What glue should I use on walleye jigs, paddletail plastics and crankbaits, and will the smell hurt the walleye bite?
PVC plastisol baits — most paddletails and grubs — repair best by heat-welding with a lighter or soldering tip, which adds no odour, or with a plastisol solvent glue such as Mend-It. TPE / ElaZtech baits will not bond with Mend-It and make a mess under heat; a drop of super glue (cyanoacrylate) works but leaves a hard spot you cannot rig through. Crankbait lips, cracks and hook hangers want two-part epoxy or UV resin; paint chips take clear nail polish. Solvent glues stink until cured, so cure overnight, air and rinse. The standard walleye job is gluing a plastic to the jig collar so it survives short strikes. On a snapped jig or a trolled crankbait the fish never gets a sniff, but a jig dragged or deadsticked in cold water is inspected closely — glue those at home the night before.
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More questions about Smell & Taste
- Why does live bait outfish plastics for walleye — and when does it not?
- Minnows, leeches, or crawlers — why does the best walleye bait change with the season?
- Does sunscreen ruin the walleye bite when I'm baiting leeches and minnows — and which sunscreen is safest?
- Best bug spray for walleye fishing at dusk: will DEET on my hands put walleye off live bait?
Same topic, other species
- What glue keeps crappie tubes and jig bodies on the hook, and does glue smell turn crappie off? — Crappie
- Does scent on soft plastics really matter? — Largemouth Bass
- How do I repair torn muskie rubber baits and tooth-damaged wooden muskie lures — which glue holds? — Muskellunge (Muskie)
- What bug spray won't ruin tiny perch plastics and light line — is DEET a problem for yellow perch fishing? — Yellow Perch
- Will DEET bug spray hurt my pike lures, line and leaders — what repellent should pike anglers buy? — Northern Pike
- Does sunscreen on my hands scare smallmouth bass, and which sunscreen should I buy? — Smallmouth Bass
- Does DEET bug spray damage fly line and scare trout — what insect repellent should trout anglers use? — Trout (Rainbow · Brook · Lake)