"sugar flakes" lake tested!!!

[GB GONE]

I thought I would get this out there for anyone trying out or thinking of trying out the "sugar flakes" for their sticks.

I use a recipe of 4oz Calhoun's plastic, 2oz "sugar flakes" and 1 oz of softener for my baits. I was fishing 12lb Iron Silk with a #3 wide gap gamy hook.

First off, the first 2 baits that I poured from every batch floated. I had all the bubbles gone from my plastic but it seems the sugar flakes must have caused a few more!!! The baits also sank slower than a senko. It took almost 2 seconds more for the sugar flake baits to hit the bottom in my pool. The ends of the baits didn't quite "wiggle" like the senko either but that has always been a challenge even with salt.

On the lake, the baits casted very nicely. They even seem to be a little easier to skip up under docks and trees. Maybe I was just casting well yesterday :-D !!! The baits sank perfectly horizontal with a 3/0 hook. I fished a lake that is very hard to catch even 1 fish on and the boat traffic from anglers, jet skis, wake boarders and skiers was extremely high. A kayaker came by and said there was a tourney that am and 2 fish (5.3 ozs total weight) won with a lot of zeros. Common for this crystal clear lake.

I concentrated on docks and the 5th cast I weighed a 3.2oz bass. Caught 4 more dinks that didn't measure in the next hour. Took a little break to swim and then got back at it. With Mojo on the phone, I caught 2 more that would have made the well but I didn't measure or weigh them. (Had to rub it in a little Joel!!!) Missed a couple more before calling it.

In all, the sticks definitely caught fish and held together pretty nice. I was able to catch 3 fish on one stick before putting a new one on. Not one stick flew off while fighting the fish!!!

The flakes are kind of pricey and may be to much $$$ for guys that are selling but they pour real easy, and the reheat of plastic is unbelievably easy!!!

If anybody has a good recipe (because mine isn't quite there yet!!) that they are using for these "sugar" sticks, please post it out there for us to experiment with!!!

Jim

PS I also think we need to know what chemical is in those "flakes" as the first batch I made the smoke caused my eyes to water up???!!! I'm sure an MSDS is required for all products like these!!!

PSS The colors are very true when pouring with this sugar...I was using green pumpkin/red flake and I used the recipe straight as if I was pouring worms!!! Definite plus!!!

[Senkosam]

Thanks Jim for the input.

Even though the crystal flakes allow for sinking the plastic, I have to use more flakes then you did to get a faster sink rate and add more softener to get better action. I still add a tablespoon of floured salt for taste and weight and have no problems pouring. (It seems that the flakes keep floured salt suspended better.)

The colors are truer and the plastic is less opaque, with the white being a cloudy white versus solid white. (I like it as a laminate belly to shad colors.) The only application I see is for weighted jerk sticks or for it's color and little else.

I pour at less than 300 degrees (the lowest setting on the Lee's Pot) or nuke until almost all plastic is fluid after stirring. I haven't experienced any smoke or smell. I'm pretty sure it's uncolored poly acetate, the same as the glitter that's colored.

It comes in any size and I wonder if .040 or .008 may have advantages (though I only keep .015 on hand).

Frank