DIY Swimbait

Hey fish and chips nice baits. Also way cool knife jigs. Did you use a lure craft mold for those paddle tail baits on the yellow board? I was curious if you had the mold number. The lure craft molds are really hard to see on their website the pictures are really distorted. Has anyone tried any of their molds. I would like to make some 6 or 7 inch baits

I made the mold for those.  The lurecraft 627 (6 1/4 inch) is supposed to be a really close copy of the fishtrap.  My mold is showing its age so I spoke with lurecraft about a close RTV mold to replace my POP mold (going on 6 years).  That is the one they recommended.  I need to get some more heat stabilizer and softener so may add that mold in along with some drop shot worms.  I have done well on the 6 inch swimbaits.  I look forward to trying out the 7.5 inch ring swimbaits this year but the others have always been a standby. 

My brother in-law did well on some green with gold flake swimbaits I made last year.  I may play around with some darker colors this year.  Most I have made to match sardines and anchovies.  I want to play around with color and contrast more this year.  I just poured some black baits with red and green glitter that look really good.  Trouble is they were from all my torn baits, so the color may be hard to reproduce!  I may also try some chartruse baits, or at least tails.

How hard is your plastic if you have to add softener? The regrinds I got some were hard and some regular and the regular seem way to soft. I am gonna try adding some hardener. I don't have any stabilizer yet but if I have to remelt a chunk I try to cut it up so everything is the same size to being with. I also try to heat a minute and then let sit then heat taking breaks and stirring. Once melted I am gonna try to keep all my colors soft by just a few seconds every now and then and stirring in extra material. All in the name of science I guess

I was wondering, if you add a piece of cable or wire, would it be less likely to rip the tail off? A little reinforcement so to speak. Im asking.

I don't think the wire would work well, the plastic would slide right off if it once torn.  Thin cable might work a bit better as the plastic could anchor to it somewhat.  I have seen some baits with a strip of foil or mylar in it to strengthen it, but the reviews are mixed.  My trouble is keeping the stuff in place while pouring.  I just recast all my ripped up baits so torn baits don't bother me too much.  Once torn up they pretty much start loosing their action anyways.  I am not sure an insert would keep it together enough to keep it working, if that makes sense.

I am using medium/regular plastic.  I have used some saltwater stuff, but that is too stiff IMO.  I use the softener when I remelt my old saltwater baits, and to soften my medium plastic for bass worms and drop shot baits.  Not much, just a squirt to give them more action.  I find swim baits due better with medium or maybe a slightly harder plastic.  It gives the tails more action and they displace more water.  Some guys will go between medium and hard for their swimbaits, a 50/50 mix I believe.

Keeping multiple colors hot is an art.  I use a hot plate to lengthen the times between re-heats.  It works ok, doubling my working time.

Cool thanks. Im always trying to engineer a better homemade product, you could always add a dash of chili powder 

I still have some of Matt's old lures that he sold me at GS3.   

Those are vintage lures now.  They may be worth something in a few more years!  LOL.  I have some tinsel jigs and swim baits I made for GMS3.  Most have been torn up by lings, but I still have a few.  I am always in search of that one perfect bait.  Those tinsel jigs sure produce at times.

I may see if I can find some glow in the dark additive.  I would not mind trying the large glow swimbaits for pacific halibut.  The large B2 squid are getting expensive.  I did some chartreuse baits last night, I bet that color would work well as a rockfish fly.

Cool thanks. Im always trying to engineer a better homemade product, you could always add a dash of chili powder 

Chilli P's my signature yo.

Those are vintage lures now.  They may be worth something in a few more years!  LOL.  I have some tinsel jigs and swim baits I made for GMS3.  Most have been torn up by lings, but I still have a few.  I am always in search of that one perfect bait.  Those tinsel jigs sure produce at times.

I may see if I can find some glow in the dark additive.  I would not mind trying the large glow swimbaits for pacific halibut.  The large B2 squid are getting expensive.  I did some chartreuse baits last night, I bet that color would work well as a rockfish fly.

I still have a few tinsel and the octo baits you gave me when we bought Ethen's kayak !!!! I am taking them to GS9
Jeff

The tinsel ones are money!  Never seems to wear out!