While getting ready for a fishing trip tomorrow night I was getting a topwater out of my Plano 3700 and was appalled to see my Jackall Mikey Jr and LC RC Wake Bait busting at the top seam. Panicked I started looking into my other boxes and found that I had DD22 and LC CBD20 swelling also. This scares me because there is nothing new or different in the boxes (no soft plastics, noting with super glue or anything to react to the plastics). Two of the lures have not been in the water so they couldn't have been cracked and taken on water. The lures are kept in the house when not in use and are taken out of the boat after use with the exception being if I am fishing the next night and they stay in the boat until after that trip.

Does anyone have any ideas or suggestions as to what is causing my lures to swell?

other than excessive heat, no idea.

Since they are from several makers, about the only thing they share in common is storage heat like fourbizz mentioned.

I vote for excessive heat.

Keep them out of the direct sun....had a problem with a few a couple of years ago since keeping them covered and out of the direct sun no more splitting down the seam.

Thanks for the replies.  I agree that I couldn't think of any other reasons other than heat, but on the only days that the boxes have been left in the boat it hasn't even been hot enough to melt my snacks.  I'll just have to keep a eye out for more swelling.

I've had this happen before. The baits were in one of those double-sided tackle boxes with a transparent blue lid, and were in direct sun all day. Even though the air temp. isn't all that hot, the heat build-up in the box can be tremendous. Just like a car sitting in the sun with all of the windows closed.

Tom

The only time I've had any of my baits swell, was due to excessive heat. It is very upsetting.

Falcon

Heat, the air inside the bait heats, expands and finally cracks open the bait normally at the seams.

Keep your plastic cranks away from direct sunlight ( use a crank cover for baits on the deck ) and cover your T-box with a towel.

Heat, the air inside the bait heats, expands and finally cracks open the bait normally at the seams.

Keep your plastic cranks away from direct sunlight ( use a crank cover for baits on the deck ) and cover your T-box with a towel.

X2

Just to turn the subject a tad.....What kind of problems have you guys had with wood baits?  

Just to turn the subject a tad.....What kind of problems have you guys had with wood baits?

Start a new thread , really it's easy.