I like fishing hollow belly swimbaits but they always tear off the weighted screw lock hook after only catching one or two fish. Once the screw has been ripped out once it won't lock in anymore. Is there some tricks for making them last longer?

Thanks for any help!

Two words, MEND-IT... This stuff has saved me tons of money on soft swimbaits and repairing soft plastics. For the paddle tail hollow bodies I would take a knife or pair of scissors and cut the head vertically just past the tear and then use the MEND-IT to glue the cut together again. And then put another dab of MEND-IT over the seam you just made.

Some kind of slippery attractant will help a lot too. I use Smelly Jelly and just rub it on the bait. It helps the bait slide through the fishes teeth so they don't tear the bait up as bad. A dab of superglue on the nose of the bait after you screw the hook in will make it tougher to rip out also.

I only use a bait like hollow belly if I'm targeting non toothy fish. In the event my bait gets chewed up, either it's a new bait or I change my presentation to a hard bait. If you get chewed up once it's a good bet it's going to happen again. However if the environment calls for a weedless presentation, going thru a lot of plastics is just the nature of the beast.

The one guy reccomends Mend-It and I agree its good for certin repairs but for the most part its a joke at fixing any thing major. I have become somewhat of a swimbait aficionado this year and Mend-It is only good for fixing the back so you can skin hook it again and it takes time to set up. As for actually fixing a bait you can't beat a hot knife. You can use a cigarette lighter to get the knife hot and stick it in there and melt the plastic back together. That way works but its not always great as you might not get the knife hot enough to do a good job and it takes a little time to heat the knife. Now if you want to get right to it I use a propane torch and it only takes a couple seconds and works like a dream. Some baits I will melt the nose shut before I even throw it namely (shadalicious) they work good but the nose is a joke with screw locks and it pulls right out (it's totally hollow ). If you read this Big-O make the first 1" solid please so that doesn't happen. It also helps to buy hooks with wider screws. Gamakatsu has a wide screw but the way it's hooked on the eye is stupid and can sometimes unhook it's self but I still like them cause they hold good.

try zman brand, that elaztech material is durable

I like to use superglue when putting them on the jigheads. It doesnt always keep them from getting torn but makes them last a little longer IMO.

post #1 and #2 are dead on. Use Mend-it for repairs. It chemicaly welds the plastic back together. It is better then glue. Also use a lube (slippery scent) and the bait will be much harder to tare in the first place.

Mend-It works ok but there is no substitute for hot metal actually melting it back together.

If you don't want to bring along a leather jacket, gloves, a welding hood and a pair of torches this is by far the best way to go.

post #1 and #2 are dead on. Use Mend-it for repairs. It chemicaly welds the plastic back together. It is better then glue. Also use a lube (slippery scent) and the bait will be much harder to tare in the first place.

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