I was thinking about this thread. You people who have been doing this in for awhile, please chime in if I'm wrong it can help me to. I'll call this rules to create a crank lure.
Depth=
A: Ballast amount and where it is located. Head down, tail down or level in the water.
B: Lip/Bill associated to the Y centerline, the length and width.
C: Body shape as far as the head of the lure (lipless or a modified shape).
D: Ballast must add all hardware also (hooks, hangers, rings and lip).
E: Tow line location, I will put this here but this can effect some of these if not all.
Action=
A: Shape of the lure
B: Ballast can change the action
C: Lip also can change action (to wide with to light ballast the lure action "blows up")
Stability & Hunting=
A: Ballast needs to be low as possible in the belly of the lure for stability.
B: Bring the ballast up above the the Y centerline and you get a pitch and yaw. "Swag" I call it. This creates the "hunting action".
As Dave and others have stated in the past. Change one of these in a significant way and you have changed the lure. That's why I keep all info and any change in information as I learn.
I am really interested in all feedback,
Dale