Make Your Own Plastic Worms

Soft plastic lures are produced from a liquid plastic plastisol. This material is manufactured as a white liquid about the consistency of water. When the plastisol is heated it turns clear and thickens to a material about the consistency of syrup, which upon cooling forms a soft plastic material. This is the basic material for making soft plastic lures.

Materials for Making Plastic Worms

Liquid plastic, rubber molds, hard plastic molds, color for plastic, melting pan, and hot plate. Softener and hardener if you want to change the consistency of the plastic. Additional materials would include lure glitter and worm oil. The melting pan needs to have a small pouring spout formed in it. This can be done with a pair of pliers.

Melting the Plastic

The plastic liquid is thin and white. It should be mixed well before being used. Pour the plastic liquid into the melting pan. Don't fill the pan too full as this will make it difficult to pour. Heat the plastic carefully and stir frequently. The plastic melts at about 350 F. 

BE SURE AND HEAT THE PLASTIC LIQUID IN A WELL VENTILATED AREA AS THE PLASTIC WILL PRODUCE FUMES AS IT MELTS. OVER-HEATING WILL CAUSE EXCESSIVE FUMES AND WILL SCORCH THE PLASTIC. 

As the material heats it will thicken and turn clear. Continue heating and stirring until the plastic is smooth and about the consistency of syrup.

Add color to the desired shade. Most colors can be added to the hot plastic, but fluorescent colors will be brighter if added before the plastic liquid is heated. Stir well and you are ready to pour into the mold. If you want to pour two color worms, melt two pans of plastic, pour the first color then immediately pour the second color. The 2 colors must be poured together while they are still melted or they will not stick together.

Pour the plastic into the mold. Wipe the spout of the pouring pot after pouring a worm to prevent the plastic from running down the outside of the pot and scorching on the burner. A paper towel works well for this.

Allow the worm to cool until it is firm, probably a minute or two, then pull from the mold and place in a pan of cold water to finish cooling.

The firmness of the plastic may be adjusted by adding softener or hardener. Softener may be added to the melted plastic, but hardener should only be added to the plastic liquid before it is heated.

MELT AND POUR PLASTIC IN A WELL VENTILATED AREA. DO NOT GET THE MELTED PLASTIC ON YOU AS IT IS VERY HOT AND WILL CAUSE BURNS.

We hope you find this information useful and that it will add to the pleasure of fishing.

Good Fishing
Barlow's