Smallmouth on Hand-Poured Creature Baits: A Weekend on the Riversoft-bait

    Smallmouth on Hand-Poured Creature Baits: A Weekend on the River

    Two days, one river, a bag of hand-poured creatures, and a lesson in why pouring your own baits is worth the effort.

    Lurelab 5-Inch Senko Mold: 60-Day Reviewsoft-bait

    Lurelab 5-Inch Senko Mold: 60-Day Review

    I poured 400 baits through our new 5" senko mold to see how it holds up. Here's what I loved, what I'd change, and who it's for.

    Why Tail Shape Changes Everything: Paddle vs Boot vs Curlsoft-bait

    Why Tail Shape Changes Everything: Paddle vs Boot vs Curl

    Three tails, three personalities. Here's how each one moves, when to fish it, and how to design one from scratch in your own molds.

    Dialing In Your Plastisol Recipe: Base, Softener, and Hardenersoft-bait

    Dialing In Your Plastisol Recipe: Base, Softener, and Hardener

    The same mold can produce a limp finesse worm or a stout flipping craw depending on your recipe. Here's the formula I use to tune any base plastisol.

    Eliminating Bubbles: Temperature and Pour-Speed Trickssoft-bait

    Eliminating Bubbles: Temperature and Pour-Speed Tricks

    Bubbles ruin otherwise perfect baits. Nine times out of ten, the fix is cheaper and faster than you think.

    Layered Pours 101: Two-Tone Stick Worms That Actually Bondsoft-bait

    Layered Pours 101: Two-Tone Stick Worms That Actually Bond

    The trick to clean laminate baits is not what you pour β€” it's when you pour it. Here's the timing window that separates pros from puddles.

    Open-Pour vs Injection Molds: Which Should You Start With?soft-bait

    Open-Pour vs Injection Molds: Which Should You Start With?

    Injection molds look professional but open-pour molds are where every new bait-maker should begin. Here's why β€” and when to graduate.

    Your First Soft-Bait Mold: A Beginner's Setup Guidesoft-bait

    Your First Soft-Bait Mold: A Beginner's Setup Guide

    Everything you need on the bench before your first pour β€” molds, plastisol, safety gear, and the shortcut list that saved me $200 in wasted purchases.