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highwayman

Internal Weighting

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I;ve been working with an old saltwater Rebel and want to get it to suspend but have questions about the weight/sound thing.At first I was going to use bb's,then small lead sinkers,then because I never heard a stickbait sound like a v8 with a broken connecting rod maybe no sound and use sand or something that doesn't make noise.You guys never disappoint;any opinions?thanks

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There are lots of ways to get a lure to suspend but I would use lead weight because it's easy to test; float the lure and hang lead on the front treble hook until you get the suspend action you want, then put that amount of lead in or on the lure permanently. On plastic jerkbaits, I sometimes use adhesive lead tape, which is sold to weight tennis racquets and golf clubs. Test the amount you need then stick the tape on the belly of the lure, burnish the edges of the tape so they disappear, then repaint the lure (no holes to drill and repair). This works best if the lure doesn't have too much natural buoyancy.

Another way to suspend a plastic lure is to drill a hole in the top and put in anything (bb's, water, mineral oil) to displace the volume of air inside the bait until it suspends, then patch it with epoxy.

If you want a lure to suspend exactly, you have to calibrate the weight according to the temperature of water in which you will fish the bait. A bait that suspends in 50 degree water will sink in 80 degree water because the warmer water is less dense. If you fish the bait in a variety of water temps, it's best to weight it to suspend in the warmest water you will fish and add small amounts of weight (lead tape, or perhaps just larger/heavier treble hooks) to make it suspend when you are fishing colder water.

Rattles/no rattles: I usually fish loudly rattling baits only in very stained water. If you are going to use the jerkbait in salt water, rattles are less of an issue and more of an asset because the fish aren't conditioned to avoid them.

Edited by BobP
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I use lead because it's small and heavy. I use BB's when I want a rattle, or a weight transfer.

If you want a bait that suspends, but doesn't rattle, do like BobP says.

Drill a hole in the top of the head (if it's a hollow plastic bait) or wherever you want to add the ballast, put in the ballast, add a couple of drops of crazy glue or epoxy, let it set, then bondo over the hole.

I use my soft plastics digital thermometer to check the water temp of my test bucket in my driveway. Right now, the lakes around here are 51-53 degrees, so I add some ice to get the water temp close, and then test float my suspending lures. I adjust them as needed to that water temp, and mark the water temp on the back with a sharpie. That way I know which lures suspend at what temps.

I don't think it's possible to get a lure to truly suspend, because of the layering of water by temperature, so I shoot for close. Depending on the time of year, and the weather the last few days, the water 6' down may be a little colder, or a little warmer, than the temps at my transducer, which is down 2' on my TM.

So, for me, close counts.

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Thanks guys.I'll probably have to make a couple different weighted baits (if it works at all) as our New England goes from liquid to solid and gin clear to pea soup during the course of the season.I use a smaller version for pike pretty sucessfully and thought a larger one would work.I've already drilled holes in the belly before and after the belly hook hanger.The plastic on those things is so thick I tapped the holes and used set screws so I guess I could add and subtract weight as needed.I see alot of old beat up Rebels at flea markets and figured if I can get them cheap enough it would be a home run.Thanks again

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