How To Pour Swimbaits: The Ultimate Guide for Anglers
- by David Chavez
- March 18, 2022
Table of Contents
If you’re looking for more information about building your own swimbaits or want some advice on how they should behave during retrieval, research on pour it and cast it!
A new way to get fish on the hook is by hand-pouring a swimbait. While this technique may seem a bit strange, there are many benefits to using a hand-poured bait. First, it’s a low-cost alternative to making your own stick bait. Second, it allows you to shape the bait in any way you want.
And finally, it can be done at night when fishing isn’t allowed on most lakes and ponds. Here, are some ways that hand-pouring swimbaits can benefit you and your fishing experience.
Step 1: Getting Materials to Pour Swimbaits
Before getting started, you’ll need a few materials to pour your swimbait. The most important ones include hand-pouring containers and snap-on lids. These containers are meant for storing human food such as meat, cheese, or any other products that require freshness after opening. You can find these containers at a low price or for free from most restaurants, grocery stores, and food processing plants.
Another item you might need is a plastic lure with an open cavity in the middle. It’s also a good idea to have a bottle of odorless mineral spirits available so you can clean up any spillage while working with the plastic if needed. Mineral spirits are also known as paint thinners and many hardware stores carry this product.
You may also want some sort of formula, such as Berkley’s PowerBait or Pro-Cure. These soft plastic formulas can be purchased at most fishing stores and online for a decent price. If you already have a favorite soft plastic recipe, you don’t need to purchase an additional soft plastic formula unless you want something extra from either of the brands listed above.
The last thing you’ll need is a small container or cup that fits inside your hand pouring container with about an inch to spare on every side. This container will serve as a mold for your plastic. Just make sure it fits well inside the larger amounting container before getting started!
Step 2: Pour Your Soft Plastic Baits
Now that you have all of your materials, it’s time to start softening and mixing your plastic. The first step is to remove the plastic bait from its packaging and place it in the smaller container you chose for molding. Then, add enough mineral spirits or water (if you don’t have mineral spirits) to completely submerge your plastics.
You can speed up this process by using hot water (not boiling) to quickly soften your plastics. The warmer liquid will help the plastic absorb more liquid, making it softer in about half the time. You may need to experiment with different temperatures for best results.
When you’re done submerging your plastics, remove them from the liquid and let any excess liquid drain back into the container they were originally in.
Now that your baits are ready, all you have to do is fill up one of your hand pouring containers halfway with mineral spirits or paint thinner. If you don’t have these solvents on hand, tap water is an acceptable substitute if it’s what you already have available at home – just know that it will take your baits longer to dry up.
After filling one of your hand pouring containers halfway with the solvent, place the container inside another container so it doesn’t tip over while you pour in the bait. Then, take your pre-softened plastics and gently place them into the bottom of your hand pouring container until they’re completely submerged. If using tap water, go ahead and fill up the rest of your hand pouring container with water at this point.
Continue by filling up any excess space around the plastic with mineral spirits or paint thinner until no air bubbles are visible. The less air bubbles you have inside each cavity, the better quality swimbait you’ll be able to make!
Finally, transfer the water and solvent mixture from the first hand pouring container into your new molding container with all of your soft bait inside. This will ensure that you won’t end up over-mixing your plastic, which can cause them to lose their innards and ruin the presentation of your future swimbait.
Step 3: Let Your Soft Plastics Dry
After pouring your soft bait, let them dry for at least 24 hours so they don’t come out of their container bloated or misshapen. If any of your baits use a tail hook such as a single or treble hook, make sure they’re completely dry before removing them from the mold!
If you remove a wet bait from its mold, you run the risk of tearing out some of the plastic’s innards if its hook is still wet.
Step 4: Check the Correct Temperature
Once your baits are dry, simply grab them by their tails and carefully remove them from their mold (if necessary). If using a single tail hook for your bait that doesn’t require a separate hook to be attached, lay it inside half of the plastic bait formula you decided on earlier.
Then, pour enough formula into the cavity that only has the tailhook to just barely cover it. This will ensure that there aren’t any air bubbles around your hooks once they’re finished drying. Then, let these baits dry as usual!
Different Types of Molds
Injection Molds
This is one of the many different types of plastic bait containers that you can choose from in order to make your watersports lures. To use this type of mold, simply cut out any appropriate shapes with scissors or a utility knife before transferring in your soft bait.
Once the plastic is completely dry, you’ll have something similar to this!
Cold Mold
Cold molding is a great option if you want to make your baits faster without having them come out misshapen or bloated. If using this technique, simply drop your bait directly into the water and let it soak up some surface tension for 5-10 minutes before pulling it back up. Just be sure not to let any air bubbles get inside of your bait while it’s soaking!
After a few minutes underwater, carefully insert a hook into each cavity of the soft bait and let them dry completely before removing them from their mold.
Aluminum Molding
This is one of the best options on the market if you’re looking to craft high-quality baits that aren’t limited by their soft formula. Simply layout any shapes that would make sense for your bait along with some hooks before transferring your soft plastic.
Then, once they’re completely dry, pull them right out of your aluminum mold!
Open Pour Molds
Open pour mold is some of the best options on the market. Simply layout any shapes and hooks that would make sense for your bait before transferring in your soft plastics. Then, let these baits dry completely before removing them from their container!
Tiger Tail Molds
Tiger tail mold is a great option if you want to make double tails with ease or anything else that requires two smaller cavities.
To use this type of mold, simply cut out any appropriate shapes with scissors or a utility knife before transferring in your soft bait. Once they’re completely dry, pull them right out of their container!
Can I Use it in Bass Fishing?
When you’re using lures that are this small, precision is key. Make sure that each of your baits is the same size and has equal spacing between their hook points. Otherwise, you run the risk of having one larger bait with two hook points and another smaller bait with only one!
If your baits have a very strong scent to them right out of the mold, consider rating them on a scale from 1-10 before actually fishing with them. A rating of 10 means the bait is so fresh it smells disgusting to fish while a rating of 1 means no scent at all. If your rating falls somewhere in between these extremes, then it’s ready for fishing – just make sure to let any static electricity dissipate before heading out!
Benefits of Hand Pour Swimbait
When you’re fishing with hand-poured baits, using a slow retrieval will give the fish more time to react to your offering. This is especially great if you have a fast water current and don’t want your swimbait ripping through the rips!
Another great benefit of heavy pour baits is that you’ll get a much more natural action from them when they’re retrieved slower.
In order to get the best results from your bait, consider using a steady retrieve for fishing in moderate currents and use an exaggerated stop-and-go presentation if fishing in low current areas.
Tips for Using Swimbaits in Bass Fishing
Swimbaits are some of the most diverse lures that can be used for bass fishing. With anywhere between 1-3 hooks points – depending on the type of cast you choose – there’s no limit to what this bait can do!
- Make sure they’re stored correctly before actually using them.
- If you don’t want to invest in your own molds or material, cast molds are some of the best options on the market too.
- If you’re looking to use this bait in fast water currents, consider using a slow retrieval to give the fish more time to react.
- Make sure that each of your baits is the same size and has equal spacing between their hook points so they don’t tear apart during use.
If you want even more advice about building your very own swimbait, research on how to pour swimbaits!
Final Thoughts on How To Pour Swimbaits
Now that you’ve read the ultimate guide, it’s time to put that knowledge into action! From how to store them correctly before use to all the different types of casts you can try out, there’s no limit to what this bait can do for your fishing.
If you’re looking for more information about building your own swimbaits or want some advice on how they should behave during retrieval, research on pour it and cast it!
David Chavez
I love blogging anything and everything related to fishing!. Much of my background comes from Freshwater fishing, but I'm also pretty decent when out in the ocean. My goal is to help other anglers better their skill-sets with proper guides, and just have fun doing so.
