Hello,

 

I noticed that many of the plastic works, Craws, etc. can be had either salt impregnated, or apparently without.

 

You folks notice any difference in effectiveness for:

 

    Largemouth ?

    Smallmouth ?

    Crappies ?

 

Bob

Salt increases the density of the plastic so it sinks faster, and it's easier to cast because it is heavier. Also, supposedly, salt makes the plastic tastier so the fish doesn't spit it out as fast, giving you an extra second for the hook set. If you want a bait to float, say on a dropshot rig, don't use a salty bait. If you're not sure if a bait has salt, give it a little bite yourself and you'll taste it. Some plastics start out salty and as you fish the salt slowly dissolves away. You'll then notice it becomes harder to throw or starts to float -- time to put on a fresh bait.

All blood contains salt

Gene Larew was one of the first companies to patent and offer commercial produced salt impregnated soft plastic lures in 1972. However hand poured soft plastic pre date that and salt cured pork rind lures date back into the early 1900's...nothing new. Roboworms for example use a salt water solution process that achieves salt taste without adding heavy salt crystals that increase weight. Both salt and sugar act as attractants that can increase the time bass and other predator fish keep a soft plastic in their mouth and that directly improves strike to hook set ratio.

Tom

  I personally do not like using salt in plastic. I think it weakens it. A typical recipe to make a sinko would be 2 tbl spoons pickling salt to 4 oz plastic. If you pulled that sinko apart you would see a course break. That is because the salt has weakened it. I like making mine with a HD additive that mixes with the plastic and becomes part of it and doesn't weaken it. This would be some of the difference from buying your baits from a custom bait maker and buying from a commercial bait maker. Pickling salt is real cheap and used more often and can add only so much or the bait will fall apart. HD can be added more and customize the rate of fall.

  As far as bass holding onto the bait longer if there is salt I don't always believe thats the cass. But I do know after the plastics are made they are cured and then bagged with some sort of oily scent. The scent is absorbed into the plastic and most scents have a salty taste to them. So either way you get salt flavor on the bait.

... If you're not sure if a bait has salt, give it a little bite yourself and you'll taste it...

 

Ok, now that I have done that, how do I remove the hook from my mouth?

I don't know if it makes a difference. I don't care whether a particular bait has salt or not but a salted worm and an unsalted worm in same size shape and color could make a difference because action would be different. Salt makes it sink faster. No salt and it may float. Roboworms are salt impregnated and they work great for dropshot. I don't use them for anything else.  I use Uptons Customs for other worm type baits and Keitech for everything else and Keitech has salt in some of their baits.  The salty core tube and stick are cool because they're heavy and have great action.  The core is filled with a ton of salt but the outer layer is salt free.  In general salt impregnated baits fall apart much easier and mend-it isn't always successful with them. Anyways to answer your question I think it all depends...

It's not just salt that may help a bait fall apart or tear more easily, but flakes do as well, I don't know this for a fact, but I have read that Senkos are made with silica, which form, or if it's even true, I simply don't know.. Interesting nonetheless.

Salt on the inside gives the bait more weight, making it sink. The variety and amount of salt determines the correct fall rate, especially on stick baits. 

 

Salt on the outside is to keep the baits from sticking together in the packaging, it washes right off on the first cast. 

 

Either way, I don't consider it a fish attractant. 

I've thrown Gene Larew plastics for 30 plus years, they are extremely durable.

Again all blood contains salt so when a bass bites a salt impregnated lure they taste blood!

If my lures catch one bass it has done what I bought for!

I've thrown Gene Larew plastics for 30 plus years, they are extremely durable.

Again all blood contains salt so when a bass bites a salt impregnated lure they taste blood!

If my lures catch one bass it has done what I bought for!

Well salt does not equal blood. There is more to the taste of blood then just salt. In most cases when a bass grabs a bait there is no blood at all. I have watched pike grab my walleye on a hook and never let go and there was no blood. The fish is reacting to a bait and not to the taste. But what you have found is a bait that works for you. So why change ?

Sometimes a technique calls for a salted bait and sometimes it doesn't. Both work and have their place. You have to try diffrent ways of fishing and figure out what bait works better a couple of examples would be weightless senko you would want salt in a bait and Drop shot or Shakey head you would not because you would want the bait to float off the bottom. ( in most cases) Not sure if fish hold on longer to salt or not so I'm always quick to set the hook because they don't cost much on the lakes and rivers I fish. Today they wanted a salty spider.

Well salt does not equal blood. There is more to the taste of blood then just salt. In most cases when a bass grabs a bait there is no blood at all. I have watched pike grab my walleye on a hook and never let go and there was no blood. The fish is reacting to a bait and not to the taste. But what you have found is a bait that works for you. So why change ?

Why do bass spit a hard lure?

It does not feel or taste right!

Salt, JJ's Magic, Pure Anise Oil, & Mega Strike are a few additives that offer bass taste.

I contribute my success to catching giant bass with jigs to 2 factors, natural buck tail hair and pick rind trailers, both feel and taste alive, doesn't look like anything natural does move in a natural motion.

Pork rind is cured in salt and persevered in salt brine.....salt is a major factor with bass holding onto my jig long enough for me to detect the strike. Consider this; I haven't caught a giant bass (over 15 lbs) on soft plastic trailers using the same jig. The only scent I use with pork trailers is pure anise oil and fresh garlic.

Tom

The argument can be made both ways just like scent... I believe anything that can help you catch more fish is great! 

 

Brian 

As said Gene Larew made salt baits all the rage ions ago. People still believe it.

 

Now I believe it is used as a filler to make baits weaker so you buy more.

 

I dont see it making fish hold on any longer.

As said Gene Larew made salt baits all the rage ions ago. People still believe it.

Now I believe it is used as a filler to make baits weaker so you buy more.

I dont see it making fish hold on any longer.

Ya ever throw Gene Larew?

I don't mean just once or twice

I have no scientific proof that bass can taste salt , its just hard for me to imagine that they cant.   Larew salt craws  work well  , A local bait store sells them in bulk .