Salt Used In Plastics?

[rrw4258]

Just wondering if anybody know's what kind of salt is used on most plastics on the market today? I am wanting to add some to my non-salted baits. Thanks

Ryan

[nofearengineer]

Ryan, are you talking about adding salt to baits you're making?

Adding salt to a bait that has already been cast is pretty nigh impossible. Anything highly water-soluble like salt added to the surface of a lure is pretty much going to wash away instantly.

I've never made any plastic lures myself, but I would imagine salt has to be added to the molten plastic during the casting process.

[Abbeysdad]

It seems to me that salting soft plastics just doesn't work. If added to the molten plastic, it would just be an impurity and encased in the plastic, would serve no purpose for the lure. it's not like the plastic slowly dissolves in the water releasing salt. Salt on the surface, as nofear points out, quickly washes off.

So ya gotta ask, what's the point? Salting minnows makes sense, but not plastics.

Now having 'said' all that, a lot of folks place high value on stinky sprays said to enhance a lures performance - who knows, maybe sprinkling salt on there helps too. Whilst we're at it, we should toss some of that salt over our shoulder as we do the fish dance!
(and lets not be fergettin the sock with the punched hole can of dog food)

[rrw4258]

Was going to add them to some BPS plastics, but I guess plastics with salt is just a confidence thing for me...

Ryan

[nofearengineer]

Abbey, I think the main draw for salted lures is for when a bass bites down on it. There's a misconception out there that lure scents sort of sit there and draw them in, like the smelly dogfood can does catfish. This can't really be true for salted baits.

However, when a bass, or any other fish, bites down on a plastic bait that has been impregnated with salt, there is sure to be some of it released, and the fish will certainly taste it. Now I do think that 99% of the salt that is added will go to waste, as it is so deep in the lure it would take a pike to shred it up to get at it. But since salt isn't all that rare or expensive, it's okay to waste the 99%, so that the other 1% is in the "tasteable zone".

The salt won't last forever, but most plastic baits don't last too long either.

[Baron49]

Adding salt to worms that are already manufactured is not going to do a thing as the first time they hit the water the salt will be washed off. However adding salt to hand pour allows some of the salt to be embedded into the bait. As has been mentioned most of the salt will dissipate as you use the bait, but some remains. My favorite salted baits are made by the Venom Lure company and they actually work better after they have been used and chewed on. They get more pliable and after tasting them from biting off an end the salt is still in the bait.

[bassboogieman]

Salt also affects the sink rate of plastics, the more salt the faster a bait will sink. Salt may also affect "color", i.e. - in "clear" plastic salt turns it a milky white. Salt will also stiffen plastic so softners are used to offset salt when used to weight baits. Other additives include floatant, and scents like garlic, crawfish, etc.

[Abbeysdad]

However, when a bass, or any other fish, bites down on a plastic bait that has been impregnated with salt, there is sure to be some of it released, and the fish will certainly taste it.

I think what's important to consider here is that in order for any impregnated salt taste, the fish would have to bite through the bait - if he's done that, you've either set the hook or not - but the taste of the salt is not what lured him to the bait.

Now, just maybe (only the fish knows fer sure)...the salt taste masks the yucky plastic taste enough so he holds onto the bait longer rather than rejecting it right after the bite, giving the angler more of a chance to set the hook?

[nofearengineer]

Abbey...you're exactly right...the salt is what helps keep him chewing on it long enough for you to detect the bite and set the hook. It doesn't increase the bite rate, just the hook-up rate.

[Bassboss]

No I don't know what kind of salt. But what I do do to some of my stiffer/unsalted plastics, is this:

Take any kind of salt, (I use table salt, but pop corn salt works best, it just resolves faster) and put it into a pot, fill the pot with water, add you plastics (you can also add some fish attractant to the mix). and than bring the water to a roaring boil (about 5 mins), than turn the stove down a little and let it set for another five minutes. Than turn the stove off, and let the plastics set for about an hour. When you take them out, they'll be softer, and salty! I really like to do this with YUM dingers to make them soft and more Yamamoto Senko like.

[Bender]

Baron and boogieman have it right about the weight and color factors. There is quite a balance to be achieved by using the right amount of salt to make the baits soft and sink correctly, but not so stiff that they lost their action.

The only thing I have to add is to use non Iodized salt. I don't know if it is true or not, but I have heard that Iodized salt can kill the fish. Also a very fine salt mixes better and pretty much all of the plastic supply companies for the lure business offer extra fine salt as well. Let me know if you need contact info for any of them.

[Baron49]

Originally Posted by Bassboss

No I don't know what kind of salt. But what I do do to some of my stiffer/unsalted plastics, is this:

Take any kind of salt, (I use table salt, but pop corn salt works best, it just resolves faster) and put it into a pot, fill the pot with water, add you plastics (you can also add some fish attractant to the mix). and than bring the water to a roaring boil (about 5 mins), than turn the stove down a little and let it set for another five minutes. Than turn the stove off, and let the plastics set for about an hour. When you take them out, they'll be softer, and salty! I really like to do this with YUM dingers to make them soft and more Yamamoto Senko like.

I am sure your mother just loves it when her teen age son stinks up the kitchen and ruins her good pots and pans cooking plastic baits.....

[Raul]

Adding salt to your baits is not going to do anything, half of the salt covering the baits is going to fly away when you cast the bait, the better part of the remaining salt is going to fall off the bait when it lands and by the time the bait has finally sunk the remaining salt that have miraculously survived the cast and the landing will dissolve right away so by the time the bait has dived a couple of feet you´ll be fishing a pretty much unsalted bait.

Now, adding salt to your baits to avoid sticking to each other is another story.

[RichZ]

Originally Posted by Abbeysdad

for any impregnated salt taste, the fish would have to bite through the bait

Don't make the mistake of thinking that water doesn't penetrate the plastic. Why do you think you have to leave your worms out in the sun to get their color back after you've been fishing in the rain and gotten water in your worm box and the worms are all foggy?

Put any heavily salt impregnated bait in your mouth. Do you taste salt? Of course you do. Fish with it for an hour, and put it in your mouth. Still tastes salty. The salt permeates the bait, and slowly dissolves as it comes in contact with water. In fact, what a bait molded with a lot of salt in it is, in essence is a sponge, with the holes filled with salt. The salt will dissolve in the water. The stuff actually touching and very close to the surface first, then more, and more. If the bait it VERY high in salt content, the crystals are pretty much in contact with each other, and the whole thing will soak up water where the salt was, after it dissolves.

Put a a Senko or a Zoom Chunk (non laminated, as laminated color zooms have no salt) in a bucket or water and forget about it for 3 or 4 days. It will be 2 to 3 times its original size, from soaking up water (thus the sponge analogy above).

As to the original question, the salt used is called flour salt, and is very finely ground. And adding salt to baits that have already been manufactured is an exercise in futility.

As a side note, if you read Gene Larew's original patent application for salt impregnated plastics, the "advantage" he was seeking had nothing whatsoever to do with sink rate or any perceived advantage in catch rate or fish attractiveness that the salt might bring to the table (no pun intended). It was strictly a cost saving deal, as the salt cost (at the time) about 1/10 of what the vinyl resin did.

[Bassboss]

Originally Posted by Baron49

I am sure your mother just loves it when her teen age son stinks up the kitchen and ruins her good pots and pans cooking plastic baits.....

Shhhh... What she don't know wont hurt her, I clean up nice n good!

[Abbeysdad]

Originally Posted by RichZ

Put a a Senko or a Zoom Chunk (non laminated, as laminated color zooms have no salt) in a bucket or water and forget about it for 3 or 4 days. It will be 2 to 3 times its original size, from soaking up water (thus the sponge analogy above).

As to the original question, the salt used is called flour salt, and is very finely ground. And adding salt to baits that have already been manufactured is an exercise in futility.

Well, if what you say is true about water absorption, all one has to do is soak any soft plastic in hot, salted water, then allow them to dry. Since salt cannot evaporate, the bait should then be impregnated with salt.

[Mac2]

As an experiment, mix two teaspoons salt in a cup of hot water, stir well and cool. Now pour some of the saltwater into your baggies of baits and re-seal. Float the baggies for a half hour on top of a bucket or sinkful of hot tapwater for penetration. Take a plastic out and rinse in water and taste the plastic. I've been told that not only water will penetrate the plastics, but the dissolved salt as well. Like I said, try it as an experiment.

In the book by Jones, "Knowing Bass" in experiments done by Berkeley, a 3 percent salt solution is ideal. Toothbrush bristles soften a tad when wetted and I think some other plastics may work the same. I use a garlic spray with sea salt added and float them on hot tapwater as well for penetration.

[Mac2]

Rich Z

Thanks for posting on this board and welcome. Also wanted to thank you for posting your dropshotting article on another board. Great read and very informative....thanks for sharing and Welcome Aboard.

Good Fishing, Mac

[3dkicker]

Originally Posted by Raul

Now, adding salt to your baits to avoid sticking to each other is another story.

When dealing with large numbers of plastic baits the more salt added to them makes them much easier to count out 25, 50, or 100. Talking from experience here.

[BeaverIslander]

According to this book that was mentioned by Mac2, table salt is next to useless. It suggested that the salts used in soft plastics are formulated to be very close to the salts found in natural critters.

http://www.amazon.com/Knowing-Bass-S.../dp/1585745235

[Mac2]

BeaverIslander, thanks for the post. A very good point I had forgotten. Thanks, Mac