Crankbait swims at an angle, need help

[Breeze]

First off, I'd like to say that I'm new to lure-making, less than a week new, so forgive me if my problem seems stupid or trivial.
I've made 3 pinewood crankbaits with a 60-ish degree lip on each of them. The shapes of the cranks would be under the 'minnow' category, so their lips are on the smaller side. All of the have lead poured into their bellies (and tail area for one of them to balance it out) and float perfectly upright while stationary. The problem I'm facing at the moment is when i start to move them, the lures would have a decent wiggle action but at an angle with its belly slightly going to the side. In other words, it's swimming straight and the head is perpendicular to the direction its being pulled, but it's back isn't perpendicular to the surface of the water (while its moving). It tilts to the right a bit, about 45-60 degrees. Kind of looks like a dying fish and when looking down on it, i see more of the side of the than I'd like. What would cause it to do this?

Edited March 6, 2020 by Breeze

[Hillbilly voodoo]

is it always to the right? And are all three tracking the same?

since you they all float balanced I would check that the lip slots were not cut crooked. If the lips are crooked it will cause them to track funny. The line tie is another area and you may need to tune the bait 

These are two things to check first

 

 

[DGagner]

I'm also new to baitmaking. Are you confusing perpendicular with parallel? Perpendicular would be at right angle to the line.

I have one lead weighted, billed, crankbait that tilts to one side a bit and if it does then the bill will steer it that way. I'm sure it's the lead inside the belly that must be a little off center. I have a choice. Live with it or re drill and try to rebalance the mass by re leading it.

I will tell you that taking my mid body treble hook and bending the eye loop a little to one side so the hooks hang a little to the left might help balance the lure out in my case. Still ice here so can't try it yet. Not the most elegant solution but beats having to rework the lure right?

[Breeze]

Thanks guys, so after the reading your comments i went to check the lip and the lead holes (luckily i didn't paint them yet). The lip was a few degrees off, and so were the lead holes. I'll have to fix the bandsaw as I had a feeling the blade wasn't perfectly 90 degrees. I'll check it out later. As for the lead holes probably the best way i can come up with to fix that is drill holes before i start whittling/carving the lures so that i have edges to find the center. I've always left centering things till the last step and eyeballing it, guess that was a newbie mistake.

PS: Quick question, Do you guys have other methods that make a super clean cut for the lip slot? (incase my bandsaw fix doesn't work out)

[Hillbilly voodoo]

Cutting your lip slot and drilling holes before carving makes it easier. A band saw works well with a sharp blade. There are other ways but slower and more difficult in my opinion. You can always build a mitre box if you are having issues 

Personally I drill belly weight holes after carving but I drill a small pilot hole with a small drill bit a use a counter sink bit

you can also shim you lip to level it if your lip slot is a little cooked. 

Edited March 6, 2020 by Hillbilly voodoo

[Vodkaman]

We can hypothesize on the possible problems, but they will only be guesses. For a more meaningful analyses you MUST post photographs. We need a side, end and plan view of your lure.

Photographs are allowed in this case, no worries

Dave

[Hillbilly voodoo]

12 minutes ago, Vodkaman said:

We can hypothesize on the possible problems, but they will only be guesses. For a more meaningful analyses you MUST post photographs. We need a side, end and plan view of your lure.

Photographs are allowed in this case, no worries

Dave

This or video makes it way easier to diagnose 

[osutodd]

Just a thought...If you suspect your band saw is not cutting perfectly straight, could you cut the lip slot, then flip the bait over and repeat the cut from the other side? 

If that evens it up, compared to baits cut once, then you're probably right about it being out of kilter. If there's no change, that probably isn't the problem.