Repairing soft plastics

revolutiontime95 · May 30, 2012, 01:40:48 PM

We all love our soft plastics. They catch bass, they catch fisherman, it's a win-win situation.

What we don't love is when bass rip our plastics to shreds. Well, I've got a solution.
Take a ripped up worm (it can't be ripping IN HALF, just ripped up by setting the hook through a bass's mouth). Now, go grab a lighter. Subject the ripped portions of the worm to the flame. By doing this, you can actually melt these ripped portions back together. This doesn't work perfectly, but it can make a worm last longer. Just to prove my point, I own a gander mountain trick stick worm that has caught at least two bass, maybe it's caught three...can't remember for sure. But if you use this method, you can easily catch AT LEAST TWO bass per worm.
This should save you a lot of money. Use a long lighter, if possible, not a cigarette lighter (although that will do, it's just safer to use a longer lighter to keep your fingers away from the flame, especially if you're out on the water and the wind is blowing)

timsnitch · July 02, 2012, 01:07:44 AM

No chance that maybe the butane would be unattractive to the fish? No evidence to back this up, just a thought. The sulfur from a match probably wouldn't be any better.

Bassinkorea · July 02, 2012, 08:12:45 AM

I now only use Mend-It to repair my plastics, but I used to use the lighter trick and it worked great with no noticable effects from the light gas.

Pro Reel · July 02, 2012, 11:00:24 AM

I have been doing this with a lighter and a mini soldering torch for the last couple of years. With the high cost of some modern baits, it only makes sense to try to make them last longer. I tried mend it and didn't like the results. Some riped open at the first use and the bottle dried up after the first time it was open. I tried regular super glue and that works some, but the bait gets crunchy in the repair area. Once I started just melting them back together with a lighter, i didn't have any problems. I have some baits that have been melted together several times and still look new. I did find that a few baits will flame up , but you can blow the flame out and stick it togtehr then. The bass can't tell any difference after doing this. The bait still smells the same. All you are doing is melting the plastic back to it's liquid state it was in from pouring. If in doubt, dab or spray it with scent. Works for me and I save a lot of money on baits now. I also customize my baits by melting extra parts on them or putting 2 together to have different colors

revolutiontime95 · July 02, 2012, 11:37:51 AM

Quote from: timsnitch on July 02, 2012, 01:07:44 AM
No chance that maybe the butane would be unattractive to the fish? No evidence to back this up, just a thought. The sulfur from a match probably wouldn't be any better.

They seem to smell the same to me after leaving them set for a while. Also, I've caught many bass with these 'mended' plastics, so I can testify to their effectiveness from personal experience. By no means is this a perfect method of repair, but it's just something you can try if you are stretched on cash like I am (a highschooler)

timsnitch · July 02, 2012, 05:09:24 PM

Awesome thanks for the tip. Now of only I could catch enough fish to where my baits would need repairing...

bassincali · July 02, 2012, 05:20:29 PM

a cheap torch lighter is a live saver

bass1cpr · July 02, 2012, 09:55:08 PM

Venom makes a worm glue that lasts and doesn't dry up like mend-it. I found it at Cabelas about $5.00 a bottle and you won't burn your fingers. I have used the lighter method or a match but the ronson butane jet lighters they sell at walmat for $3.00 bucks is easier to aim the flame with.

JeffD · July 23, 2012, 07:19:43 PM

Thanks for the great info! I have a battery powered mini soldering iron that is going in my tackle box !:))

ND2020 · August 16, 2012, 04:19:45 PM

I'm relatively new to bass fishing and was curious if the mend-it is actually worth the purchase vs regular super-glue? I assume super-glue leaves hard spots?

Bassinkorea · August 16, 2012, 04:48:15 PM

Quote from: ND2020 on August 16, 2012, 04:19:45 PM
I'm relatively new to bass fishing and was curious if the mend-it is actually worth the purchase vs regular super-glue? I assume super-glue leaves hard spots?

I use Mend-it and think its a great product. After a day on the water I bring all my damaged and torn worms home and fix them ready for the next fishing trip. I am sure super glue would work just as good but as you said, it would probably be quite hard in tne repair area.

Baron49 · August 17, 2012, 10:07:48 AM

Big fan of Mend-it here! Have used it since back in the days they had the plastic bottles. You had to buy the smaller bottles to keep it from drying out. Today it is marketed in glass bottles that are air tight and the solution will not dry out like it did before.

The only problem I have found with Mend-it is on really bad tears it does NOT heal the tear in seconds like some of the ads say. If I do a repair to the head of a beaver for example I let it sit on top of my tackle box in the sun for several minutes so it completely dries. On swimbaits or bulking expensive soft baits I take them home, repair them, and let them sit over night before using them. If you do this they will be as strong if not stronger then it was originally and will maintain the same soft texture.

ydoc · August 21, 2012, 11:46:52 AM

BIG FAN of Mend-It as well!!

If you get a little on your fingers, it won't glue your fingers together (like super-glue does)!! It only works on "plastic". I've even used it to close holes on a hollow-body Frog (like Spro's, Scum Frogs, etc.) You should see what a snapping-turtle does to one of those frogs!

On small tears, you either pinch or slightly pull the tear just a little... but be careful when doing this! When you apply the Mend-It, it will actually disolve/"melt" a little of the plastic to allow it to 'glue' back together. But if you pull TOO much, you'll pull it apart. (Of course, you can always 'glue' the two pieces back together.)

One of the other benefits is to 'play' and create your own baits. I've taken worms and 'glued' a pink "head" on a brown body. I've also 'glued' two 6" floating worms together to make one 12" floating "snake".

Lotsa fun and just limited by your imagination!!

Chip Harm · August 21, 2012, 12:23:20 PM

Where are you all getting the Mend-it? I have checked the BPS here and they no longer carry it. Went to Academy the other night and they didn't carry it either.

Any info would be great....

Baron49 · August 21, 2012, 02:33:17 PM

You can find Mend-it all over the web. Easiest place in on Ebay. You can Google it and find a ton of places that carry it.

Bassinkorea · August 21, 2012, 05:01:02 PM

Quote from: Chip Harm on August 21, 2012, 12:23:20 PM
Where are you all getting the Mend-it? I have checked the BPS here and they no longer carry it. Went to Academy the other night and they didn't carry it either.

Any info would be great....

One of our UB sponsors (Monster) sells it. Here's a link.....

http://www.outdoorproshop.com/SearchResults.asp?Search=mend+it