Any Way To Make A Jerkbait Suspend Less

[TSuprum]

Might be a strange one but maybe someone knows. I fish a shallow lake, most of my fishing is 1 to 4 feet. Most jerkbaits suspend deeper. I have a few that are good but would like to modify the one's that don't. I.E... LC pointer 100. Getting tired of feeding the lake with LC's, lol

So if there is a way, or maybe there isn't. Can you please let me know

Thank you, Tony

I even sold my vision 110's just so I don't feed the lake.

[North Ga Hillbilly]

Im not a pro, but I think if you could find a way to adjust the relation between the line tie and the lip youd get it to dive less. I think you could take some length off the lip and it would make it dive shallower.

[drycreek]

You can try using smaller split rings and hooks...or try shaving the bill down a little bit. I have been shaving the bills down on some mag warts. I can get them to run 2-3' shallower, but have never done a jerk bait.

[Gentle]

You can try bending the bill back a little, at a steeper angle. Heat it with a propane torch slowly!! I do this on floating jerkbaits to make them wake alot easier. I can take a bait that dives 2-3 feet and make it were it barely dives a foot. But I suggest practicing on a couple of cheap baits before trying it on a luckycraft!

Edited December 16, 2011 by Gentle

[TSuprum]

Great ideas.

Never thought of sanding the bill

So maybe a bigger snap

I have heated deep diving crank bills before to make them sort of wakebaits or shallow runners. So same idea.

Great idea's thank you

[saltshaker]

You can try using smaller split rings and hooks...or try shaving the bill down a little bit. I have been shaving the bills down on some mag warts. I can get them to run 2-3' shallower, but have never done a jerk bait.

It works on jerks, too. I've shortened the bill on a Bomber Long "A" many times. You can make it dive 8-10" instead of 2-3'. The more bill you take off....the less wiggle you'll have, tho.

[mark poulson]

If you want it to dive less, the bill alterations listed above are the way to go.

If you want it to not sink as it sits, I don't think you can alter the ballast in a Pointer without ruining it.

If I wanted a shallower running jerkbait, I'd buy a couple of Pred. Bass' X80 knockoffs, and play with their ballasting and bills. They start out as floaters.

Here's his link:

http://www.predatorbassbaits.com/id69.html

I put a few ball bearings in the head section, so they hang a little head down but still float. If I add more, they suspend or sink. The ball bearings are loose, and act as a weight shifting element to help me cast these little baits, too.

Edited December 16, 2011 by mark poulson

[nova]

Using a thicker line will help as well. Also, a floating braid line in th 50 lb class will aslo help. Because of the boyancy of the lines it reduces the depth; not a lot, but some.

www.novalures.com

[benton B]

You can try making the bait swell by holding it in boiling water. This works with the older long A's and makes them super floaters. It does not take long for the bait to start the swelling process so go easy on holding in the water.

[Skeeter]

Lucky Craft jerkbaits are not weighted properly. They sink. No matter what the water temperature, they will sink. The best thing for you to do is to go to the Rogue's with the small butyrite lips. Trimming the lips on SOME baits works. On others it does not. Trust me.... been there done that. If you are really bent on using the LC jerkbaits here is what you can do. There are ball bearing weights on each side of the middle hook hanger. If you hold the bait up to a light you may be able to see them. Drill the belly and take the back one out. This will allow the bait to float and stop it from sinking.

Skeeter

[TSuprum]

I haven't tried braid, just up to 17lb mono and the mono didn't make enough differance. Maybe 20 or 25. I can get away with thicker line. I fish slightly stained to stained water.

I'm not hell bent on using LC's I just have them and would like to use them without feeding the lake. I do fairly well on them in the first pull or 2 until they go to deep. Maybe it's just a confidence thing.

The EEratic shads and Spro McSticks are what I have switched to. The EEratics are good as long as I'm not ripping them. They really suspend nice. I just starting using McSticks so the jury is still out of them but at least there the correct depth and suspend nicely in cold water.

I'm going to try all the suggestions, not just on LC's but other jerkbaits as well. I have enough to try it on, lol

I really appreciate all the advice.

Thank you, Tony

[saltshaker]

I haven't tried braid, just up to 17lb mono and the mono didn't make enough differance. Maybe 20 or 25. I can get away with thicker line. I fish slightly stained to stained water.

I'm not hell bent on using LC's I just have them and would like to use them without feeding the lake. I do fairly well on them in the first pull or 2 until they go to deep. Maybe it's just a confidence thing.

The EEratic shads and Spro McSticks are what I have switched to. The EEratics are good as long as I'm not ripping them. They really suspend nice. I just starting using McSticks so the jury is still out of them but at least there the correct depth and suspend nicely in cold water.

I'm going to try all the suggestions, not just on LC's but other jerkbaits as well. I have enough to try it on, lol

I really appreciate all the advice.

Thank you, Tony

Tony, if you'd like to experiment with the Bomber Long "A", I have tons of 'em. They are floaters, however, but they will swim to 3-4'. They just don't suspend, although, Bomber does have some spenders. I can send you some...just say the word.

BTW, free of charge.

[Gentle]

Hey saltshaker, if your giving away long A's, count me in, I'll take some bone colored ones.

[saltshaker]

Hey saltshaker, if your giving away long A's, count me in, I'll take some bone colored ones.

I thought I'd help out Tony with his experiment. Who knows...maybe we'll all gain some knowledge out of it.

Bombers are made in Arkansas, ya know.

[RayburnGuy]

If your "feeding the lake" with your baits I would suggest buying a good lure retriever.

Ben

[TSuprum]

If your "feeding the lake" with your baits I would suggest buying a good lure retriever.

Ben

I have 3 of them. Most of my fishing is from shore. Fairly tough to unsnag one from shore. I have saved a few but I guess the rocks are tough in the lake I fish. I think they eat lures, lol

[RayburnGuy]

I didn't realize you were fishing from the bank. Like you said, a lure retriever wouldn't do you much good. If your fishing water that is only around 4' deep then maybe a pair of waders?

Ben

[MR KNOW IT ALL KIND OF]

Might be a strange one but maybe someone knows. I fish a shallow lake, most of my fishing is 1 to 4 feet. Most jerkbaits suspend deeper. I have a few that are good but would like to modify the one's that don't. I.E... LC pointer 100. Getting tired of feeding the lake with LC's, lol

So if there is a way, or maybe there isn't. Can you please let me know

Thank you, Tony

I even sold my vision 110's just so I don't feed the lake.

Tony..if your only fishing in 1 to 4 foot of water you should NEVER!! I REPEAT NEVER!! lose a bait in the lake unless you cast 80 foot up in a tree or the fish breaks your line... if you don't have a lure retriever take your rod and reel all your line in until you get down to the bait and push. 99 percent of the time your rod will knock off your bait. I don't remember the last time I lost a bait I couldn't get off a stump or brush or rocks in less than 6 feet of water. Just what I do.. just try not to break your rod... If you get hung up as much as I do you will get the hang of it and before you know be purdy darn good at getting it un hung.

Im too cheap to buy a lure retriever Ben!

[RayburnGuy]

Im too cheap to buy a lure retriever Ben!

Matt,

If I had your money I'd burn mine.

[TSuprum]

Tony..if your only fishing in 1 to 4 foot of water you should NEVER!! I REPEAT NEVER!! lose a bait in the lake unless you cast 80 foot up in a tree or the fish breaks your line... if you don't have a lure retriever take your rod and reel all your line in until you get down to the bait and push. 99 percent of the time your rod will knock off your bait. I don't remember the last time I lost a bait I couldn't get off a stump or brush or rocks in less than 6 feet of water. Just what I do.. just try not to break your rod... If you get hung up as much as I do you will get the hang of it and before you know be purdy darn good at getting it un hung.

Im too cheap to buy a lure retriever Ben!

I have saved lures the way your talking about fishing from the boat, but it's tough from the bank. Most of my fishing is from the bank. I fish everyday possible. Sometimes it's just for 10 minutes before work. I start work at 11:30 am so I can fish more from the bank. I fish at least 5 days a week. Weather it's for 10 minutes or 2 hours.

When's it's warmer out I do walk in and get my lures back were possilbe. I've been warned about wading in the lake. The rule is no wading but I don't care. I really enjoy walking in and fishing in the summer. I only get told about it when someone complains. I fish a semi private lake. I've been fishing there for 40 years and have done alot for the lake so I just most ignore them and keep wading.

[TSuprum]

I already have some idea's about how to make them suspend less. All the great advice has got my thought going.

Drill a whole and put some of that expanding spray foam in the middle of the lure. Just a small about. I know this stuff is wicked.

After shaving/shortening the bill, maybe shaping the bill into a square bill or coffin bill might bring some action/wiggle back.

Try adding a line tie between the eyes sort of on top the head.

[RayburnGuy]

Spraying foam into the bait cavity will only make it heavier than it is already. The foam you put inside the bait will be replacing air. Unless the foam your talking about is lighter than air that idea won't work.

Ben

[mark poulson]

Spraying foam into the bait cavity will only make it heavier than it is already. The foam you put inside the bait will be replacing air. Unless the foam your talking about is lighter than air that idea won't work.

Ben

Exactly.

If the lure truly suspends, or sinks, you need to remove ballast.

If it floats, but dives too deep, shorten the bill.

[saltshaker]

The spray foam is also likely to bust the bait apart if you squirt too much.

[blazt*]

Why jerkbaits? I would shift my strategy a bit. If the water is stained, not muddy, and the fish are that shallow the bite can't be too bad nor the water too cold. If the entire pond is that shallow it probably holds no bass. If it were me I would throw square bills, slow sinking lipless cranks (lift and drop - for some reason this catches bigger fish). Maybe a chatterbait. Soft jerk baits such as the Lunker City Fin-s Fish or Shad Asassin by Bass Assasin as the water warms near 60. I like to rig them with both the hook eye and knot buried in the bait for fishing through scum.

If you have a scummy bottom in your way, and your cranks are always getting slimed, lipless cranks would probably work well. Just lift the rod tip before they hit bottom.

I apologize if this veering off topic, as you probably want your baits to suspend anyway, but I would save the Pointers and whatnot for deeper, clear water.

The only time I would fish those is when you have murky water and a warming trend. The bait and bass will suspend in the warm top foot or three of water, sometimes near the middle of a cove, and you can kill them with a shallow diving jerk during these times.

If you want a lure retriever that will work from the bank, get some of these. I have tried them and they work:

Also you might ask local bass pros and see if somebody can teach you the bowstringing technique - once you get the hang of it you can get 90% or more of your stuck baits back.

Edited December 18, 2011 by blazt*