What causes plastic mush meltdown ?

[Nanna]

I am sure somebody here knows what I am talking about...

From time to time, I find some of my plastic cases that lures came in, melted in spots where a worm or something has touched it. I have as also found some of my lures are mushy and melted. It seems to be chemical , not thermal .What causes this?

Thank you in advance.

Nanna

[Moveon]

I am sure somebody here knows what I am talking about...

From time to time, I find some of my plastic cases that lures came in, melted in spots where a worm or something has touched it. I have as also found some of my lures are mushy and melted. It seems to be chemical , not thermal .What causes this?

Thank you in advance.

Nanna

I'm thinking it's a organic chemical that's trapped inside the plastic and outgases out of the plastic over time. I'm not that familiar with all the types of chemicals in the plastic as they are proprietary for the most part. Trade Secrets. Perhaps they should have issued a Material Data Safety Sheet (MSDS) for the plastic baits as that's normally required by law. But not everyone in the manufacturing business issues an MSDS. The MSDS should say what chemcials are in the product and how they affect human heath and safety. IE if they are hazardous or flammable.

Not all plastics are the same either.

Bottom line is that we really may never know exactly what's going on.

[dac244]

Kind of why I cringe when I see people give their kids plastic baits to play with probably not the best thing for young kids to be handling. Maybe harmless I don't know.

[Tyme2fish]

I've been biting the heads off plastic worms for years!

[Moveon]

I've been biting the heads off plastic worms for years!

Well I sure hope you didn't swallow them. J/K

I've bitten the head of them too. Just to get rid of the hook damage and make a new shorter worm. But I didn't inhale! ~

[Nanna]

I thought you were only supposed to bite the head off of live worms, not plastic?


I am going to try the O-rings, I have read they make plastic worms last longer... what do ya'll think?

[Carter1]

I've been biting the heads off plastic worms for years!

The Deacon at my church told me he bit the head off of a Berkley Gulp bait once. Said it tasted like s**t And he does not recommend anyone else do that.

[Moveon]

I thought you were only supposed to bite the head off of live worms, not plastic?


I am going to try the O-rings, I have read they make plastic worms last longer... what do ya'll think?

You can put an "O" ring around the worm in the middle of the worm and then put the hook though the O ring instead of into the plastic worm. This is what I think they call Wacky Worm Style. The worm will float down slowly and fish will hit it as is slowly falls through the water column. I guess it's used in shallower water as it may take a long time to since in deeper water without any weight. I'm pretty sure they fish this in shallow waters in the weeds and weightless. Just make sure that you can see your fishing line well and watch it very closely. Any ticks or movement indicated a fish took the bait. So set the hook fast and hard if you see your line moving or the bait suddenly stops falling. It's either a fish or it's on the bottom.

[DJD]

I am sure somebody here knows what I am talking about...

From time to time, I find some of my plastic cases that lures came in, melted in spots where a worm or something has touched it. I have as also found some of my lures are mushy and melted. It seems to be chemical , not thermal .What causes this?

Thank you in advance.

Nanna

No doubt it's a chemical reaction. It used to happen alot more often but they have changed something in the blend that reduced it. My old tackles boxes have melted spots from plastic and especially from old plastic skirts like the ones that came on hula poppers.

I keep baits separated based on type so I get no chemical reaction problems anymore. One thing that should be mentioned is sunscreen on your hands and what it can do to certain bait casters that you palm while fishing. I ruined the left side plate on a Shimano Chronarch SF from sunscreen on my hands so now I wash my hands after applying sunscreen or use the spray type as much as possible. Some say it can turn fish off from biting as well if you get it on baits....I don't know about that but I just don't want it on my fishing equipment.

[Nanna]

Thank you all for the replies.

I too can recall tackle boxes with melted stuff too. As far as the wacky rig, I had know about it in theory, it never dawned on me that the o ring would help make the plastic last longer. I have a few that I love, and have had for a while. i can't recall where they came from...I am always trying to keep them.

[redearhoosier]

I've always thought those plastic worms and other artificials were full of cancer causing agents. I use live bait on most of my fishing trips, occasionally using Mr. Twisters during the spring when I'm chasing crappie.

NEVER put those things in your mouth and I've got a five year old boy I won't let touch those artificial baits.

[roadrunner]

I've been biting the heads off plastic worms for years!

That what I'm doing wrong I have been biting the tails off------ duh