How to make artificial fishing bait for little to no $

I will show you how to recycle a few common household items and make them into new eye-catching fishing lures.

I was thinking the other day about how much it costs to buy fishing lures, when I always lose or break them. I also thought it would be great if I could come up with a way to customize them somewhat and create a whole new, possibly better artificial bait. After some searching, I found that commercial molds and plastics are extremely costly. I was in dire need of an alternative. What I came up with works extremely well, and can be made for cheap using old lures for the plastic and a few recycled materials for the molds and injector.

Step 1 Gathering materials

First, you need to gather your materials. I used mostly things lying around my house and garage, with the glue gun being the only thing I actually bought. There are essentially 2 parts to this instructable, the injector for the heated plastic, and the actual mold.

Comments

[zwilson2]

Great idea, but you are working way too hard at it. Use your bondo to make your molds but sink the lure you are copying 7/8 into the bondo. Let it get hard and you have a mold. Make a bunch of them they are cheap. Heat your old torn, worn out, used worms etc in a cheap pan over an electric hot plate until the plastic turns to a liquid. Pour into the molds and let harden. No the worms will not be perfectly formed on the top but a fish will not notice. Think, how big is a fishes brain. Its only thoughts I suspect are am I hungry or mad at it and will it fit in my mouth. I have only been doing this for about the last forty years. Your use of bondo to make the molds is a great idea. I made mine out of liquid casting plastic.

[theRIAA]

is that plastic safe for the fish?

[John Smith]

if you're going to kill the fish anyways, does it matter?

[Bjorno]

Ever hear of catch and release?

But the main concern is that people lose lures, and nobody wants a toxic mixture of plastic and glue on the bottom of their river or lake.

[servant74]

Actually, IMHO, it does. If it is toxic for the fish, it is for us too by all odds. And fairly often the lures 'break' or get parts 'nibbled' off. So having non-toxic lures does make sense. If fishing was a 100% situation, where every lure was only consumed by a caught fish, and we do no catch and release, then other than the being toxic to us or other animals that eat them eventually, I could agree. It doesn't matter at that point..

[Lokisgodhi]

Soft baits are made out of vinyl plastisol.  It melts at 325 F. It can be pour or injection molded.


www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plastisol

www.jannsnetcraft.com/soft-plastic-lure-molds/044020000008.aspx 

www.barlowstackle.com/plastic-worm-molds.html

It can also be used for making recyclable molds for objects like plaster castings. 

[John Smith]

ha, i know, i was just joking because it sounded like theRIAA was worried about the fish that was caught.... its kinda like how they use bismuth for duck hunting, i guess. not so you don't poison what you're shooting at, but so that what doesnt go to the duck doesn't end up poisoning you or other fish.

[unexplained_3]

If you use recycled lures, they will be fine for the fish.

[Al Terego]

Phalates are nasty chemicals used to make plastic soft and all those gummy, squishy plastic things are just oozing, literally, with the stuff. Ever notice how there's a kind of greasy feeling on you fingers after handling fake bait or squishy toys? Well that's the phalates. I read about it as a dangerous chemical because it was being pulled from use in baby's toys (and if you'll google it you'll learn that it's apparently used in sex toys too =0). Nasty stuff for all of us, the fish that swallows it and us who swallow the fish.

[firehorse]

I thought that it would be interesting to make my own window cling gel decorations and that this Instructable would help but after reading Al Terego's comment on phalates - I'm going to pass. Yikes! Very interesting project, thanks for the explanation

[Fred82664]

What the article failed to say is the fish and or person will have to consume 15 to 20 tons of the phalates to be of any danger . Oxygen can dangerous to breath in certain conditions but can you live with out it ?

[Al Terego]

The FDA seems to disagree with Fred82664's estimate of what constitutes a dangerous dose. Baby chew toys (which contain phalates) weighing significantly less than "15 to 20 tons" have been banned. A quick search revealed a study where phalates were described as Antiandrogens which are often indicated to treat severe male sexual disorders. So feel free to handle and even suck on all the worm lures you can get your hands on just don't be surprised if your libido goes into hibernation.

[Fred82664]

considering the FDA is a part of the vary same government that has been so vary deceptive and all out lairs through out its exestanse. Proven by many history books any one can find in most major city or collage library. I would not put much investment on what the FDA has to say about any thing. As for the sexual disorders dude I been fishing for many years as well as my grate grand father using those same worms and well there has been no reduction in libido in none of my family tree.  I got 15 - 20 grate uncles and ants from his sperm and three of his misstates, From  my grand dad there was eight kids and had sex up words of four times a day. My father is still pumping some chick he is in his 70s now. As for me I still get it up and do vary well in the sack at 45 years old. so looks like the FDA is blowing out BS             

[Al Terego]

The defense rests.

[windfriend]

The FDA does not recognize "safe dosages" of phthalates, but that is more of a bureaucratic convenience than a scientific opinion. The European Commission Scientific Committee on Health and Environmental Risks (SCHER), however, considers that, even in the case when children bite off pieces from erasers and swallow them, it is unlikely that this exposure leads to health consequences. Phthalates are also found in medications, where they are used as inactive ingredients in producing enteric coatings. A recent study showed that exposures from phthalate containing medications can far exceed population levels from other sources. Not a single study has shown any positive correlation of phthalates with any health issues, including the antiandrogenic effects that you allude to.

[Fred82664]

Thank You vary much someone that dose see this as I do. lol thats a big switch to many other topics I have posted in . but oh well  Mr or Miss windfriend I do really THANK YOU !  for your support in this one 

[windfriend]

Heh. "the defense rests" was too arrogant not to respond to.

[m3harri]

I think I will give this a shot and use some glowing phosphate pigments or maybe a led jig

[m3harri]

When I was young (35+ Years ago) my dad made his own bait. He was able to buy all he really needed off the shelf at the bait shop. It nice to see someone still keeps up the art. "IF" i remember correctly he did not need to heat the plastic. It was some two part compound. He would just pour it in and wait.

[m3harri]

When I was young (35+ Years ago) my dad made his own bait. He was able to buy all he really needed off the shelf at the bait shop. It nice to see someone still keeps up the art. "IF" i remember correctly he did not need to heat the plastic. It was some two part compound. He would just pour it in and wait.

[Javin007]

I found this 'Ible because I'm an avid fisherman and was looking at various tips people have.  However, this method of creating molds for ANYTHING is brilliant.  I've never considered using Bondo as a mold agent.  How strong/reusable do the molds seem to be?  Is there any shrinkage over time?  Great 'Ible!

[tlowe65]

try putting salt in the plastic mix. I used to mold my own stick baits and the salt changes the way the plastic floats and it also gives it flavor which will make the fish hold on a couple seconds longer before they spit it out.  table salt will work but bigger grains are better.

[bobby sissom]

if only the two halves were in the top and bottom of an altoid tin they could be found together any time you wished to use them ,i love the instrucktable as is tho

[Samuel H]

What company did you get the clear plastic from?

[unexplained_3]

30 Leslie Court
Whippany, NJ 07981
P: [phone]
F: [phone]
www.polygel.com
That is where the plastic came from.  They sent something like a 5lbs brick.  Hope this helps,
Anthony

[ZIGGYDAN]

this looks like a fantastic instructable, but i myself would be a bit cautious about pushing a metal pipe into any electrical device, if my glue gun had a faulty or defective element or was damaged from being dismantled then there could be a serious potential for electrocution, so when i make this i might substitute this for a more insulated plunger or perhaps some sort of composite material, this simple idea is perfect for a plastic extruder that i require to recydle plastic bags.

[capsaicinrain]

My dad tried making a rubber to dip his tool handles in (hammers, etc.) to have a grip. So he melted a bunch of rubber bait in the microwave, took out the jar, dropped it, and spilled it all over his hands. He had very bad burns. He was taking medicine for it without food and got a stomach ulcer. While in Mexico. How unfortunate. And funny.

[clown96]

wow!! That is real cool i ahve been trying to find a way to make my own lures. Me and my father went to gander mnt. and spent like $70 only on lures.

[scubagal]

Wow. Way to go! What plastic were you referring to that can be colored with crayons? Also, and this is important.... Could you or ANYONE come up with a way to please help me figure out a way to take plastic bottles, mostly water bottles and either compress or melt them into small blocks or tubes that THE VERY POOR PEOPLE OF THE ISLAND I am moving to to help, could use to BUILD THINGS WITH? If you can, you will be helping thousands of hurting people. I will be moving there to do the same as the Honduran government could care less about their people. Thanks again.

[thumbs5]

Check out Mopti's ecological pavestones.

Go for it

[Viaticus]

There are some other instructables about melting plastic bottles...it's pretty toxic. Having firsthand experience with these materials, I'd urge you to find a better way to help the poor of Honduras. You're liable to risk their health and introduce a pollutant that doesn't already exist there. Good luck!

[profiteer]

I don't know about water bottles into blocks, but there's a cool instructable for making plastic wheels out of old plastic bags search "plastic smithing"

[unexplained_3]

The plastic I was coloring with crayons was a free sample from a medical plastics company. About the bottles, someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe it requires both heat and a high pressure for pop bottles to be formed.

[sharlston]

i should know my dad works for coca cola they start like thick little plastic tubes and they blow hot air and preesure into them and have a mold round it to expand it my dad went to work and made a plastic bottle but didnt use the mold and the plastic bottle was 4 metre long

[lilgamoma]

really cool!

[steed1172]

pretty dang cool... guess i have something to do with fishing while i wait for it to warm up... make bait!!! thanks the for the GREAT instructable.

[Focker]

Would Gelatin disentagrate too quickly in the water? What about trolling with a gelatin lure? I only ask because if the answers turn out in favor for the lil gelatin squrmies, I am going to make some unstoppable walleye bait!

[akagoldminer]

Great idea but I can go one better on the material put into the mold. It came to me when I saw a comment on making gummies. Why not buy some unflavored uncolored jelatin and color it and add a fish attractant scent as well? This would attract fish on two levels, sight and smell. It would even be a green bait as the jelatin would break down in water or in the fish without damage to the environment. I think i will try this. Great Instructable.

[Flash Gordon]

cool

[strmrnnr]

What if you left the gun as is - added the plastic from the side then used a longer plunger. The trigger on the gun may even still work, although I believe the plunger might have to have more flex for that. Awesome for smaller projects. Good work.