Adventures in lure making - soft plastics!!!

[mainbutter]

I began hand pouring my own soft plastics for the first time ever today!

5 gallons of liquid plastic and an array of things to add to it, everything I'd need from colors and glitter to softener and salt and scents, will provide more supplies than I'm able to use up for a long long time.

I just finished my first small batch of senkos. After a tank test I'd say they're even superior to actual senkos, as I use a pretty darn high quality (and fairly expensive) plastic.

[Bushwacker7]

Nice job! Looks like a great color.

[river rat316]

Which plastic compound are you using? I have used calhouns for years, but the bubble problem is getting to be to much to get around, I still have like 10 gallons of it left over from last summer that I couldn't use unless I was using my mixing pot then the bubbles would all mix to the top and not effect the pour coming out of the bottom of the pot. Here is one of my favorite colors.

And another

[mainbutter]

I use lurecraft 502, and I have plenty of softener to make custom softnesses for various applications. I'd highly recommend it, but have also heard great things about M-F as well.

The only thing about lurecraft is it MUST MUST MUST be mixed well before and during cooking. Bubbles in LC 502 is typically due to not mixing. I use a paint mixer attachment for my powerdrill to mix my 5 gallon bucket up very well, scraping the bottom of the bucket a bit, before ladeling my liquid plastic into pyrex cups for cooking, and every 45-60 seconds in the microwave I stir up the plastic well.

[Walleye11123]

Do either of you make custom small batches for others?

[mainbutter]

I haven't done it yet, only been pouring for myself so far. I haven't even had a chance to fish these lures yet, just do aquarium/bathtub tests.

I don't have a huge capability for custom colors, I only have like 4 different color dyes I can mix and match (blue, green, red, and tan)

What did you have in mind for lure type/color?

[Walleye11123]

I am looking for pumpkin seed and black - split top/ bottom. Much like a red shad but in a flat tail (crawler) 6" for walleyes.

[upnorth]

I hope this doesn't lead to prospecting for business on this thread.

[mainbutter]

sorry 3911 I wish I could help you out with that but I don't have the colors (though I REALLY need to get those, as they are favorite colors of mine to fish) or a flat tail crawler mold.

There are plenty of small time luremakers out there who probably could help you out though, I'd give your favorite search engine a shot.

Upnorth, don't worry there is no way I could ever do this for profit, it is way too much work and too time consuming. The guy asked a question so I was going to see if I could help him out with a freebie small batch if I had what he was looking for.

P.S. stay tuned for another adventures in lure making - soft plastics edition sometime next week. I'm getting some new molds with some b-day money hopefully

[upnorth]

That is pretty much the same for me nad rod building. I build pretty much for fun.