buckethead
01-20-2010, 08:05 PM
How do you treat your rubber baits?
What to Use on Rubber Fishing Worms for Preservation?
Fishing with rubber baits is a very effective way of catching big fish; however, rubber baits require some maintenance to keep them in optimal fishing condition. Many times they dry out and become brittle, while other times they melt in your tackle box, creating a big mess. But with some helpful tips, you can preserve your rubber baits and keep your tackle boxes clean.
Problems
<LI id=jsArticleStep1 itxtvisited="1">Rubber baits are prone to a host of problems when you must store them for long periods of time in your tackle box. They can become brittle, they can melt, they can fade and discolor and they can cause your other lures and hooks to rust. It is best to separate your rubber baits from your other hard lures. Use either a separate tackle box or separate containers to hold your rubber baits. Preventing Brittleness
<LI id=jsArticleStep1 itxtvisited="1">Keep your rubber baits in sealed containers. When rubber baits are exposed to open air, the oils that they originally contained will evaporate, causing the rubber baits to become brittle. Freezer bags work well to hold your rubber baits. They will trap the moisture of the rubber baits, keeping them oily and flexible. You can also separate your baits and label the bags according to the type of rubber baits they contain. This is not only convenient but also further protects your rubber baits from drying out because the individual bags will be opened less than one big bag containing all of your rubber baits. This will keep the moist air inside the bags and keep your rubber baits soft and flexible. Preventing Melt
<LI id=jsArticleStep1 itxtvisited="1">Exposure to direct sunlight can cause your rubber baits to melt. Keeping the rubber baits in sealed containers or bags will make them less prone to melting because of the high moisture content in the bags. But you should also keep your rubber baits out of direct sun. Storing your bags of rubber baits in soft-sided tackle boxes or rubber bait wallets will keep the sun from baking them. When you are storing your rubber baits for a long time, like over the winter, it is also a good idea to place all of your bait bags in a bigger sealed bag to further lock in the moisture. Preventing Discoloration
<LI id=jsArticleStep1 itxtvisited="1">Rubber baits fade or become discolored for two reasons. The first is exposure to the sun. If you do not keep your rubber baits away from direct exposure to the sun, they will start to fade and discolor over time. The second reason is when rubber baits of different colors are stored together. If you store two different colored rubber baits in the same bag, over time the colors of each rubber bait will leach and become absorbed by the other bait, causing discoloring of both baits. Separate your rubber bait colors into separate bags to prevent discoloration. Re-Moisturizing
Keep your rubber baits soft and flexible by adding a drop or two of cooking oil into the bags containing the rubber baits. You just need to add enough cooking oil to keep the rubber baits slick and moist. Do not use water, as it might simply evaporate---your rubber baits will absorb the oil much better.
What to Use on Rubber Fishing Worms for Preservation?
Fishing with rubber baits is a very effective way of catching big fish; however, rubber baits require some maintenance to keep them in optimal fishing condition. Many times they dry out and become brittle, while other times they melt in your tackle box, creating a big mess. But with some helpful tips, you can preserve your rubber baits and keep your tackle boxes clean.
Problems
<LI id=jsArticleStep1 itxtvisited="1">Rubber baits are prone to a host of problems when you must store them for long periods of time in your tackle box. They can become brittle, they can melt, they can fade and discolor and they can cause your other lures and hooks to rust. It is best to separate your rubber baits from your other hard lures. Use either a separate tackle box or separate containers to hold your rubber baits. Preventing Brittleness
<LI id=jsArticleStep1 itxtvisited="1">Keep your rubber baits in sealed containers. When rubber baits are exposed to open air, the oils that they originally contained will evaporate, causing the rubber baits to become brittle. Freezer bags work well to hold your rubber baits. They will trap the moisture of the rubber baits, keeping them oily and flexible. You can also separate your baits and label the bags according to the type of rubber baits they contain. This is not only convenient but also further protects your rubber baits from drying out because the individual bags will be opened less than one big bag containing all of your rubber baits. This will keep the moist air inside the bags and keep your rubber baits soft and flexible. Preventing Melt
<LI id=jsArticleStep1 itxtvisited="1">Exposure to direct sunlight can cause your rubber baits to melt. Keeping the rubber baits in sealed containers or bags will make them less prone to melting because of the high moisture content in the bags. But you should also keep your rubber baits out of direct sun. Storing your bags of rubber baits in soft-sided tackle boxes or rubber bait wallets will keep the sun from baking them. When you are storing your rubber baits for a long time, like over the winter, it is also a good idea to place all of your bait bags in a bigger sealed bag to further lock in the moisture. Preventing Discoloration
<LI id=jsArticleStep1 itxtvisited="1">Rubber baits fade or become discolored for two reasons. The first is exposure to the sun. If you do not keep your rubber baits away from direct exposure to the sun, they will start to fade and discolor over time. The second reason is when rubber baits of different colors are stored together. If you store two different colored rubber baits in the same bag, over time the colors of each rubber bait will leach and become absorbed by the other bait, causing discoloring of both baits. Separate your rubber bait colors into separate bags to prevent discoloration. Re-Moisturizing
Keep your rubber baits soft and flexible by adding a drop or two of cooking oil into the bags containing the rubber baits. You just need to add enough cooking oil to keep the rubber baits slick and moist. Do not use water, as it might simply evaporate---your rubber baits will absorb the oil much better.