Basics Needed to Start Making Soft Plastic Baits

My son is really wanting to start injecting a few of his own plastics. We are going to start with a few baits that we use a ton of. Mainly the baby brush hog and a senko type bait. I can find the molds, colors, glitter, etc easy enough. However, when it comes to plastic I really don't know where to start as far as what type of plastic to buy (soft, medium, extra soft, etc) and the amount of salt etc to put in the bait. Just looking for a starting point to get me close to what a zoom brush hog and senko are like coming out of the bag as far as softness and sink rate. Any input you could provide would be appreciated. Thanks!

Check out the soft plastic section on www.tackleunderground.comas it's full of great info. YouTube and Google are great as well.

For a Senko, start with Super Soft Plastisol, Heat it up, then add a 1/4 to 1/2 cup of salt and stir in really well. Mold it, and test it. Do this without colors until you get the consistency you like (re-melting as needed and adding salt or plastisol). Then you have the formula. From there, add colors/glitter to melted plastisol until you get what you like.

M-F Inc sells the most consistent quality plastisol and colors I've used. I used to use salt by don't find it to be an advantage - even making sticks.
A Pyrex 2-cup cup and microwave are what I use. Lurecraft.com has over 400 non-injection molds in silicone and others made from laser cut aluminum that need injection. Amazon also has molds as does many other good mold sources that are on-line.

I know this reply is a bit late, but I'm curious how well your son made out.

Holler at Jeff (254) 239 9697 with Fringe Tackle, he is close to lake somersville and has Calhoun plastic. Very well known plastic. He has really good deals every once in a while. Got 5 gallons for 100 bucks shipped last time I made an order.

Like to see some lures! Remember one thing about color: you can catch fish on clear plastic lures as long as the size, shape and action are right in combination.
Also, you can add craft glitter to the outside by using Mend-It Glue (some have tried Super Glue) and roll the lure in it.
Today I caught a dozen fish on one lure - clear with glitter.

4 fish species on this wacky rigged mini-stick.

Ive been experimenting with remelting used plastics. Seems to work well. Got a couple molds from Amazon pretty cheap for a rage craw 4” (personal use only) and they look good. Im thinking of mixing a little harder plastasol for the noses on the baits, I really liked the old Manns hard jose baits for durability, we will see. I normally precoat my molds (they are composite molds not aluminum garlic vegetable spray from Crisco, seems to work well. As for adding salt it makes the lures tear real easy where the hook point penetrate so i use a jell (smelly jelly, Megastrike and or Rage from Berkley) on mine with a little ultra fine salt, not a lot just a little. Either way good luck.

Agree with these tips and I've been pouring and altering lures for over 10 years:

molds from Amazon pretty cheap

I normally precoat my molds - needed for non-aluminum lure cavities. I use mineral oil brushed into the cavity.

salt it makes the lures tear real easy - agree. Heavier grade plastic can be ordered from M-F Ind. plastics. Diamond fine grade salt is all I use but in very small amounts.