Ideas for using old/ used plastics??? 2024
Pittsburgh Reeler reply :
What are some ideas for using the ripped up or just plain used (not ruined) plastics? I save them, and am accumulating a ziplock bag full of them. Currently, I have tubes, worms, senkos, craws, etc. all together soaking in a bag of attractant, looking like the Island of Misfit Lures.
I'll admit it: I am cheap, and would rather get more mileage out of the $$ I spent. If there are some ideas out there to try, please share! I have heard it suggested to save them and use them for trailers. I'm guessing to cut some off of certain ones? Which ones would work for what hard lures?
You can be specific (like for just tubes, for example) or general.
I don't know how to melt them down or anything. Is this something people do?
THANKS- you people on this board is the best, there is so much helpful info. on it! 
SENKOSAM reply :
There are a few things you can do to recycle plastics. The easiest and most challenging method is to take parts from two lures and use a candle flame to fuse them back together. The only lures that don't do well are Yamamoto plastic that is loaded with salt and too soft. I've welded hundreds of bait parts together and many I've molded from plaster of paris. Imagination, scissors and a candle are all you need. This is also the way to make a used lure reusable though shorter.
Melted down plastic doesn't do as well as fresh plastisol from a jug, but can be melted in a microwave and poured into a mold. It's most important not to overheat or the plastic turns black, smokes and clumps. Don't expect the salt (if any) not to settle to the bottom of the pyrex, leaving no salt in the bait - it will.
Sometimes a hot knife will work to fuse the tears in old plastics and extend their life for a few more fish.
Here are examples of fused baits, which I call hybrids.
BASS fisherman reply :
Remember there is more than one way to rig most plastics.
If I'm using a tube and it rips one way, just flip the bait around so the hook goes through the opposite or "fresh" side of the plastic. With senkos, use the ones that ripped while fishing them texas rig'd, for wacky rig fishin'.
You can also buy special glue that is specifically for repairing plastic baits. Or you can do the lighter method too.
Some lures like a Paca craw will usually rip near the end or butt or the plastic. Cut off the ripped portion and use the plastic as a jig trailer.
jaywag7 reply :
Great idea. I've never thought of that before.
Also those are some cool pics. Did all of those lures start out as sweet beavers??
SENKOSAM reply :
I mold my own Beavers and the bodies have been used for different hybrids.
brian_82 reply :
you can cut a ring out of the tubes to use when wacky rigging a senko too.
nra4life reply :
they make good trailers once they are worn out
flechero reply :
I used to have a friend who would repair all his soft plastics with an old soldering iron... he could fix about 100 baits during halftime of a football game. (he went outside to do this though)
Or buy a bottle of Pro's Soft Bait Glue for $5 and that will last all season.
roadwarrior reply :
I try to be a responsible fisherman and wrap them in platic bags for disposal in the recycle bin.
Most (all) of the bass I catch like the action of the fresh bait.
5-10 lbs of bass on a GYCB bait seems like a fair deal to me.
flechero reply :
Quote5-10 lbs of bass (on average) per every GYCB bait seems like a fair deal to me.
For you rich guys that might be ok, but I like to catch more than one fish per each bait.... ;D
xxmurrxx reply :
I usually heat up a small metal poker then work on melting my senko style baits back together.
Have not really noticed much of a diffrence, looks to fall the same, I still caught fish on the repaired plastics so im happy.
Catt reply :
When I get trough with plastics I throw them in the back of my truck, they do a great job entertaining my grandkids.
Bankbeater reply :
I've never tried melting two halves back together. I put different colored old plastics in a clear baggie with some new plastics and set them in the sun for a couple of hours. When the baits get warm the colors will run from the old plastics into the new plastic for some interesting colors.
SENKOSAM reply :
QuoteMost (all) of the bass I catch like the action of the fresh bait.
5-10 lbs of bass on a GYCB bait seems like a fair deal to me.
....especially if you get them free as a sponsor!
QuoteFor you rich guys that might be ok, but I like to catch more than one fish per each bait....
That's why I pour my own and can add or not add salt and softner or repair some on-board with a small welder. Sometimes slower-falling, harder jerk worms outperform Senkos and last for 5 or more bass, not 8 casts and then fall off the hook! 65 cents a worm is not cost effective in my mind when I can make a bait for less than a dime and catch far more fish with it because that bait is being cast to far more areas. Try keeping a Senko on the hook after casting into heavy cover a few times!
Recycled baits (even pieces of Senkos) work as well, if not better at times, than new baits. Bass don't care about pretty as long as the action is lifelike to their puny brains and the fish are active. When fishemen go to a tackle store, all they see are perfect baits and once they catch fish on them, assume that fish are more attracted to lures that are perfect looking and symmetrical. Most definitely not! Even flat sided jerk worms work as well as full round jerks when used as jerks or wacky rigged.
Misinformation about lures has mostly benefited those who produce them. It's what they withold, infer or lie about that keeps sales up. Barnum was right!
roadwarrior reply :
No sponsors here and nothing for free.
gatrboy53 reply :
if the bite is on i'll turn a trick worm around and rig it from the tail,or wacky rig it.you can take a ripped tube and stick a piece of worm in the cavity and rig it thru the worm .i never throw plastics in the water and hate it when a bass shakes em off.
i also have taken a color i dont like and put it w/ used worms of another color and get colors that bass has never seen before.
to me the fun part about fishing is being creative and resourceful.bass will bite anything in any shape and in any color,especially if they arent conditioned to it.
SENKOSAM reply :
Some people equate price with catchability and that may be true for some baits, but most of the time I've found it's the angler that makes the difference, not the price. It amazes me that so many anglers are convinced that Lucky Craft lures are that much superior to lesser priced lures of the same design.
I got a friend into making his own molds and in winter he went nuts carving them out of wood. (Too much work if you ask me, seeing as how POP is so much easier to use!) But those lures have caught a bunch of fish since early spring and originally they were poured using old remelts.
His designs are original (so far he has only bought one mold from Lurecraft), but he likes making everything from scratch and will continue to carve molds. Catching fish on your own creations is the next best thing to catching fish period!
Frank
(BTW, *** are decent soft plastics for the price!)
SENKOSAM reply :
*** must make baits for Gander Mountain because I've seen all of their on-line baits and have seen the same ones sold under the name of Black Magic. The jig trailers are the best I've used and I have over a hundred to use up before I'll begin molding my own. There are good knockoffs of so many designs, I've stopped counting and at 3 bucks a bag, pretty economical.
SENKOSAM reply :
Got it now.
I'll bet there is no patent infringement on any of the copied designs because few patents have ever been applied to lures. The Beaver was one of the few originals patented and the k/o companies changed the design fast so that Andre couldn't sue. Like the Senko (which is not patented), the Beaver is far too expensive to be worth buying it. Again, one fish/one lure.
SENKOSAM reply :
QuoteI figured there would have been a point in time where the GYCB price gap closed, but I guess there are more people buying them than I can imagine
Funny though, you never hear of a pro winning a tournament with a yamamoto product, including the Senko. I have a feeling it's about slower presentations vs. faster to be able to cover water for the reflex strike. If a pro depended on Senkos for machine gun casts, he'd go broke rigging new ones every 10th cast plus waste time having to do so. Senkos are idiot proof baits that even kids can catch bass on as long as bass or picks are nearby. 90 % of the catching is location.
Yesterday I was in a bass tournament on a new lake and my best baits were a Riverside grub and a handpoured fluke. I had a limit before 8:30 am and was able to use one grub for 8 bass (plus 15 rock bass) and the fluke for 4 bass in 5 hours. I didn't even have to add hardener to the handpour which was tough and soft enough to be resusable.
More casts per lure equals more water covered when fish are scattered and when slower presentations don't cut it. The nice things about handpouring is that you can make most designs to you're own specs, making this part of fishing very specialized.
-t0pwater.fish#n- reply :
i fuse them back together soak it in rubbing alcohol for 5 min then rinse it for a minute and then i put them in a ziploc bag and then throw salt in there.
attractants sound like a good idea though...gonna try that
Siebert Outdoors reply :
Quote*** must make baits for Gander Mountain because I've seen all of their on-line baits and have seen the same ones sold under the name of Black Magic. The jig trailers are the best I've used and I have over a hundred to use up before I'll begin molding my own. There are good knockoffs of so many designs, I've stopped counting and at 3 bucks a bag, pretty economical.
Looking at his baits they look identical to the companies I work part time for. The only thing I didnt see is jig trailers like they have.
Pittsburgh Reeler reply :
Maybe i will try melting some of them with the candle- that seemed the easiest. Maybe a good winter project when I am jonesing up here in the North...
I put a u-tail from a zoom worm onto a similarly- colored jig/ skirt. It kind of looked like a crawfish, but no bites that day.
That's the kind of ideas I was specifiically interested in... what "parts" would combine well, or what "parts" would look good as trailers on specific baits.
All responses are welcome and are interesting, though.
SENKOSAM reply :
Your imagination is the best source because no one knows what looks good to you.
Personally, I feel that the bait's action must be enhanced by the fusion and also the overall appearance. Here are a few very successful fusions that have caught many species:
Fin S Fish and Sassy Shad tail
3" Mr. Twister grub body and S.Shad tail
soft jerk stick and small curl tail from a grub
Tiny Brush Hog and S.Shad tail
Mann's Shadow body and 2" of Slugo tail
Bass Pro's Spring Grub body and the double tail from Mr Twister grub
Bass Pro's Spring Grub and rear 1/2 of Ring Worm
Zipper worm body and small double tail
Living rubber pulled through soft plastic lizard where the legs would be
Rattlinrogue reply :
It's no big deal,but I use a small section of an old plastic worm to keep the trailer hook on a spinnerbait or buzzbait.Keeps the hook exactly where you want it,and if it tears loose just bite off another 1/4" section.
jomatty reply :
read senkosams tutorial on making pop molds. then you can simply melt all the old plastics down and make new lures with them.
understand however that this is fun and before long you will probally buy aluminum molds and plastisol and softner and a million colors. at least thats what happened to me when i tried what i suggested and i know it has happened to a number of others. this was fine by me as i enjoy it but if you are out just to save money all this stuff takes some time to pay for.
SENKOSAM reply :
Quotethis was fine by me as i enjoy it but if you are out just to save money all this stuff takes some time to pay for.
So true!
The best rewards for working with soft plastic(s):
customizing baits that you already own
always being able to pour a selection of baits without having to spend the gas, shipping or tax to buy them
not having to worry if certain lures are in stock or that the QC sucked and half the bag is defective
being able to come up with unique colors or combos
weight the plastic to your specs with salt or make them softer
As far as selling is concerned, unless you advertise on-line and build a large clientele, forget about making money for the first 4 years. You have to have the time to make thousands of baits on demand in one year and when it becomes like a second job, not fun. Plus, a few customers can be a royal pain! I make them for a select few and usually not in summer.
Matt Fly reply :
I like to save my 10 plus plastics. I cut the tails from torn up worms and later use them as senko style baits or 7 inch worms for french fry type baits for C-rigs.
Also, with the 10 inch plus bodies, I use an older soldiering iron to fuse the body and another 10 inch together to give me 16 inch plus worms. If you repair electronics, it will ruin a good soldier pencil tip, very hard to keep clean after you fuse some together.
Hookem
Matt
SDoolittle reply :
I discovered this during a tournament when I ran out of a particular color of drop shot worms. The only other thing I had in the same color was a bag of trick worms, so I broke one in half and my catch actually improved. Now when a trick worm starts to fall apart from texas rigging, I break off the back half and save it for drop shotting.
cpvenom reply :
You can also take the bodies from the same type of worm and make one extra long one. I have a 10 inch powerworm that I made after fusing old powerworms. Now I dont have to buy 10" powerworms.
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