Basstrix again..... long story

[gunnie3035]

This is long.... I know this subject has been beat to death, but here is a little info that might be helpful for those dipping these baits. And perhaps someone can answer my questions.

I finally bit and purchased some basstrix baits. Even though I have poured swims for a couple years I never actually held a basstrix in my hand. I'm not sure if this is applicable to all basstrix paddle tails or not, but the one I used was a 6" blue herring. I read all the posts and tried to keep up to date on these things, just in case....

My first immpression was wow, bubbles in the plastic, eyes are somewhat crooked, & paint is pretty sloppy. I probably wouldn't let a bait like this leave my shop if someone paid me $4 per bait.

Anyway, I sacrificed one for the cause and cut it down the side. First let me mention the bait is slit from the nose down to the tail, similar to the old money minnows. This was puzzling because everything I read was the baits are dipped and the spoon is removed while the plastic is still warm.

If this is the case then why is the bait cut from nose to tail. I always looked at these baits and wondered how the the dipping spoon was removed with the tail section being so thin. I didn't think it sounded right, but yet why cut it from nose to tail if all your doing is removing the dipping spoon. It was obviously cut before the final clear coats were added.

It appears the base color was quite cool when the clear coat was added because the plastic pulled apart in layers. It looks like the spoon was dipped a minimum of 5 times overall at the nose section; 3 base coats, 2 of which went from nose to tail, and the third ended just before the paddle tail. The blue paint/dye/powder or whatever it is was then added before the 1st clear dip.

At first I thought the blue paint was dip-it dye, but when I pulled it apart it rubbed off. It isn't vinyl paint, at least not any vinyl paint I'm familar with. It really looked like powder paint used for jigs. It was brushed on there manually, I'm pretty sure an airbrush was not used on the blue base coat. The bait was then dipped in a clear coat and painted again with the gold scales. The gold scales appeared to be the same type paint, but it didn't rub off as easily. The eyes were then added and another clear coat was added. Both clear coats went from nose to tail.

The summary is on this bait is: the bait is dipped twice from nose to tail, a third time to the base of the tail, the blue paint was applied, a clear coat dip over the blue paint [entire bait], the scales are added along with the eyes, then another clear coat on the entire bait. The first 3 dips appear to be a softer plastic than the clear coats.

So here are my questions; 1- why is the bait cut from nose to tail prior to the clear coat being added?? 2- This isn't the typical vinyl paint used on plastics, any idea what it is?

[captsully18]

Don't have a clue what the paint is, but I do know that the Basstrix that I have are not split at all. I have also dissected many of these baits (for determining the same things as you, and for fishing purposes) and none have been cut prior to me and my scissors. I have been trying to get these baits to come out to my liking for some time now. The very first ones I dipped were great, and since then....nada. My next try is to use soft plastic and final dip with tube plastic.

As I said, I have no idea about the paint they use. I have used Createx with success (paint wise). Goes on quite easily, and stays put during next dip.

Hope someone else will jump in with some good insight into this.

David

[squigster]

After reading this my explanation of what he may be seeing is that when the blade is pulled out of the bait it slightly cuts into the belly and the back due to the pressure from a big blade going through a small hole. As far as the paint goes I dont have a clue. I know a guy that knows the owner but I have not talked to him in a while. Maybe I will give him a call and see what he knows. I use the createx and it works great. If I was seeling them I may be concerned but after a few fish its toast anyways.

I would probably say his evaluation of the plastic is fairly accurate. I have been trying to master these and it has been a pain. If the whole bait is made out of medium plastic with 5 coats (3 body and 2 tail) the rear end wags all over the place (well at least mine do) If I use all hard plastic I works okay but all depending on the temp of the plastic it may go on too thick and you end up with a painted 2x4. If you use medium plastic for the whole bait with 3 body dips, 2 full dips and 1 hardcoat to the base of the tail they swim pretty good. Still a pain to make though. To me the whole key is alignment of the blade to the body. If it is off a little the bait will roll at high speeds and run a little off under a typical retrieve. I had thicker spinderbait blades made to make dipping easier but I ended up going back to a regular spinnerbait blade so that I can easily trim off overdipped plastic by applying a little pressure for a clean cut.

[BigBassBo]

I dont think you had a Basstrix.

I know that the money minnows are cut like that, I assumed to help with hooksets by providing a slot as on a fluke.

If you did have a basstrix brand, sounds like they went downhill.

[gunnie3035]

The belly cut is not from pulling the spoon out. It was intentionaly cut for whatever reason, the cut is too clean. It starts from 1/2" behind the nose to the tip of the paddle tail. I would think if it were torn from removing the spoon it would start back where the bait begins to neck down. It is a bigger bait so the hook set may be the reason? I'm reasonably certain these are Basstrix and not a counterfeit. Perhaps the belly cut is only on the larger baits. Seems like a lot of work for the finished product.