Mass produced or Custom Pour plastics whats your preference?

blake711 · October 02, 2008, 01:54:37 PM

Ok so I would like to hear what you all think? What do you use the most Mass Produced baits or Custom Pours. Whats your take? Is the extra cost worth it? I know personally for me I haven't been blow away with custom pours. I have actually had as good or better luck with mass produced items versus custom pours in my personal experience. So with that said I mainly fish Zoom with some Yamamoto and Berkly items. So lets here your impressions.

Blake

Baron49 · October 02, 2008, 02:20:54 PM

I have to go with mass produced. Use mainly Zoom, Charlie's and Berkley worms and they have worked well for me for years. The only hand or "custom" pours I have used are the Berkleys drop shot worms and they don't seem to produce any better then the Gander mountain brand finesse worms I tried this year.

docav · October 02, 2008, 02:21:26 PM

i would say half and half. i use a lot of mass produced stuff but there are some custom baits i like very well which are not made by the "big" companies. doug

larrylargemouth · October 02, 2008, 02:31:41 PM

I'm split on this one too. My plastic boxes are just about half custom and half mass produced. There are a few jig trailers that I have had success with that I can't seem to find made by the bigger suppliers. As far as price goes, there are some good deals out there from the custom suppliers especially if you buy in quanity.

pawpaw · October 02, 2008, 02:40:46 PM

Mass produced I use mostly use Berkley and Manns. I have never tried the hand poured plastics.

Bountiful Waters · October 02, 2008, 03:10:23 PM

Sounds like we need a head to head competition. This could get as heated as the political threads

Competition categories:

Frogs
Worms
stick baits
swimbaits
jerkbaits

Any Others?

The next UB gathering, this would be a great event!

TightLinez · October 02, 2008, 03:43:03 PM

Custom pours hands down! The colors and feel of the baits can't be mass produced. I was never very big on soft plastics (I know-:shocking:), before I started using El Grande Lures. I was more of a spinnerbait, jig, and topwater guy. A lot of the lakes I fish, like Table Rock, are super-clear. On lakes like this, color really matters. Try finding a "Bluegill" or "Tilapia" color like the ones Jay makes. You won't find them with Zoom, Culprit, etc. Plus, the option for your own colors is great!

Ron Fogelson · October 02, 2008, 05:06:34 PM

All most all mass produced here, mostly Zoom but I have started to like the big 10 inch power worms by Berkly and of course the sweet beaver and a few other soft plastics by Reaction Innovations.

Kal-Kevin · October 02, 2008, 07:40:56 PM

I use a lot of mass produced baits but I do have one that I get that is custom, that I call my got to bait, but will not post it here since they are not a sponsor of the site any more. other then that one I would be totally mass!

Creel Limit Zero · October 02, 2008, 07:49:54 PM

1/2 and 1/2. There are a few mass produced baits I use every time out. But I've found some real nice custom pours that I've got some nice fish on too!

bass1cpr · October 02, 2008, 07:50:06 PM

I probably use 95% mass produced. Zoom's in the lead, Berkley, Reaction Innovations, Yamamoto, if I can't catch fish on those four I'm in touble. I've used hand pours and pour some myself but my biggest fish have come on what you can buy off the peg. Plus it's much easier to restock.

blake711 · October 02, 2008, 07:55:57 PM

Kal- tell us what it is unless you don't want to share. Its not like you started a post pimping a nonsponser. Besides the sponsers are gonna get plenty of plugs in this thread. Thats why they got field and pro staff. To come in here and tell us how wonderful their stuff is.

Blake

Kal-Kevin · October 02, 2008, 07:59:34 PM

Ok since you asked I can tell you, it is Doc Irv Custom Baits, if you go to his web site you will know right off that bat which one I like!

ex301p · October 03, 2008, 06:20:29 AM

I mostly use and have great luck with Charlie Worm products, from worms to craws to lizards, but I have also had good luck with EL Grande's Mexican Rattler.

The one thing I can not stand about mass produced is that when you find something, be it a worm, craw or whatever or something as simple as the color, that really works great, it's almost guaranteed that at some point they will stop producing it or will change it claiming it's the new and improved which is BOLOGNA, new and improved usually means garbage IMO.

This is one reason, another is they just kick butt, that I stick with Charlie Worms. I can still get the same style and colors from them that I have been using for years. No fancy pant changes, just plain old fish producing baits.

mlakrid · October 03, 2008, 06:46:17 AM

I am about 80% ZOOM products...

I like the fact that the colors stay constant, and I have not seen them remove ANY of their colors althoguh tey have added many more since i started using them...

EDIT: I realized I didnt put any other brands I use:

Roboworm's Robotail Z worm in midnight:
http://www.roboworm.com/rtimages/rt-767z.jpg

Reaction Innovations:
Sweet beavers
and for finesse fishing even though very small the miniskirt on a shaky head

Mike A!

Lipripper · October 03, 2008, 08:03:17 AM

Senko and sweet beavers most of the time but am going to give them ElGrande soft baits a good shot

texlwedge · October 03, 2008, 06:37:56 PM

Quote from: TightLinez on October 02, 2008, 03:43:03 PM
Custom pours hands down! The colors and feel of the baits can't be mass produced. I was never very big on soft plastics (I know-:shocking:), before I started using El Grande Lures. I was more of a spinnerbait, jig, and topwater guy. A lot of the lakes I fish, like Table Rock, are super-clear. On lakes like this, color really matters. Try finding a "Bluegill" or "Tilapia" color like the ones Jay makes. You won't find them with Zoom, Culprit, etc. Plus, the option for your own colors is great!

I have to agree with Jordan on this one. No where else have I been able to find lures that I can get the way I want them. If you buy mass produced, you get what everybody else gets. Lures from companies like El Grande are happy to build you lures that fit the color patterns you want. Sure they have the OTC lures in the store, and they are fantastic, but if you want a certian color you can contact Jay and he will try to make it for you. You can't get that from Zoom, Berkley, etc. Also, I feel the quality of the lures produced is better than massed produced. Seems to me mmore care is put into each lure made, as the lure makers reputation is on the line. And if it's one thing I DO know. These lures catch fish!

RC · October 03, 2008, 08:57:33 PM

i mainly use custom pours. this is because i pour my own stix, curly tail worms, creatures, grubs and beavers. i have one worm that i worked with a mold maker on. its a one off, and has done very well by me. i do have store bought plastics around, but i have so much fun catching fish on my own baits that i hardly ever use store bought.