Dipping Baits

[Blackhawk19]

When you're putting eyes on a swim bait how far down do you dip the bait and what are the tricks of the trade I need to know?

[BareKnuckleJigs]

Some like the look of the entire bait being dipped, but 99% of the time, I just dip the head, whether a Frog or Baitfish.

[Yves]

if they have a hook slot, i dip up to the hook slot
the dip plastisol is softer, I use it softer

[Blackhawk19]

Do you just dip them and hold them up and let the clear plastic drip off and set up for a few min?

[ctom]

For me it depends on the bait. A frog or toad? ....1/4" past the eyes. Anything else I dip to where the tail begins. I water dunk mine right from knocking off the excess plastic on the cup rim. I just tap the very end of the bait on the cup rim a couple times to get rid of excess. This takes some practice but once you've got a handle on it it is just super fast to do.

You can add some strength to your baits by using firm or hard plastic. Hook pull-outs are reduced doing this but don't do tails or you'll cut way back on action if they are done in medium or soft.

I also add uv enhancer to my dipping clear. The new powder available at Do-It is hyper potent and a very little does amazing things.

I don't like cooking a whole lot of plastic for dipping so I use custard cups for doing 4 ounces for small to mid-sized baits and even frog dips. If I am doing shad bodies or the Super Fry I use a taller, narrower cup [a laboratory beaker actually] that hold about 5 ounces and affords the extra depth needed on longer bodies. I could dip a six or seven inch shad in this and be ok .

[BareKnuckleJigs]

CTom is in the Class of the Masters.

I dip the bait, raise it up, excess falls off, I let it cool enough so I can set it down then grab the next one.  Once I'm done dipping and have some time/opportunity, I cut the cooled drip off the end of the bait and set it back down to finish curing.  Some guys, those who dip tubes on rods, have a technique that leaves no drip to trim off, and that technique can be used when dipping Baits/Eyes.

[Yves]

i just dip them and hold them up and let the clear plastic drip off, Then I throw them in water, few minutes

[Blackhawk19]

Thanks for all the answers, I got my 4.75 smokin shad bait mold today with some eyes to try with it.