small tubes

**CTom** · 08-25-2012, 05:12 PM

I've been toying with making small tubes recently and came up with this one.

It's 1.25" in length and slightly thicker than a conventional store bought tube. I like the compactness of the bait and hope to get it in the water this next week at least once. I'm thinking the profile of this critter will be a hot one for working the sunken wood and dock pilings we'll see the crappies heading for pretty darned soon.

**jackie53** · 08-25-2012, 05:23 PM

"WOW" you minnesota guys are always ahead of the pack and have such great fishing to try out new baits .Looks great!!!!!

**shipahoy41** · 08-25-2012, 06:46 PM

Extremely nice.

**huskerwill** · 08-25-2012, 08:06 PM

wow, look great! where did u get your mold? do u cut your tails or is it in the mold?

**CTom** · 08-25-2012, 08:59 PM

I made some mandrils out of stainless rod to dip to make the tubes. A 16 penny nail with the shank polished up a little and the point blunted will work too.

I dip the tail color, then trim off the head portion if I want it a different color. Then the rod gets dipped in the head color. I allow the head dip to "just" contact the tail color and then hold the rod at that point in the hot plastic for about ten seconds and things weld up really nice.

I trim the overall length of the tube, remove it from the rod and use a fly tyer's scissors with a very pointed blade to snip the tentacles.

Try a few. If you mess up just toss the bad cast in your bowl of plastic and re-heat it. These are fun and lengths, colors are as many as your imagination.

The molds are cheap anyway....$2.00/pound for 16's? Probably less. Can't beat the price there. By the way, I have a bowl of water right there while I dip these and dunk them right after the tail color. I dunk them again after the head color. Maybe sounds slow doing just 1 at a time but it moves right along this way.

**STUMP HUNTER** · 08-26-2012, 06:58 AM

Great looking bait. I do like the small size of the bait, nice work

**huskerwill** · 08-26-2012, 07:59 AM

going slow dont bother me as long as the bait comes out the way i want. r u using a microwave to heat yer plastic or some type of meltn pot or warmer? they look great, i gotta make some!

**Fatman** · 08-26-2012, 03:10 PM

Nice!!!! I like tubes and more like your's - more meaty look to it. Nice job!!!!

**CTom** · 08-26-2012, 04:06 PM

Originally Posted by huskerwill

r u using a microwave to heat yer plastic or some type of meltn pot or warmer? they look great, i gotta make some!

I nuke all of my plastic from start to finish. I keep plastic for the tubes in bowls and make a nest using a terry cloth towel to set the heated bowl in and once the towel gets heated will keep the plastic hot a long time.

I got to messing around again this morning using some longer mandrils and came up with some walleye-sized baits in two colors and with eyes.

**crappiefarmer** · 08-26-2012, 08:46 PM

I use a griddle after I have nuked my plastic to keep the plastic hot. It will hold the plastic for about 10 minutes before it needs to be reheated. Then only needs 15 or 20 seconds in the microwave to bring back to temp.CF

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