DaBehr

Do you mean micro-balloons as in the white "powder" that can be used to make plastic float??? If so, be advised that micro-balloon are a significant lung irritant (hazard) and should be used with extreme caution. Personally, I would never use them. Some info: http://www.tackleunderground.com/community/topic/26222-safety-with-resins-and-micro-balloons/ ...microballoons are borosilicate glass and when inhaled chronically can cause silicosis (permanent scarring of the lungs). I work in the abrasives/grinding industry and have personally viewed ceramic dust under a SEM, and have seen many particles often as small as 1 micron by 4 microns. Hence, your dust mask and/or filter is not removing them. When you sand microballoon filled resin your dust mask is not enough.

I normally use Devcon 2 Ton epoxy. If brushing it on damages your paint job (I use Cretex AutoBorne which adheres to metal a LOT better) you can dip them in Seal Coat Lure and Jig finish but you will need to dap off the drip spot. I made a bait hanger with bead chain (like you would use on a light bulb in the basement) and hang the baits from a modified paper clip from one of the top holes in the bait. FYI, I use the double hooks (instead of trebles) with no split ring. With the hooks facing backward I get a LOT fewer snags and I don't see a big change in % of hookups.

Look here:

Very creative with the Sardines picture!!! (nice baits also!!!).

That would be a perfect Ned Rig/Midwest Finesse. I do well swimming a Ned Rig back to the boat after the fall, and the carrot would be really good. I use the 3" carrot a lot along with the new ned rig plastic bait (and they both seem to work equally well).

I never use softner on my bass baits. I sometimes use it for panfish baits. Remember if you use softner, the baits will be easier to tear and probably wear out quicker. Not something I want on a creature bait...not such a big deal on a tiny panfish bait that I can make a bunch of really quick. I'm pretty sure the responses you get will be 50/50 !

I bubble wrap them and fit them into the correct size "if it fits it ships" Post Office box.

That's the one I use. It makes a good bait. I like the pocket for the hook in the bottom and the slot on the top to help protect the hook tip from weeds. I've had the 4" Wittle Wutz it for years and I've got a lot of smallmouth bass (and largemouth) on that jerk bait. Basstackle.com has a good selection of jerk baits.

I live in Minnesota and bonce a LOT of jigs off the rocks (and crankbaits) and I use the Component Systems Seal coat. Plenty tough, easy to use, water based for easy clean up. "Dip and Drip" with the eye up (cleans off the hook shank with a fingernail or use a craft paintbrush from Walmart. You can clean them in water and reuse D2T works well, but you can only do a limited number of jigs before it gets to thick. KISS principle!

The KVD short shank. Not cheap...but the darn things are sharp and you can up size one hook size on most baits due to the short shank.

I use CS Coatings Lure and Jig Coating. Easy to use, Durable. Some really like the UV coat. I use it on Walleye baits. You can "dip and drip" or carefully brush it on, it doesn't take much. http://www.csipaint.com/products/uv-fishing-lure-paint/uv-blast-clear-seal-coat.php Is KBS "better"...yes...but I find it a royal PITA. I prefer the KISS principle!

Here's a video on how to make one that connects directly to the blade. There are some other videos using a split ring. (Just search YouTube). I do it both ways..

My 4.5" Weed Beater was delivered this afternoon and I molded up 4 baits from the new MF Super Float plastic and ran down to the docks on the Mississippi River to give it a try. Very impressed! I was able to fish it very slow...even on just Duckweed.! The slot on the top protected the hook point well and gave me a nice place to skin hook it. I landed 2 nice fat largemouth just standing on the docks! Then it happened...the reason why I wanted this bait instead of the standard plastic (Spro) type frog....a darn 2' long (or so) Northern Pike hit it and in a fraction of a second it was cut off! But I only lost a hook and an injection bait so I cussed half as much as I usually do! I also caught a nice smallmouth playing around with the bait as a "creature bait". The bait looks REALLY good as a creature bait because those tails really have some nice action as it sinks. I'm going to take the boat out tomorrow and see how it does as a frog....with a small bullet sinker on the nose. We do well here by dragging a swim jig across the weeds and then letting it drop off the edge and sink along the edge of the weeds. This bait should be a killer at that! The bait injected very nicely. A large spru to feed the bait plastic as it shrank and I didn't notice any denting. The bait had enough mass that I was able to throw it on my heavy frog rod, but still I was able to fish it very slow in the slop. A+

I've been thinking about that Weed Beater frog also, ordered it and it's on its way! I fish the upper Mississippi and it's full of Northern Pike and Spro Frogs get really expensive!

Just remember...no matter what plastic you use...you need to make sure it WELL mixed before heating. Every time!

Here is a link to a video: It works for me!

Walmart has doll eyes. I use them on floating bass bugs. They look strange on plastic baits!

Website has been shut down.

The Brush Jig works well for me. I use the Boss Heavy Weed Guard and get a LOT less hang-ups...but it still hooks small bass.

Have you seen the new 3" version? It is a LOT smaller, especially when you see it in person. https://store.do-itmolds.com/ripper Do-it will send you samples for a small fee. https://store.do-itmolds.com/Sample-Bag-You-Choose_p_332.html I am an avid smallmouth fisherman and I think the 3" version is going to be perfect for smallmouth. Unfortunately, the weather here in Minnesota has not cooperated yet this year and I have not had a chance to fish it on the Mississippi.

Feather-Craft has a Kelly Green color http://www.feather-craft.com/danville-chenille-size-medium

Hard to tell since they are in the package, but a lot of those type of jigs are tied using chenille which gives the body a nice segmented look. http://www.feather-craft.com/danville-chenille-size-medium I tie a lot of crappie and bluegill flys with medium and small chenille. Check out the "Bully Bug" ...the worlds best bluegill (crappie, perch, etc!) fly!!! It's a chenille body. http://www.flyfishohio.com/Bullys_Spider.htm If you don't fly fish you can tie it on a small round head jig and it's killer!!!! Andy

Excellent videos! I especially like the cutter video. Never dawned on me to put the cutter on the base of the press!!!! Pretty obvious...except to me! Cutting the tails has always been the big obstacle for me.

Google: glass bead material for Senkos for lots of links. It's important to get the correct media.

I do it often on creature baits for flipping and creature baits that I use like frogs. I use either a Knit Picker https://www.walmart.com/ip/Dritz-Clothing-Care-Knit-Picker/52203443 Or a large eye needle. If you wan't to go crazy : http://www.jsflyfishing.com/hareline-zuddys-leg-puller Here are some instructions to do what you want to do for a foam body bass bug: http://www.wapsifly.net/foam-poppers-2/ Normally the plastic bait will keep enough pressure on the skirt material to keep it centered. Sometimes it helps to tie a knot in the middle of the strands. If you still feel that they may be too loose (unlikely) you can put a drop of crazy glue in the hole after you have your material centered. Andy