Octopus Jigs

Yeah I would like to see a close up of the zip tie method.I tried but it was too late..only got one two or three drop try and it fell apart on my work bench ( a small rip i the bulb head just melted open and the head was separated  then as I tried to rubber band it around my jig it just became worse and worse and was done

Try melting it back together with a lighter? I've done it with a bighammer swimbait and it held up great

Ordered...can't wait to use them this season! Thank you!

Ordered...can't wait to use them this season! Thank you!

They're in the mail Dave. Thanks

Like mentioned before, I have issues with getting a consistent pour on these baits. I purchase 5 gallons of the heavy duty plastic and don't add hardener. My molds are hand made plaster, which works really well with a release coat of mod-podge. The issue stems from an inconsistency with the plastic, as I don't have a bucket shaker to keep the hardener up in the plastic before it heats. This is really a must have to keep the plastic tough for rockfish.

The second issue is the molds themselves. Plaster basically hardens into a rock. When I'm first pouring, the molds are cool. I can let the cavity set up and cool, pour the cavity out, and it leaves a solid "head" on these baits to keep intact with use. Multiple pours heat the molds, thereby changing the cooling duration. I have three molds for this bait. After two pour sessions, or six baits, the molds are hot and it is hard to time when to empty the cavities. After two sessions, I end up losing a bait or two.

It is still a work in progress. I believe that the next step would be to make a jighead to suspend in the head cavity of an aluminum, two piece, top pour mold. It would not need a release coat, the baits wouldn't have to be hand trimmed, and most importantly, the integrity of the bait would not be compromised by having to poke any holes in it.

Can you take a pic of how you rigged them?

Rig the octo or the sandab?

works on swimbaits but the octo just kept getting wider and would not mind meld...does melt onto your thumb really well though   

Try melting it back together with a lighter? I've done it with a bighammer swimbait and it held up great

Im by no  means complaining and love the baits was just sad the first try came apart after taking it off for the day and could not be used again..I did not toss it(scots blood lol ) and the bits and pieces are in my melt /broke baits/ pieces bag,for some monster bait pour project one rainy day

my only reason to report back was to offer feedback...i'm not bummed cause I think you sent me an extra and I still had my other from the order too and the cool dabs which are of course tougher plastics

I'm only bummed the red and white one was no mas--I maybe should have put it in a cool place...it was rigged with a big steel leader  and hook  hard crimped so it sat outside my tackle box in the back bucket and then my warm  outside work bench for two days on my covered porch which must may have helped it to come apart..next time I'll put it my tackle box after using

nice baits! i'm going to order a couple. thanks!

here's a picture of my homemade octopus slow fall jig.



 

nice baits! i'm going to order a couple. thanks!

here's a picture of my homemade octopus slow fall jig.



 

Very nice! 

I like the use of the bass worms.  Sort of a Octupi-Umbrella rig!

I like this one too!

works on swimbaits but the octo just kept getting wider and would not mind meld...does melt onto your thumb really well though   

Try melting it back together with a lighter? I've done it with a bighammer swimbait and it held up great

Try super glue. I've seen that stuff glue inner tubes together after being torn at the beach

Can't wait to use these bad boys at GS!!!

Thanx for the sander tip. never thought of that. I've poured plaster molds in the past and they do have a lot of bubbles. I'll try that next time. I know with RTV they put it in a vaccum to remove the bubbles.

Ordered...can't wait to use them this season! Thank you!

Thank you! they arrived  and wow, these look awesome. I can't wait to give them a try!
Thanks again!

nice baits! i'm going to order a couple. thanks!

here's a picture of my homemade octopus slow fall jig.



 

Very nice! 

Indeed, verry nice bait.