Using glass bead media?

[bhubbard387]

A few guys were talking about glass bead media in another unrelated thread and I wanted to open a new thread to see if we could bring in some more opinions.  For senkos specifically they said around 2.25T for 4OZ of plastic matches the sink rate and action of GYB's pretty well without any added softener.  They also noted that as opposed to salt or HDA, it also leaves the baits a little clearer and shows the flake better. 

I was curious if anyone else had experience with this?  Would the scratching of the molds and injector eventually create serious problems?  If anyone has pictures of baits with the glass bead media too I would love to see them.  One of the guys was using 80 Grit and another I think was using 40/70 grit/mesh crushed glass.   

[Lamar]

  I would like to see a study of what glass beads do to bass when they hit the lure with it in it. I hate to make any sense of this but if it hurts the injector and or possibly the mold then what does it do to the bass ? My main concern is always the future of fishing down the road. It just worries me when glass beads that scratch metal enter a bass.  I've said this before but kind of got blown off. At my age I'll take what I can get. But I for one would like to see the effects of glass beads before using them.

[MO QWACK]

Then stop using lead, barbed hooks, soft plastic lures, sonar because we don't wanna give em radiation, props on motors ect ect I truly believe riding around at 70 mph with ( bass in a live well for 8 hours that you just caught spawning hurts a fishery more than glass beads. I'm sure the never ever shallow sand when they suck a big crawfish off a sand bar.  I say use em. To solve the problem just eat the dam things when you catch em that way those beads have a 100% mortality rate 

[Justin9j]

Oh dear

[Lamar]

  I guess you can be part of the problem or part of the solution. It's a choice.

[bassinfool]

What's the difference between the bass eating the glass beads as opposed to the silica used in GYB?
Here is a crappy cell phone pic of one of my watermelon sticks using the 80.  You can see how much transparency you get.

Some more crappy cell phone pics.

[MO QWACK]

  I guess you can be part of the problem or part of the solution. It's a choice.

Well in that case you are apart of the problem with your lead baits,  barbed hooks ect if you can't tell with sarcasm I'm pointing out that people are quick to point at what others are doing such as glass beads and not worrying about the things they do. The senko  as Carolina rig has killed more bass by swallowing a hook than anything else and Lamar don't say I don't know how to fish it because I do. Why don't we ban those baits as well?

[Lamar]

Well in that case you are apart of the problem with your lead baits,  barbed hooks ect if you can't tell with sarcasm I'm pointing out that people are quick to point at what others are doing such as glass beads and not worrying about the things they do. The senko  as Carolina rig has killed more bass by swallowing a hook than anything else and Lamar don't say I don't know how to fish it because I do. Why don't we ban those baits as well?

  I'm not upset, knocking or pointing fingers just would like to see a study on it. I understand that there are things we do that hurt the fish. Just not willing to add to the problem. And that is the reason I don't Carolina Rig. I've gut hooked to many fish on it. As a fisherman I have that choice.

[eyedo]

Options are good that's why I do this thing. There are some baits that are more harmful than others. Such as the dumb a$$ banjo minnow . the first and only try I gut hooked 3 undersize smallies  on a slack line as per the video. Theres no way to get that mess out without killing them So I took the baits home tried to remelt not good they smoke and stink. They went in the garbage .

[MonteSS]

A bass sucks in a crawfish on the sandy bottom of a lake. Most of the sand is expelled out the gills. I'm sure the bass swallows some sand though. Glass beads are glass/sand. Not some un-natural substance.

The glass beads WILL scratch your injector. More specifically the piston and nozzle. The tube seems to be OK. Even scratched the injector works fine and oiled o-rings seal as normal.

Here are some Sticks with 120 grit.. Baits are transkucent and bright and show flake well.
4 oz soft plastic
2 heaping tblsp glass beads.















Even color changing motor oil works


Mo Milk

[MO QWACK]

Wow those are really nice!! Do they still have that magic wiggle

[Apdriver]

These colors are very nice. I know I've seen them before and they're still awesome. Me likey!

[bassinfool]

The wiggle is still the same.

[ctom]

Another heavy glass product to try is glass reflector beads that get added to paints or get poured over heavy paint coats. The city uses these when striping the streets, especially around intersections. They filed a machine and left a partial container of the beads on the curb....I got a real good look at them before taking them to the city shop. I bought a similar product at a paint store and have used them for making weighted baits when I wanted a couple that sunk well. These beads make a very clear, transparent bait

[bhubbard387]

Those look really good!  And the reflector beads is another great idea, thank you