worms in garage.   The best recycling I've ever done.  

[Pat Brown]

@AlabamaSpothunterI am getting Jake molds for Christmas this year!  We have 3 coffee containers stuffed full of plastic for him to melt down.  Cheap poop baits here I come 💲💲💲💲

[AlabamaSpothunter]

Just now, Pat Brown said:

@AlabamaSpothunterI am getting Jake molds for Christmas this year!  We have 3 coffee containers stuffed full of plastic for him to melt down.  Cheap poop baits here I come 💲💲💲💲

Monkey just told me I need a son so I can buy him fishing stuff 🤣

 

That's awesome, and I can't imagine a better present for Jake than those molds.  

 

I'd like to try it down the road as well, making your plastics sounds fun as heck.  

[Alex from GA]

Use them until they're too short then discard.

[Bazoo]

Interesting replies, thanks all for sharing. I knew you could save them for remelting, but it didn't occur to me until just now that my son (only 4) may want to do it some day. I don't really have an interest in it myself. I remember what it was like being a kid. That's an awesome idea.

[Bankbeater]

I use mine as jig trailers. When the plastic worms get too small for trailers I use them for t-rigged Ned rigs. 

[fin]

Save them for the next pandemic 😉

 

Seriously though, when the supply chain broke, for once I was glad I was a bit of a packrat.

 

I don't like putting them back in the same bag, but sometimes I do. I prefer to put them in a can, keeping the reds and other troublesome colors separate in a bag(s).

[J._Bricker]

Mend-It, surprisingly I found out if you caught a fish on a bait it’ll still catch ‘em after they’ve been repaired. Truth be told, I’ve used some bait’s for the past two years until they’re unrepairable. Not to mention it hasn’t hurt my wallet at all in keeping the bait monkey at bay. YMMV

[ironbjorn]

If the plastics aren't interacting to cause burns or melting, I find the unique color changes to be really good sometimes. 

[GRiver]

I usually put them back in the same bag, if they are not too bad. I store mine in original bags or clam shells. I just put the bait in backwards in the bag, if the tails are on the right, I’ll reverse put the tail on the left. I’ll use it first next time, then they go in the coffee jar to use as trailers or Ned’s. After I’ve used them up they get melted down into some open pour molds. 
I don’t think I’ve ever caught anything on them, but it’s fun. I don’t separate colors or anything, got some unique colors sometimes.

[Big Hands]

Mend-It for the win, as well as a cautery pen to make repairs. If the repair is successful, I was them in the garage utility sink by hand with a few drops of Dawn dish soap. Set them on a paper towel to dry, and then back in the bag where they can regain their slime coat and see action once again.

 

The cost of soft plastics I use are not cheap (Senkos, Keitech, Jackall among others). When the bite is hot and/or you are losing them, the cost starts to add up quick. 

[padlin]

I throw the still somewhat salvageable ones in the top of the tackle box for use later, but seldom do. Once I get home home and open the box’s to dry/air out I end up tossing the used baits 9 out of 10 times. If they are still pretty good and not mucked up they go back on the bags. The bass don’t seem to care.

[txchaser]

On 10/13/2023 at 4:42 PM, J._Bricker said:

Mend-It, surprisingly I found out if you caught a fish on a bait it’ll still catch ‘em after they’ve been repaired. Truth be told, I’ve used some bait’s for the past two years until they’re unrepairable. Not to mention it hasn’t hurt my wallet at all in keeping the bait monkey at bay. YMMV

Mend it, set in the sun for 5-10 mins, ready to go. 

[Cgolf]

Since I fish slider pro heads, I cut off a rigged bait and keep the rigged baits in a couple of shoebox sized totes with holes cut in the bottom for drainage. Over the years this has worked really well for me and I lose very few hooks due to rust, mostly cheap jigheads.

 

With the cost of some plastics now, they are worth more than the hook or jig and just the act of unrigging them could make them less reliable when rerigged. 

 

When fishing a Rage Menace or Arsenal Assault bug I expect to get 10-20 largies per bait. If fishing smallies, I generally get way less fish per bait. I know its debatable, but it seems that a roughed up bait can get a lot more bites than a fresh one.