[Jay Olney]

I am thinking about pouring my own plastic swimbaits for tuna this winter. I will make my own silicone mold and use the open pour method to make the swimbaits. I think I will make 5" swimbaits.

I would like any suggestions regarding mold material, plastic or tips you might have. I would also like to know what size/weight jig heads to use.

Thanks for your assistance.

 

[leotrk]

I was just looking at this web site the other day it might get you started. I seen they have a couple different kits to get someone started.

Fishing

www.alumilite.com

 

[Don G Baldi]

Roy, Bait 'O Eggs around these parts, put on a demo at one of the SSS shows on how he does plastics. If he sees this he can provide a lot of advice on the process. He gave my daughter a 4 or 5 inch purple/black paddle tail that lings couldn't resist.

 

[Stinkbait]

I've been doing SPB since the Covid lock down. It's lots of fun and very productive. Silicone molds are the most expensive of the three DIY options. The least expensive is plaster of paris (POP). $20 for a 25 lbs bag or $12 for a 5lbs box at Ace Hardware. Next option is Rockite Expansion Cement. This makes a great mold too. Don't buy other brands as they have too much sand in the mix and won't make a smooth mold. I can buy Rockite at a lumber yard in Newport for $9 which seems to be cheaper than online options.

I would suggest going cheap until you get the entire process down. I think you'll decide that you don't need a more expensive option. I haven't made any silicone molds but have purchased some pre-made molds. My cheap POP or Rockite molded baits look and fish just as good as the silicone ones. Your DIY baits won't look as good as store bought baits but most importantly, they fish as good. We use a 6" swimbait as ling cod candy as well.

 

[Stinkbait]

I am thinking about pouring my own plastic swimbaits for tuna this winter. I will make my own silicone mold and use the open pour method to make the swimbaits. I think I will make 5" swimbaits.

I would like any suggestions regarding mold material, plastic or tips you might have. I would also like to know what size/weight jig heads to use.

Thanks for your assistance.

Bait Plastics is currently having a 20% Black Friday sale.

Sent you a pm.

 

[Bait O Eggs]

Not sure where you are located, I could give you a quick lesson in person, I am in Tillamook or Amity depending on the weekend. I would buy the silicone molds, they are cheap and last for a long time.

 

[fish Addict80]

Jay,

I have been making swim baits for tuna for a
Long time. There is a lot to learn that will save you time and money. I would be happy share in person or on a phone call. PM me if interested. There are pics of my swim baits in my album here.

Luke

 

[IIonPilgrimg]

...The least expensive is plaster of paris (POP). $20 for a 25 lbs bag or $12 for a 5lbs box at Ace Hardware...

Thanks, Stinkbait! I've had the same plan, hadn't thought of POP and, Ace is right down the street.
Jay Olney: I'll intend to use a #3--#4 oz Style 9 Shadhead jig by Do-It-Molds.

 

[fishin]

Watched Bait O Eggs making swimbaits at the SSS several years ago. Man did that end up costing me some $$$! He was nice enough to answer my questions and good cost saving tips.
Bait Plastics also has RTV silicone for making your own molds. Worked great for making copies of FishTrap swimbaits that I couldn't find anymore. Hobby Lobby also sells RTV silicone made by Alumilite but I haven't tried it yet. You can get glitter and powder pearl dyes there also. Nothing like the looks a guy gets with an armload of glitter bottles in the check out line during the 40% off sale!

You Tube has a lot of information of making molds and pouring plastics. "Worlds Worst Fishing" channel has a good how to get started video on pouring. "Squirrels Nest" channel made some good videos on using POP for molds. Definitely a trail and error process to get a good clean bait but it's cheap for "toss and try again" and doesn't sting much other than time to try again. I use POP for two part molds like big grubs, scampies and what not. Lurecraft seems to have the biggest selection of open pour silicone molds.

2 oz. down to 3/4 oz. style 9 shad heads. Bigger for trolling, smaller for casting. Had lots of success later in the season using the 1oz or 3/4oz jigheads and 3" and smaller swimbaits getting tuna to bite.

I'm East of Salem out past Stayton and your welcome to come over to try out pouring some baits up if it's more convenient but those that offered already would be great to get some tips from.

 

[Quiet Riot]

Not sure where you are located, I could give you a quick lesson in person, I am in Tillamook or Amity depending on the weekend. I would buy the silicone molds, they are cheap and last for a long time.

I just need you to do another show and tell when I'm beside you at the SSS and bum the leftovers off you at the end of the day. I'm about out of all the 4" bags of them I got for you 5 or 6 years ago 😜

 

[Jay Olney]

Here is an update on what I have been doing over the winter.

I started with making my own silicone mold. I had to make a frame to box in the silicone. I used corrugated plastic.
The base of the frame was 5.5 inches wide and 8 inches long.
The sides of the frame were 1.5 inches tall. The rest of the sides were 3.5 inches wide and 6 inches long.
I used hot glue to glue the sides to the base. I then glued the 3 original molds to the bottom of the frame.
The mold material I had was 16 fluid ounces. The frame will hold 14.69 fluid oz. I mixed the silicone and poured it over the molds and let it sit overnight.
This is what I produced with the above process.

I purchased the supplies I needed. Microwave, liquid plastic, colors, measuring cups, glitter and other things.

My first pour was a failure. I was trying to use two colors but I only had one measuring cup to heat the plastic. The colors did not fuse because of the different temperatures. So I decided to try just a one color pour. That worked very well. Notice the chartreus swim bates.

After I got more measuring cups could heat the plastic at the same time. This allowed me to pour more colors at the same time. Here are the total amount of pours so far and I have one them with a hook in it ready to go.

 

[jk3]

That’s awesome. Very rewarding catching fish on something you’ve made

 

[Kramsey]

Good job man! I have also been messing around with making/pouring my own baits. What silicone mold did you end up using? I went with Bait Plastics mold and it turned out okay. I feel like I could get the same results with something cheaper.

 

[Tinman]

Bait O Eggs was kind enough to show me how he pours swimbaits a few years back. The trouble is the fumes kicked my butt and the headache lasted for hours. So, for fragile flowers like me, make sure you have plenty of ventilation.

And for tuna, I'd tend toward 4.5 inch baits instead of 5 inch.

 

[Jay Olney]

Kramsey:
The silicone I used was Alumilite Amazing Mold Maker, 16oz. from Michales. It is very easy to use and sets up in a short time. It is on sale right now for $20.99.

Tinman:
You are correct the fumes are nasty. You do need good ventilation. World's Worst Fishing video recommended two fans. Both of them pointing in the same direction and you heat the plastic in between the two fans.

 

[Thundertaker]

Good job man! I have also been messing around with making/pouring my own baits. What silicone mold did you end up using? I went with Bait Plastics mold and it turned out okay. I feel like I could get the same results with something cheaper.

He is using a homemade mold he made from existing swimbaits.
I did the exact same thing but had white colored silicone mix.
I used a pyrex baking dish to hold my liquid mold, wish I had made a more custom one like Jay.
Could have saved enough silicone to make 2.
Oh well. Live and learn.

 

[Kramsey]

He is using a homemade mold he made from existing swimbaits.
I did the exact same thing but had white colored silicone mix.
I used a pyrex baking dish to hold my liquid mold, wish I had made a more custom one like Jay.
Could have saved enough silicone to make 2.
Oh well. Live and learn.

That's funny because I did the same thing and wish that I would have made a box too.