Fading soft plastics

I have a semi-opaque Plano box that I use for the Crappie Magnets that I take on each trip. I want quick access to my most used colors and a few others with out pulling out the tackle bag. It probably spends up to 20 hours a month on the deck of the kayak or behind the seat in semi-shade. After a bad weekend of snags - losing bodies and breaking hooks, I went to refill my box and noticed how badly the plastics have changed color. My main supply that I purchased years ago is kept inside a box in the garage out of the light. What was bright white is now off-white (hard to see in the phot but not in life). The blue is now transparent. The yellows went from bright to dark and dull. The pinks went from dark and bright to light and dull (hard to see in the photo). The dark opaque colors don't appear to be impacted at all by the light.

I started researching a solution to this and came with some opaque boxes made by Flambeau. I'm wondering... Has anyone here come up with this same issue and what did you do for a solution? Here's a link to the case: M-Series They are pretty cheap so I'm going to get a couple and try it out. I just need to epoxy a loop on them so I can tie it to the deck.

I have noticed my catch rate has dropped significantly this year and I wonder if the dull colors have anything to do with it. This is the first time I have gone to refill this box since the start of my 2019 season.

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Originally Posted by Chip Rock

I have a semi-opaque Plano box that I use for the Crappie Magnets that I take on each trip. I want quick access to my most used colors and a few others with out pulling out the tackle bag. It probably spends up to 20 hours a month on the deck of the kayak or behind the seat in semi-shade. After a bad weekend of snags - losing bodies and breaking hooks, I went to refill my box and noticed how badly the plastics have changed color. My main supply that I purchased years ago is kept inside a box in the garage out of the light. What was bright white is now off-white (hard to see in the phot but not in life). The blue is now transparent. The yellows went from bright to dark and dull. The pinks went from dark and bright to light and dull (hard to see in the photo). The dark opaque colors don't appear to be impacted at all by the light.

I started researching a solution to this and came with some opaque boxes made by Flambeau. I'm wondering... Has anyone here come up with this same issue and what did you do for a solution? Here's a link to the case: M-Series They are pretty cheap so I'm going to get a couple and try it out. I just need to epoxy a loop on them so I can tie it to the deck.

I have noticed my catch rate has dropped significantly this year and I wonder if the dull colors have anything to do with it. This is the first time I have gone to refill this box since the start of my 2019 season.

Attachment 386438

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Ya know, I noticed the exact same thing just last week. I have a Plano filled with just Crappie Magnets. Being that my go to baits are Baby Shad types and Sliders, that particular Plano rarely leaves the storage hatch in my boat. Therefore, I’m not so sure this is a sun problem. Plus, I have several boxes stored in the boat, and I have only noticed it happening to the Crappie Magnets.

Try using some slab sauce on them, if you haven't already. Lots of grooves to hold it on. Could be the type plastics and colors they use.

My advice is not to buy so many. When they’re on sale really cheap it’s for a reason.

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Originally Posted by chaunc

My advice is not to buy so many.

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This ^^^^

I've greatly reduced my "inventory" over the last couple of years.

I have some old faded plastic bodies that outfish the new ones. I am trying to get mine to fade.

I should have noted the hundreds of these in the garage, all different colors, haven't faded at all. They are as bright as the day I bought them years ago - they are the bright ones in the photo and all are from the same packages. I have tired different scents and pellets with no change in hits. I'm waiting on the store to reopen to try slabsauce.

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Originally Posted by Centurion

I have some old faded plastic bodies that outfish the new ones. I am trying to get mine to fade.

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Interesting. I was bank fishing with one of my kids years ago and he got snagged in a tree and the line broke. I said don't worry about it, next time I'm here in the kayak I'll get it back for you. About 3-4 weeks later I got there and the lure, pink/yellow combo shown above, had sun bleached to a dingy yellow and the pink was barely visible. We were both surprised it happened that fast. Looking back on it I guess I shouldn't be surprised about the ones in my case fading. I still have his old one in my box but never caught anything on it.

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Originally Posted by chaunc

My advice is not to buy so many. When they’re on sale really cheap it’s for a reason.

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Very wise statement!

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Originally Posted by Chip Rock

I should have noted the hundreds of these in the garage, all different colors, haven't faded at all. They are as bright as the day I bought them years ago - they are the bright ones in the photo and all are from the same packages. I have tired different scents and pellets with no change in hits. I'm waiting on the store to reopen to try slabsauce.

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If you're looking for SLABSAUCE, Pico Lures sells it, or you can find SLABSAUCE here on Amazon as well.

I too fished out of a kayak for 4 years.....3-5 days week weather permitting....about 6 years back. I kept my lures in a clear Plano box at the time. I gravitated away for using the CM and solely started fishing the TM. When I finally got around to cleaning the CM out of my box they had all faded. I no longer use them....not because of that though....I just use TM 95 percent of the time. I have 100's of them out in my garage...been there for years....look like new. I used to carry a lot of different colors of Trout Magnets but rarely if ever used them. Decided to remove those colors from my box and they had all faded. Yet I have literally thousands of Trout Magnets in my garage...some 6-7 years old...they look brand new. I am not sure why they fade but that is my experience with them.


Regards

I use crappie magnet grubs a great deal . I have 10-15 colors and have had no issues fading . I do use clear boxes but never leave them exposed to sunlight .Sunlight/daylight deteriorates plastics .The worm binders work well for keeping them out of sun .

I've had trout magnets fade while fishing. I haven't them fade in my storage yet.

interesting read , i suppose the formula is to blame or the pigment or a combination of the 2 .
i do know adding scent to plastics can cause color change as i have seen that before .

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Originally Posted by Ketchn

interesting read , i suppose the formula is to blame or the pigment or a combination of the 2 .
i do know adding scent to plastics can cause color change as i have seen that before .

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I didn't think about scent. I believe my wife was using some when this happened. I'll have to experiment to see if this was the cause.

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Originally Posted by Ketchn

interesting read , i suppose the formula is to blame or the pigment or a combination of the 2 .
i do know adding scent to plastics can cause color change as i have seen that before .

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I didn't think about scent. I believe my wife was using some when this happened. I'll have to experiment to see if this was the cause.

Thanks to all for adding to the discussion. Just as reference the ones that faded in my box were unused.

For my Plano boxes I make protecter bags from old sweat pants legs. Keeps the boxes like new and protects the contents from the sun.

Sent from my SM-J337P using Crappie.com Fishing mobile app

This is what i have learned about fading baits. Sun and heat will fade them over time. Some pigment fades worse than others. Some plastics fade worse than others. Now lets talk about pigments. Pinks, different colors of chartreuse, orange in liquid fades the worse. That is why i now use powder pigment in those colors. Now plastic without naming any brands. I have use a few different brands and i have found one that helps hold the colors better than the rest. As long as you can keep them out of the sun a lot, dont let get to hot and keep water off them they will hold them color a lot longer.

I keep mine in the bags they came in, I use a small canvas storage bag. Never had a problem with fading. jmo