In case you missed this in the Lounge...
Turns out that necessity is not the mother of invention. Being CHEAP is the mother of invention and here's the proof!
Recently I have been using some Z Man baits made from their super stretchy Elaztech material that makes their plastic baits last a long time. I often use Mend-It to repair plastics made from plastisol, but it will not work on Elaztech plastic. I have been trying to figure out how to repair some of the Elaztech baits that developed an enlarged hole where the hook shank exits the bait just below the head. This enlarged hole made the bait often slide down the hook, messing up the cast. Otherwise, the bait is still in good shape and could be used again and again, but I needed to figure out how to keep the bait rigged correctly. I dozed off late this afternoon in my recliner and my mind solved the problem for me. As soon as this idea came to me, I woke up and went down to my workbench and solved the problem.
I remember reading in an old Bassmaster about using these as keepers for trailer hooks. So, I made some but didn't care for how they worked and stuffed them in a box with other assorted fishing "good" ideas that didn't pan out. But, it turns out that they work great to keep a plastic bait from sliding down the hook.
I punched these black disks out of a coffee can lid with a hole punch and then put a small hole in the middle with a punch. When the hole is created, it bevels the disk so that it fits flush against the bait so that it won't catch on wood or weeds. When re-rigging, just cut the disk off the hook with line cutters and install another one. I tried using one on a jig hook to keep the trailer in place and it also works great for that application. I also made some using a clear plastic lid, but you could use any other color to match a bait's color (if you think that would make a difference).
I plan to use these on all of my plastics, not just Elaztech baits. They shall be forever known as Jeff's Cheap Ass Keepers!
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Originally Posted by MCIPinkie
