Somewhere here a while ago it was asked if anyone had ever done a bait with another bait inside it. I can't find the thread where it was discussed but the idea has been knocking around in the old gourd since I read it and tonight I had nothing to do but watch cottonwood link float past the windows and doors so I got in the plastic...along with the cottonwood lint. lol
First I took out my trusty old 1" Nano Fry mold and shot it in solid black thinking I needed a color to really stand out. The I dug out the 3" split tailed shad mold and poured one cavity on the belly side about 1/3 full of a clear with some fire opal glitter in it....just a re-melt. Then while that hand pour was stiff hot and fluid I set one of the Nanos on it and ever so gently nudged it into the clear plastic bed. Then using a thinned out jelly red I shot the mold to finish it. This is what I came up with.
Keep in mind that this bait has not been finished in any way. A couple small eyes and cover dip would dress it up a lot but the eyes would smother the black minnow inside pretty much. The Nano could have been set further back but at this hour and in a garage with so-so lighting I couldn't really tell where the Nano landed until I pressed it into the clear and by then the ball game had ended as far as where the Nano was going to be.
Anyway.....a bait within a bait can be done. The bait on the inside has to be small enough to allow the injected plastic enough room to flow easily around it. The bait on the inside has to be of a color that will stand out against the colors you put it into. The process isn't hard, but it is putsy....I think I had to pour four bellies and set that many Nanos just to get this one. Its doubtful that Ill do more than what you see here, but now I know I can do it. The Nano should fit inside a 2 1/2" Fry bait and easily into the Super Fry, Swim Shad, Smokin Shad, Super Stinger and the Swim Fry. I put 3mm eyes on the first Nano thinking that they'd help with visual orientation of the bait inside but the cover dip made the Nano too large for this purpose.
Its a fun challenge getting one inside the other but rest assured that if you master this you'll likely be the only person on the water at any time with a bait like this without spending $15.00 for a bag of commercial ones. Its hard telling whether a fish's eyesight is refined enough to make out the bait within but its there as you can see.
Have fun guy!
