Crankbait modification

[go_okfishin]

I bought some J13 Rapalas, the big jointed minnows, on a clearance isle. I am going to use them for stripers this spring. The box says they dive 4' to 14'. Looking at the lip there is no way they dive to 14'. I want to use them as a surface lure. Do you think if I drilled a hole in the lip it would prevent them from diving? I really don't want to try bending the lip or changing the shape of the lip because it might mess up the action. I thought if I drilled a hole in the lip I could fill it back in if it doesn't work. Any ideas? I googled crankbait modifications and didn't get any ideas. I want to be able to retrieve it a fast rate if needed without it diving. Kind of like a wake bait.

 

[mathews338]

i sanded the bill completely off of a bait one time to see if it would work and it done ok. it was a king kong swim bait and it would go about 2 foot under the surface, but i wanted it to stay on top all the time. the action wasn't as good but it was still ok for what i was doing with it. i was using it to catch rockfish at night.

as long as you leave any of the bill i think it will go under the surface. with it being a jointed lure i think the action will be ok.

 

[Tracker]

i sanded the bill completely off of a bait one time to see if it would work and it done ok. it was a king kong swim bait and it would go about 2 foot under the surface, but i wanted it to stay on top all the time. the action wasn't as good but it was still ok for what i was doing with it. i was using it to catch rockfish at night.

as long as you leave any of the bill i think it will go under the surface. with it being a jointed lure i think the action will be ok.

That sonds good to me. You migh put a real big hook on the back and try to rip it, I have done that with regular 3 hook rapalas and wore 'em out

 

[go_okfishin]

i sanded the bill completely off of a bait one time to see if it would work and it done ok. it was a king kong swim bait and it would go about 2 foot under the surface, but i wanted it to stay on top all the time. the action wasn't as good but it was still ok for what i was doing with it. i was using it to catch rockfish at night.

as long as you leave any of the bill i think it will go under the surface. with it being a jointed lure i think the action will be ok.

Thanks I think I will just take the bill off. I spent less than $5 on them.

 

[Headhunter]

You can heat up a nail and bend the bill straight down. This will help it "wake". I make this modification all the time.

 

[go_okfishin]

You can heat up a nail and bend the bill straight down. This will help it "wake". I make this modification all the time.

I like that idea. Thanks

 

[Headhunter]

It works like a charm on redfins. Mike Iaconelli personally gave me the idea, believe it or not, when I got to hang out with him in LaVergne, TN last summer.

 

[mathews338]

You can heat up a nail and bend the bill straight down. This will help it "wake". I make this modification all the time.

i never thought of that, thanks for the info!

 

[go_okfishin]

Heres what I ended up with.Can't wait to try it. The bill use to come straight out. Let me know if that is what you were talking about. Like I said they were only about $4.50 so not much to lose. I may have to repaint, too. Thanks Headhunter.

 

[mathews338]

not bad! i gonna have to try that on some of my redfins before i this summer!

 

[Tracker]

Thats cool

 

[Headhunter]

Not sure about the rapala, but works great on the redfins. I have some other tricks for redfins, one is loading with fish formula (used water at first but it evaporated). I take all hooks and split rings off the redfin, then heat up a nail and punch a hole in the side. I use a digital scale and (from memory) I will add fish formula until a 5" redfin weighs .5 oz and a 7" redfin weighs 1 oz. I use a toothpick and super glue to seal the hole (I put the hole toward the front of the redfin on the side) and put the hardware back on (all my redfins get 4x strong gamakatsus). You can now throw them a long ways and they will still wake really well. Also paint some up with Krylon fluorescent pink, I have killed stripers on occasion with that color on the cumberland.

 

[buckhorn40]

I think I would drill a hole first and give it a try. Might produce a few bubbles when ripped.

 

[Headhunter]

What do you mean buckhorn40? If there is a hole in the bait it will fill with water and sink.

 

[go_okfishin]

I think Buckhorn40 was referring to my original question. If you drilled a hole in the original lip would it prevent it from diving? I have drilled holes in my pencil poppers and added BBs but never loaded with liquid before.

 

[Headhunter]

if you load a redfin, make sure to seal the hole.