Custom Baits - Forum
General => General Discussion => Topic started by: BareKnuckleJigs on 01/07/12 20:31 UTC
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Went Wet a Line today!!! Me and my podna, Dale, went to Lake Okhissa...Okhissa is a beautiful lake that has alot of fish, but there's plenty for them to eat, and this lake is heavily fished. We've (and I've) fished it several times, only once left me thinking of ever going back.
First part of the morning was zero, then we found a today-undisclosed-area :D and found some fish. At today's end, there were 8 Bass on the stringer...several throw-backs, 1 throw-back was because it was within the 18"-22" slot, it was about 19.5". And Fella's, I only put ONE of those Bass on the stringer. Our plan was Bank Fishing, so I didn't bring my Plastics Bag...I brought a clip-on box that I tote when fishin' off the bank.
ALL but ONE of the Bass Dale caught was on Berkley Power Worms, Tequila Sunrise. The last spot we hit, he put 3 on the stringer, back-to-back, with 2 lost fish...that's 5. On a Dead Rest, the Bass were picking up that worm and swimming off with it...at a Dead Rest...at a Dead Rest...at a Dead Rest.
Jason, Bro, I'm extremely sorry if this Thread is out of line. I catch fish, many times when noone else "can"...people love to have me in the boat...I catch fish. I have NEVER seen what happened today. Does ANYONE know what is in those worms? I'm seriously eye-balling the CCM 7" Ribbontail Mold, and if I EVER find out what's in the worms My Bro was using today, I may be ordering several of the molds I just mentioned...
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slow bite... they got time to look at it and wanted it ... so they bit and swam away, its doesnt have to be moving to catch fish, its called deadsticking
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Tequila Sunrise is an excellent color. A ribbon tail requires very little movement; or current ( even wind current ) to illicit movement. Deadsticking does work; especially on low activity fish. The Attractant in the power worm probably had some degree of attraction.
Or any combination of the above.
An interesting check would be to get another companies Ribbontail in Tequila Sunrise and a bottle of berkley spray on powerbait. Fish the same area with and without the spray on the non berkley bait and fish the berkley bait as well. Might eliminate or prove something. Based on the test results; further itterations could be run. An example - same bait - different attractant or different worm color same attractant, etc.
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Here is an idea for you to consider. Back in the 80's to soften your plastic, oil was added to soften it during the heat process. Try adding some Berkley scent to your plastic and see if it makes a big difference. Just make sure it's an oil based. Another thing to try is to add the oil in the bag with the worms. The plastic absorbs oil after it sits in it a while. Good luck!
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Thank Yawl for the replies, Fella's!
With all the details of this trip, I do (at this point) believe that there's an effective attractant in (or on) those "old" worms...I think it's IN them. These were NOT the "Gulp" or "Alive", way-overly-expensive line of baits...these are made of typical, oil-based plastisol..."old" Powerbait Worms...Power Worms. We were within talking distance of each other, all day, and of course, fishing the same area. My presentation was the same as his, with the typical variations that go with trying to get a bite when it slows down. Now, like I said, I didn't have my Plastics Bag, so I had less options. I didn't have 1 worm, I didn't have any dark colors. Some of my thinking was Bait Testing, also.
What happened yesterday has sparked some major thinking. I believe it's more than Presentation. I believe it's more than JUST Color. I believe it's more than JUST Worm Body/Tail Style. It may be a combination of a few, or all, of these aspects...but I can't get passed the Gut Feeling that it's an Attractant. I REALLY wish I could show Yawl what happened, and how it happened. I've got ALOT of time on the water, and there is something to what happened yesterday.
Fire away, Bro's...
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I don't know what body of water you were on but in the winter bass will gang up on a spot. It is possible that he just hit THE spot? Maybe it was a depth change with some cover or the current winter fishing can be like that some times.
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Your buddy's fishing Mojo: On ;D
Your fishing Mojo: Off :-[
Stuff happens!
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I like the idea of testing more. Sharing bait, swapping rods, etc. See if you can really figure it out.
I talk to guys on a regular basis that are fishing team tournaments and one totally cleans up, while the other may not even boat a fish. Sometimes in a day tourny, I've heard of a couple that pretty much went like that for the series.
The only thing I know for sure is you can't catch them if you don't have a line in the water, and every time you think you have them figured out they will make a liar out of you.
I think that's why we all love it - nothing like be humbled by a fish!
Jason
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Roger on'na Mojo, Andy! :D
This has me seriously thinking. Maybe I (or we) can come up with our own additives, that will REALLY make a difference. I've done a TON of reading, and it seems universal that fish do not/can not detect oil-based scents. What about a powder? Will a powder "scent" Oil-Based Plastisol enough so a fish can pick up the scent? Will there be enough powder/granules "close enough to the outside/skin" to give off the scent?
Can one get a powder dry enough so the plastisol accepts it, without foaming? Speaking on moisture, I've had problems when the moisture in the air gets passed a certain percentage, but not before that percentage (without considering temp differences). What substance/powder, that contains trace-amounts of moisture, say 5% moisture, will be accepted by the plastic? Would one use a dehydrator to remove most/all moisture? What would one use? Earthworms? Nightcrawlers? Crawfish? Baitfish? I'm eye-balling some Earthworm Powder, as we speak.
Is water-based plastic exclusive to Berkley? If not, how available is it? If we could obtain water-based plastic, we could add whatever came to mind. Nightcrawler Paste, anyone?
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In order for fish to smell, or taste, keep in mind that whatever has to be water soluable or at least immulsifiable if it is an oil. Naturally occuring fish oils immulsify well with water and can be smelled/tasted. Fish cannot taste plastic so scents get added. scents added after the molding process will simply wash off. Those incorporated into the plastic before molding will be both on the surface and inside, captured in small pockets. If one of those power worms seems to have stopped producing fish, just split the tail end length-wise for a couple inches and new scent will again be released. The gulp products are water soluable, thats why they will harden if left on a hook. Since water can "wash" them, the scent gets worn out and nothing will replace it except to put the bait back in the original jar of juice.
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Naturally occuring fish oils immulsify well with water and can be smelled/tasted.
AWESOME, Mr. CrappieTom!!! I have VooDoo brand Cold-Pressed Menhaden Oil that I've been adding, but have lately figured it couldn't be detected (by any detection system other than my Beautiful Wife :D). How can one test an Oil to see if it's immulsifiable, or is it simply, like You said, naturally occuring so it's good-to-go?
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Run some tap water into a glass along with some of the oil. Cover the glass and shake it like crazy for a half a minute. If the oil turns the water real cloudy and things get thicker than water should be and little of the oil floats to the top, it immulsifies. Try the same thing with motor oil and the oil will be on the water in a heartbeat.
Salad dressings are prime examples of an immusifiable oil. You can shake the oil into the vinegar portion easily so they mix. With fish its not so much how they mix, its a matter that the fish live in an environment heavy on the water side. They are geared to work in water. Taste and smell are water related, can't be any other way. Anything considered an oil that cannot incorporate with the water simply will not be smalled or tasted.
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Thank You, Mr. Tom, Sir!!!
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This is the result of the "Immulsification Test" for the VooDoo Menhaden Oil. This is 1 TSP Oil in about 7-8 oz.s of water. I shook it for about 3-4 seconds, but the water turned cloudy well before I stopped.
(http://www.caneycreekmolds.net/gallery/315_11_01_12_12_13_56.jpeg)
AND, this pic was taken probably 30+ seconds after I stopped shaking. It stayed this cloudy. I'd say it's Good-To-Go!
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That is how it will look if it immusifies. Did you shake that to music, or just tough it?
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Tough it? What?! I had that bottle over my head like a Pineapple, shakin' it to my favorite Hawaiian song!
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But; How did it taste?
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I'm not sure if I'm that tough...the baits made with that smell like a Pogy Boat. I may have to try some of that Oil on a Salad and find out...
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Careful how you use that stuff or you'll find yourself a guest on divorce court. lol
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CrappieTom is correct stating that oils can be smelled in water. All of our scents are oil based for adding to hot plastic and used again for packaging them afterwards or adding to existing baits. I have had many, many trials on the water testing scents added to molded baits prior to molding and added afterwards. The cooked in scents displace the plastisol smell giving baits much more appeal. The scents added to baits after packaging them slowly permeate into the outer layer of plastic reducing even more plastisol smell. The oil will disperse ( when scent is added to packaged baits ) once a bait is casted into the water, but that is only the oily residue of what remained on the surface of the bait. I can't tell you how many times I've fished an area of a lake with handpoured baits using plain ( no scent added ) baits and then another with our scent(s) cooked in and added afterwards....the end result is scented baits outperform non scented baits 5/1. And again, this is an oil based product which some people say don't help?? It's quite clear that enhancing a plastic bait greatly improves your chances in achieving more hook-ups.
-Doug
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Roger on'NAT, CTom!!! :D
Thank You, UHS!
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OK My question is this: How much scent should you use to 4 oz. of plastic before heating the plastic up? I know everyone is different, but generally how much do you need to add to get the job done?
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Also some of your scent will color the plastic if I understand correctly, so what scent would you use for light colors and dark colors (say worms)
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Muskygary, I would use a little less than a tablespoon for 4 oz. of plastic. I know many guys that use 1-2 Tbsp. per 8 oz. of plastic. The Coffee/Shad and Coffee/Anise have very dark properties and will discolor light plastics. Our new Java n Garlic is lighter in color than the two mentioned above and will give you more alternatives if you like that coffee based scent option. Jason will be carrying it in his store very soon along with Grape Shad. Thanks-Doug
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Thanks for the information. I have never tried putting scent in the hot plastic (always put it in the bag) Love your products and will be buying and expermenting with a lot more of them!