Opal Glitter

[shockley32]

Anyone use opal glitter?  If so, what is the best way to use it.  Thought it would look good in pale white, nope!  The only way I can see this being good is in clear plastic with just this glitter.  Any thoughts appreciated.  I'm just working on crappie stuff right now.

Brad

[pjmcla]

Is this the M-F fire Opal?  I think it was "designed" for clear; but it might work in a light transparent color.  Looks to be a lighter version of Rainbow; which I have used in a couple of very transparent blues and greens.   None have outfished firecracker ( Red Silver and Blue ) in my limited use.  I have fished clear with firecracker glitter crappie baits for many years ( mainly in the winter in clear water ).   Bass & white bass love them as well ( and drum  ).

[shockley32]

Yes, it's the MF fire opal - think I'll go pour up a cup in clear and see how it looks. 

Forgot about the Firecracker color - usually call mine Americana (clear with 1/3 silver, 1/3 blue, 1/3 red)  it sure works great at times!

Thanks,

Brad

[andrewlamberson]

I like Jason's clear recipe: ....clear with small silver flake...or his gunmetal looks awesome too!

I make up a few dozen 1.75" small fry's last night with clear/silver.....and I did real well all summer with a 6" carrot with clear/silver and CCM Gliders in the same.

I also like the "American" you describe below.... clear... silver/blue/red ...for my CCM Gliders.

Instead of clear...I sometimes add just a bit of one of Pearl colors (Pearl Blue Smoke with silver glitter was the color over the holiday for crappies for me.)....and one big pike!

[Jason]

If someone figures out what Fire Opal looks good in - please post it.  I bought a few pounds a long time ago and haven't found a use for it.  We don't even have it on the site now.  Looks crazy good, until it's in a bait... 

[shockley32]

Spent some time pouring up baits tonight, here's my conclusion.  Fire Opal is good for nothing!!!  It looks great as glitter, put it in something and it does nothing!  I've tried in transulcent colors, clear, etc.....  just can't get it to work for me.  I'm done wasting good plastic with this stuff.

On the other hand poured some great black & green chart small fries - look out crappie I'm heading your way later this week!!!!! 

Brad

[ctom]

That fire opal does best on the surface of something where nothing will filter the light that hits it. I've dipped jigs in white as a base coat and allowed them to dry. Once dried I mix up some rod epoxy and thin it a bit with alcohol and let it "almost" set. I put the fire opal to the side and dipped the jigs first in the epoxy, tapped the excess off then into the glitter and then hung them to finish. It has an interesting flash, but its really hard to work with in my opinion. I tried putting a transparent finish color over the fire opal after the epoxy hardened and lost all of the glimmer.

[ghostbaits]

If it is only good on the surface, do this....

Put a thin, even coat in your mold (open or hand pour) and pour the bait. This will work with hand injection baits as well but you have to use small or medium flake and may have to add a little scent to have the flake adhere to the mold good enough.

This works awesome when you need to bring out the "belly" on a bait, especially swims.

Jim

[pjmcla]

Leave it to Ghostbaits to come up with a new way.  I was thinking maybe using the Opal in an "overdip"; sort of like eye sealing.  Another master ( microspoons ) uses this technique sometime.

[ghostbaits]

The over dip will work as well. Glad you brought that up.

Jim

[BareKnuckleJigs]

AWESOME Bro's!  I've "been around" Shad/Pogies/L.Y.'s my entire life, and always viewed them as being Silvery with a Darker Green or Gray Back...this is NOT the case!  A few months ago I was Cast-Netting Mullet and Shad and got to studying those big shad up close.  They're not Silver at all.  They're actually Opaque Pearl White with a HEAVY Pink/Red and Blue Opal Hue...with a narrow Dark Green Back.  I have a sample of some Opal (thank You, my Bro!) and have been pondering...

PJM and GB, Yawl have me thinkin'!

[ctom]

Up in Lake Superior we have lake herring that get up to about 5 pounds. In the water they are often mistaken as rainbow trout due to the red stripe seen on the side when they are in the water. In your hand the back of these fish is actually a dark olive green, not the black the water shows and that red stripe is not even noticable. The bellies are, as mentioned, a pearl opaque with some purplish/blusish overcast. Interesting colors.

They are excellent eating when fried up fresh. Gotta ice them right out of the water though. Pickled the fish are just flat out too good to share....with anyone.