GreenFish
Spring, 2022
Mentors: Keith Dandridge, Kirby Emerson
Create a sustainable alternative to harmful PVC soft plastic fishing lures while maintaining durability and flexibility to effectively attract fish
Each year 12,000 tons of PVC soft plastic baits end up at the bottom of lakes and rivers.
As many as 50 percent of fish have soft plastic lures in their stomach.
Dangerous cancer causing chemicals that can be found in PVC exist in most soft-plastic lures
Material Study
Before Ideating and throughout prototyping I tested two possible materials to find which one works better and fits my design goals.
EcoLure’s material
Fish Friendly
Durable
Gelatin based material
Lifelike
Easy to Mold
Fish Friendly
Durable
Flexible
Concept Sketches
I began by ideating on three different components of fishing lures: the body shape, possible weed guards and different paddles/limbs.
Next I chose certain features to focus on during early CAD work and for initial prototypes that I thought would work well with the lure material.
Finally I spent some time coming up with possible combinations of these different parts to create unique fishing lures.
Prototyping
3D Printed Models
The original CAD models were 3D printed to help get a sense of the size and scale of the initial lures. Being able to hold the physical models helped move forwards with the design process.
Molds
Using the test prints, I practiced creating silicon molds to eventually cast the lures with. The more molds I made, the cleaner they came out. I realized using silicon was an unnecessary step and switched to using the 3D print as the mold itself.
Material testing
I quickly learned more about the material capabilities as I made more test lures. As my designs developed I tried different techniques for increasing flexibility and movement while maintaining durability. My improved molds helped produce better test lures which led to my final design.
Process
Heat and pour the gelatin material into the mold. Add cotton while the gelatin is still liquid
Let the lure rest while it cools, place in the freezer to solidify faster
Gently remove the lure from the mold
Keep the lures in a cool, airtight area until use
Final Design
Weed guard guides hook past underwater plants and rocks without getting snagged
Cotton strands add strength and improve durability
Ribs along paddles and rounded edges add strength and reduce chances of tears
Large paddles create movement which attracts fish
