Beginner question and thoughts

I have looked all can’t find the exact answer but wanted get some thoughts on it.

my dilemma I work most of the year all over the states traveling. I stay in my 5th wheel. I do have a shop at home but when I am home it’s usually fishing and family.

if I wanted to get started would you recommend I could make soft plastics outdoors at the tv park on a table with a microwave?

I would never be on a large scale a few molds for personal use and friends but something to help pass the time. I already tie my jigs indoors and I know the microwave use probably wouldn’t be a good idea inside lol. I’m not so much worried about the RV neighbors as it’s usually co workers im more worried about the temperature fluctuation.

just looking for some thoughts on this.

if it’s a green light what would be the essentials you would recommend to start. I don’t mind spending a little more on the front end I prefer to do it right the first time.


thanks Jerry

Theres a few things to consider...Weather...Water and plastisol is Volcano action even with just a drop of water which equals emergency room with severe burns. Another thing to consider is NEVER heat plastisol in a Micro oven your going to cook in. So a second microwave is needed. Cheap one from a thrift store or even walmart works. Debre falling into plastic from wind (breeze) is another factor. Can it be done, yes it can, but cautions MUST be adhered to. You could do it in the traier, with windows open, door open, and a big fan pushing air out the door making a good draft...

Some great advice....I get my plastisol from bait plastics great product and prices basstackle has great molds for the money epic makes spectacular molds but they are a little higher fat guys has tons of options but you have to be willing to wait a month or so there are tons of other places those are some i have dealt with and they are great companies as far as injectors my favorite came off e bay i believe the brand is coob they have hard plastic on the outside it sure makes it nice now on to colorants and glitters i get most of mine from bait plastics,lure works and m&f get ready you are fixin to spend some money this gets addictive in a big hurry good luck and holler if you ever need any help.

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Originally Posted by Jamesdean

Theres a few things to consider...Weather...Water and plastisol is Volcano action even with just a drop of water which equals emergency room with severe burns. Another thing to consider is NEVER heat plastisol in a Micro oven your going to cook in. So a second microwave is needed. Cheap one from a thrift store or even walmart works. Debre falling into plastic from wind (breeze) is another factor. Can it be done, yes it can, but cautions MUST be adhered to. You could do it in the traier, with windows open, door open, and a big fan pushing air out the door making a good draft...

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Sending you a PM.

Talk to bugman and snake river. Jamie and Bob are a wealth of knowledge and the will teach.

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Originally Posted by darcie1

Talk to bugman and snake river. Jamie and Bob are a wealth of knowledge and the will teach.

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I appreciate that my friend.

When it comes to soft plastics, molds are a great way to stock up on shapes/sizes. But unless you're not giving away the excess lures just laying around in zip lock bags, the molds will collect dust in no time.

But if you own just half of the lures I've made or bought in the last 30 yrs. - hard and soft lures - you have various lures that can be modified. Modification of hard lures you already know. i.e. different skirts, blades, paint jobs. What you can do with various soft plastics will amaze you, especially by the numbers of fish caught.

The best way I've found to diversify lures is the candle-method.
To modify a soft plastic, you cut the part off one lure and add it to a part of another after slight melting the ends over the flame and holding them together for a few seconds. The action will be unique and the size range to your liking.

Here are just a few examples of lures I will always stock:
Attachment 493251Attachment 493252
(Note: the chartreuse and white swimbaits on the left, I have molds for in 3 different sizes. The Mann Shadow next to it I copied in plaster of Paris.)

Even if you don't join plastic shapes, you can even cut off the tail off a curl-tail grub or cut off the belly or belly and paddle tail of a Sassy Shad producing fish catchers!!! Modified lures are a challenge and fun to come up with that produce unique shapes and actions; catching fish of all species on them - consistently - will amaze you!

Just my opinion after years of pouring plastics:
1. molds are fine, but how long will it take to tire of the same shape/ action/color/ size?
2. are the lures for yourself or others - assuming they would even use them?
3. do you have an area to store equipment (different softness, dyes, different molds and sizes of the same lure, glitter colors, etc,?
4. What fish will the lures be used to catch? Panfish will not usually hit large bass lures though the opposite is true for many lures. Where will they be used: type of cover and presentations: off bottom, swimming, cover, slow/finesse?
5. Are the designs you chose require an open-cavity mold (one flat side) or an injection 2-sided mold using a syringe, top down pours (2-sided)?
6. Will you reuse the plastic of lures you don't need anymore?

Microwave and a Pyrex cup are the basics needed to pour. The rest depends on the answers to the above questions.

As for myself, I have tons of plastics in storage for over 40 years and a few years ago I decided enough is enough! - molds that is. I still buy lures I find interesting - soft and hard, but would rather take a part of a soft plastic lure and melt it together with the part of another to form something unique. It's very exciting to find lures that catch many freshwater species that no one has ever produced. I've posted many examples on Crappie.com. Some place to start if not sure about mold produced plastics. Plus, some shapes I've bought and liked , I copy them in plastic of Paris.