flabasspond

Hey Jeff! The trouble with big flukes is that no matter how big your hook, that is still a WAD of plastic to set a hook through. I pour a heavy 6 1/2" fluke type bait, and tried MANY rigs to make it work right. Lots of great hits but very few bass landed...Heres what I finally came up with...the nose hook rig. I use a 5/0 weedless Gamakatsu Shiner hook- kahle style. I think Matzuo sells a similar hook. The nose hook method gives the bait incredible action, but the bonus is the hook-up ratio is a whole world better. I make two baits ...one with salt made to sink, and one made without salt to work closer to the surface. Hope this helps...Dave

Hello JD....heres my Christmas Tree....to 8 oz. plastic (I use MF SS) my sticks have salt, and so do the Tiki's (but not as much as a Senko) 2oz. softner, 3 oz. salt 25 drops Amber Green...15 drops Watermelon...Green, Red, and Silver Glitter to taste...good luck

Hey Pete...yes, I did, and they were excellent! The culls either way (too dark, and too much color) were top notch. RED SHAD is a very difficult color for me to get, at least a REAL red shad color...perhaps someone else can come to our rescue...Dave

Al is dead-on corrrect on the 2 and 3 pour colors for what I call "California" Tequila Sunrise.LOL but I didnt see that version untill the mid-eighties. While cerain hand pourers have made laminated worms for awhile, I believe Culprit was the first to inject a laminate, and man did they catch fish! The RED SHAD color was their first big winner and I remember driving all the way to Orlando to buy them at "Tim's Tackle Box" this was early 1979. They came packaged with the sprue still attached, eight, I think for $1.59 and they were truely a whole NEW thing! If you didnt get them the day they were delivered you didnt get them. Just a couple of years later, the owner and main designing force, Rodney Dan (sp?) tragically died in a tournament on Lake Kissimmee, when a freak wave swamped his boat in cold, rough water. He never really got to see his creation get the national attention it recieved later on...the color Tequila Sunrise came later, late in 1980

Hello...TS is sometimes a Killer here on the Kissimmee Chain of lakes (FL)...IF...you can find clear water. It is originally a two-tone pour, or inject, as the case may be. I believe this was a color first produced by Culprit about 1980. It may be the one color that looks completely different among all manufacturers...but they all seem to have one thing in common...blue highlight. Heres my "cheater" (one color) recipe....to 8 oz. plastic....25 drops Purple...6 drops bright red...6 drops black grape (indigo).. 4-6 match heads, (yes thats alot) blue highlight (plus one match head added per reheat) this makes a color that is quite chameleon-like...and will look altogether different depending on water clarity, etc. Also the addition of some fine green glitter will sometimes increase the appeal....Dave

Hello...just my 2 cents..but if you are not clear coating at least over eyes, they will be "one hit" eyes... my experience is that there is not a adhesive that I have tried that last past one good hit...that includes epoxy type glues, super glues, and heat activated stick-type glue. If done properly you can barely tell the clear dip is there. I realize that involves adding a time-consuming step. I only add eyes for my personal baits, so I don't mind the added time. You, of course may feel differently.....Tight lines, Dave

Hello...interesting thread. I would like to know how to make the Rattling worm weights,,,similar to the old style Gambler screw-in weights. I go through quite a few and my supply is getting low...Thanks!

Hello Evoryone....YES!! I had a creepy crawler set!! did I enjoy it?...I mean c'mon I had 2 younger sisters LOL!! They made a fortune in just the aftermarket stuff....new molds and of couse that awful smelling plastic, which lasted about 5 days of serious "pouring". It was a much better toy than "Incredible Edibles" I believe is was 67 or 68, just before Vac-U-Form made the market. ...Dave

Hello Everybody...OK, one quick story...all true....I was fishing a large tournament on Okeechobee about January around 1982-3 and had found some decent fish in a shallow backwater in practice. A severe cold front went through the night before the tournament and brought 20-30 mile an hour winds and woeful fishing. My poor partner I had drawn never had a hit, while I pounded the water all day with a spinnerbait for a SMALL limit (5) of 12" fish...and I mean I had to measure every single fish! No culling. When I went to bag my fish for weigh-in my livewell surface was COVERED with feathers! I think all of my fish together weighed something like 5lbs 2oz and I remember I finished TWO ounces out of the money. After loading, I was cleaning the boat and getting ready for the long drive home when I saw something in the corner of the livewell...it was a featherless coot corpse that was more than fist size and had to weigh 5 or 6 ounces! I wish I had seen the feet when I caught the fish! Think about it...thats like a 150 pound man sitting down and eating over 100 lbs of steak (or coot LOL)!!....Dave

Welcome BA....man, thats a beautiful looking bait. The Cordell Crazy Shad has always been one of my favorite topwaters, and yours has a similar configeration....well done!! Dave in St. Cloud, FL

Same here...no problems at all...

Hello! Just a thought....how about porcupine quills? LOTS of different sizes available on one piece. Very rigid and durable. I remember using these as mouse "whiskers" when I used to tie flies for a living. Outside of this how about marabou? Good luck...Dave

Thanks Del....do you have a picture of the finished product?....Dave

Hello All!...has anyone here used this mold? I would love some feedback on this thing before I pop for 200 bucks. I would love to see a good picture of a finished worm. You may certainly PM me if you wish to keep your comments private....thanks in advance...Dave

Hey Rick...I may have a package or three for your cause....give me a email shout say....tomorrow afternoon....Dave

I believe I have also seen this bait packaged by Riverside lures. I know Renowski makes a very similar bait (if thats not what it is). Scattering Shad or Scatter Shad is what they call it, just like Redg8r said....came in a nice 6" size also......Dave

Hey Eric...no problem...I tried the pouring one cavity half way then closing the mold to finish the pour, and just DID NOT like the results. Perhaps it is just me - but the action on a stick bait is VERY SUBTLE...no matter how soft you pour it. I get my best action hooking the stick (I rig weightless, texas style 4/0 Gama SL WG...I'm in FLA remember) right along the seam...VERY IMPORTANT!! therefore that puts the laminate SIDEWAYS as it sinks. Probably no big deal to the fish, but it sure does bug me!!! SO... Heres how I do it...Molds must be warmed to almost hot...I usually pour 4-5 runs (all molds 4 cavity) of a solid color to warm the molds up. I ALWAYS must oil my molds (worm oil) between pours, it really seems to help. I warm up both colors to about 300 , going back and forth, which is when I then add scent, and my glitters. Yes, I am using 2 full TBLS. of popcorn salt to 4oz of MF SS I warm the first color (which is what I call the "belly color") to 330-340F when I take that out of the MW I put the second color cup in but dont start it yet.Stir first color well and pour a thin stream DOWN THE SEAM on one side of each cavity. I handle the mold with a leather glove so I can tilt the mold to pour at the easiest angle. I then start color two to warming right away and set the mold on its side to cool while the second color gets its warm up burst (about 15-20 seconds) When its hot enough, again 330-340F works best for me, I pick up the mold and pour the second color in a nice steady, steamy, thin stream RIGHT DOWN THE CENTER. I pour all four molds, wait a few seconds and then overfil all the cavities. If you want just the tails a different color pour a SMALL amout of the first color right down the center then follow as stated with the second color. I wish I could post some pics but the ancient computer I was left with when the kids moved out has no port to accept digital images, sorry. Colors like Red Shad, Tequila Sunrise, etc. are really easy to pour this way. I made some FireTiger last week with bright Orange belly and Chartreuse W/ big Black Glitter as the top (or dominate color) I KNOW if I can do this anyone else can, just a little practice is all it takes. I should tell you that my success rate goes down to about 70-80% when I pour six inch sticks (80% + with 5 inch) ....more volume I would guess...by the same token, it should work even better with a 4 inch stick....good luck, let me know how this works for you guys, I would never have gotten this far without the FANTASTIC advice I have gotten here at TU!!....Dave P.S. try this then I'll tell ya how I make a TWO -SIDED color with belly and top a different color!!

Hey Kendo!! Like FF said ..SHORT 5-10 second burst, after your plastic gets close, and stirring after every burst, are the key. Most of the sticks I pour are two-color laminates and I HAVE to pour BOTH colors at 330-340F and I only pour 4 cavities at a time. I pour both colors with the mold closed and get about a 90% success rate. Remember with stick molds, it is impoertant to pour the CENTER of the hole. I like to think of it as the old water gun game at the midway....hit the clown in the middle of the mouth to win!!!

Way to go Nathan!!! I got my BM yesterday and was going to post this same thread. You deserve the kudos........Dave

Great lookin' baits...looks like the "HOBBY" has another "VICTIM" ;-)

Hello! I have been building rods for 35 years and have used ALOT of mail order blanks. The people At Mudhole.com are top notch. Great prices and selection, a one-stop place...take a look at their site, you can't go wrong.

Hello...hey Ghost (don't know why I called you Jim...old age?) I see you used to live in the Cheese State...whereabouts?

Hey Jim! I respect you so I won't say "Duh" LOL I simply meant that the ones I've had are all glued in with epoxy...If they were cast in they would have the same problem as you're having, right? Perhaps the ones I've had were different . MOST epoxies will soften with a little heat...maybe a little heat gun, or baking at 120 degrees or so for a while, well below your weedgaurd melting point...like I said it was just an idea...besides, the ones you provided pictures of looked like factory jobs to me...

Some swear by it , some swear at the 700 bucks they dropped for nothing. Remember, in fishing it usually only works if you THINK it works! Fish attractors have come aloooong way...anyone remember the Herters "Fish Call" ? A short pole with a metal sealed can and a handfull of BB's LOL...I'm sure you could find someone who could'nt fish without one of these also...who knows...and the FISH AIN'T TALKIN !!!

Hey Jim...had the same problem with containers..heres the solution I lucked into....I was with my wife in a big "dollar" type store, and happened to see these nice, small "pudding bowls" or "relish bowls" - thick, smooth glass about 3 inches around and 2 1/2 inches deep. Perfect...plus 3 for a dollar!! I heat my heads in a dedicated toaster oven, then use a spoon to coat the bait over my bowl, a couple of taps with the hook on the lip of the bowl to shake the excess (heavy glass makes this easy!!)...and back in the toaster oven to cure...no fuss, no mess. Just an idea on your jigs...take out the weedguards, powder coat your bait...clean hole with drillbit...reglue...just a thought....