Making Your Own Soft Plastics

[Avid Angler FL]

I'm starting to get interested in making my own soft plastic baits, but I'm not sure where to start. How much would the basic set up cost? And are homemade hand-poured baits a lot better than brand-name, store-bought baits?? Thanks, Garrett.

[James Yalem]

I used to make many of my own plastic baits. I would make baits that I could not purchase. Check out Barlow's tackle for all the materials to make your own plastic baits. I'll admit that I no longer bother to make plastic baits because so many different types are on the market. This wasn't true 20-30 years ago.

[Avid Angler FL]

I've received Barlow's catalogs over the years but never really looked into detail about their plastics materials for making your own. But aren't hand-pours generally more bouyant? and isn't the plastic softer? I just think it'd be interesting to throw a bait that I made myself so that no one could duplicate me. Idk, guess it's just the competitive nature of bass fishing !

[Jig Man]

Places to look are Barlow's, Jann's Netcraft, Lure Craft and Bears's just to name a few. Also you can go to tackleunderground and read all kinds of tips in the soft plastic forum.

There are a few things you will need no matter where you buy:

plastisol

coloring

glitter

molds

melting method

holding containers

gloves for hot items

[Munkin]

Places to look are Barlow's, Jann's Netcraft, Lure Craft and Bears's just to name a few. Also you can go to tackleunderground and read all kinds of tips in the soft plastic forum.

There are a few things you will need no matter where you buy:

plastisol

coloring

glitter

molds

melting method

holding containers

gloves for hot items

I cannot stress the gloves part enough!!!! Here is a pic of my hand after a few days that I accidently poured about half a cup of hot plastic on.

Allen

[FL_Sharpshooter]

I cannot stress the gloves part enough!!!! Here is a pic of my hand after a few days that I accidently poured about half a cup of hot plastic on.

Allen

Ouch!! Looks like something out of a horror movie. Just a reminder to keep you safe though, I guess is how you have to look at it. I wish speedy healing to you, hope everyone learns from that pic.

[Mattlures]

I have a picture like that in my shop for a reminder to all who work there. i have never burnt myself when I was new or careful. Its when your super confident and have done it a million times that you loos your fear of molten plastic. I have had 2 good burns like yours. It hurts sooo bad and it takes a long time to heal. The scars will be noticable for a couple years until they fade away.

[Munkin]

I have a picture like that in my shop for a reminder to all who work there. i have never burnt myself when I was new or careful. Its when your super confident and have done it a million times that you loos your fear of molten plastic. I have had 2 good burns like yours. It hurts sooo bad and it takes a long time to heal. The scars will be noticable for a couple years until they fade away.

It was going to be the last pour of the night just trying to pour the tails perfectly on some flukes. There is a small lip in my microwave and when I went to pull out the cup I bumped it. Well the cup was full and a wave of molted plastic ran over my fingers. That pic was taken about a week after it happened as my fingers were so swollen it loked like I was wearing a winter glove.

Allen

[Mattlures]

I had an employee burn herself by sticking a spoon down into the cup and the plastic on top was solid while the plastic below was molten. When the spoon popped through, some hot plastic squirted out onto her hand. Another common way to burn your self is by stirring to hard. Its easy to splash a little on your hand if your not looking at what your stirring.

[Avid Angler FL]

Ouch! This seems a lot more dangerous than it should be, unless people just aren't wearing gloves. I still would like to try pouring my own though. How much would the basic setup cost??

[Jig Man]

Check out some of the sites I listed. You can find starter kits that are mostly all inclusive.

[Avid Angler FL]

Thanks! I'll check em out!

[SENKOSAM]

To answer a few of your questions:

are homemade hand-poured baits a lot better than brand-name, store-bought baits??

Depends on softness and design. You can modify the softness of a plastic by adding softener. Soft plastic is more buoyant than harder (salt water) plastic and some brand name plastics are too hard, limiting lure action.

Start up costs should not be a consideration if you really want to pursue this as a hobby. Does it save money over the long run? Probably not, but modifications to personal store-bought favorites is satisfying.

Making a plaster mold is a cheap way to preserve a design or to copy a bait.

Some jig trailer are outrageous in price and now I can duplicate them as needed.

Old plastic lures can be remelted (but only to the degree that color and softness is not changed).

Lurecraft.com is the place to start. Get their cat.

[Avid Angler FL]

Wow $200 bucks right off the bat? I could buy a few dozen bags of my favorite plastics for that price, but then again, once you make the initial investment, you can pour out your favorite plastics anytime. I'll probably wait a little while before jumping right into making my own plastics. But I could see myself in the near future sitting out in the garage, and experimenting with different colors and patterns, and maybe make the next go-to bait for myself!