Tuning - Doctoring - Modifying - Maintenance - PART 2
by Chuck Bailey
REPLACING HOOKS WITH DIFFERENT SIZES:
Four circumstances come to mind that might require a change in the size or weight of treble hooks:
1) Doug Hannon recommends replacing standard treble hooks with small weedless trebles when fishing a minnow lure around weedlines. If these are not available, he uses tiny rubber bands to hike the trebles snug against the body of the lure to reduce hang-ups.
2) When it comes to plastic suspending jerkbaits, each bait is unique despite the fact that they came out of the same manufacturing molds. One may rise slowly, another may sink slowly. You may actually want your bait to sink or rise slowly, or desire it to suspend perfectly still. But you can adjust a bait simply by changing the hook size. The weigh difference is enough to change the buoyancy of the bait. You will have to experiment to find the perfect combination and this is best done at home in an aquarium, tank of water, bath tub, or a swimming pool.
3) When you want a topwater to sit back more as it floats on the top of the water, add a larger or heavier treble hook to the tail eyelet.
4) When fishing in open water situations where hang-ups are less of a concern, moving up a size in treble hooks will often increase an angler’s hooking percentages. But don’t forget; any hook size increase or decrease will gently change the action of the bait.
REMOVING TREBLE HOOKS:
That’s right, one way to modify a crankbait is to remove one of the treble hooks. Anglers searching for ways to reduce hook damage on fish, claim they catch just as many fish on deep diving crankbaits that have only the tail treble hook. And the removal of the belly hook reduces injuries. On surface baits, they recommend removing the tail hook and to fish with only the front treble. And even when fishing hard jerkbaits, they remove the tail treble hook. Why? If a fish gets hooked in the eye with a jerkbait, it’s usually the tail hook that does it because they generally attack the head of the longer lure. Just remember, the removal of any hooks will affect the action and vibration of the crankbait – but then, that may be exactly what you want!
TREBLES OUT – SINGLE POINT HOOKS IN:
When throwing topwater baits around weeds, brush, or structure just under the surface, fishing can be frustrating because of the constant snagging of the treble hooks. One suggestion is to screw a single hook to the top of the topwater lure, and clipping off the forward-pointing prong on the bottom hooks so that they ride upward, sliding over cover.
Many replace the tail hook of regular crankbaits with a single hook, claiming no noticeable decline in successful hooksets. Because the eyelet on a single hook is usually smaller than the eyelet on treble hooks, split-rings may be too thick in diameter to go through the hole, so you may have to use a thin wire snap to attach the single hook to the tail eyelet. Be sure the single hook rides pointing up when retrieved through the water.
ADDING GRUBS TO TREBLE HOOKS:
A reader of “Infisherman” magazine once sent in a picture of a grub added to a crankbait. It was a light colored 4-5 inch grub, whose head was pierced on one of the points of the bottom (belly) treble hook of a fat-bodied crankbait. The angler said it worked so well that it seemed too good to be true. He suggested other anglers try it and see if it did not increase their catches.
CHANGING THE COLOR OR APPEARANCE:
Paint! Everyone has access to paint, and it is one of the easiest ways to modify a crank. Whether you use colored pens, a brush, spray can, or a fancy air-brush – the appearance of every crankbait can quickly be changed so as to present the fish with something different. Here are some suggestions:
1) Paint a white stripe down the back of a black Jitter Bug when you fish at night. The fish can’t see it but it will help the angler to track it better in low light.
2) Like wise, put a splotch of bright or contrasting paint on the top of your topwaters on overcast days. There is nothing more frustrating than not being able to see a topwater bait in low light conditions. And since the fish can’t see the bright paint from down below, it will aid the angler in noticing if his bait is working properly or has disappeared underwater.
3) Why let crankbaits sit in your tackle box because the only thing wrong with them is the color. Change it! Paint it! And don’t worry about whether it is professional looking. Most crankbaits will be moving at a speed that doesn’t give the fish a chance to be an art critic.
First, remove the hooks, tape up the clear lip, and go to work painting. Paint the body white as a base, let it dry, and then use the colors you have available. If you have silver or chrome paint, you are on your way to producing a shad colored bait. In nature, the belly is usually lighter and the back or top of the forage is darker. But, don’t hesitate to also make all white, all brown, or all black cranks, etc.. – they work great, and are easy to do. Or you can mimic the color combos of your favorite crankbaits. (For more discussion on crankbait “color” – see ABC’s of Crankbaits – COLOR – FLASH – MARKINGS.)
4) For quick, on the water adjustments, use permanent color pens. You can add a chartreuse, black, or white strip, or change the entire appearance of the crankbait.
5) Finger nail polish comes in a rainbow of colors, some with glitter. They dry quickly and can dress up a crankbait in a hurry.
6) No nail polish? Any clear glue strategically applied to the body and sprinkled with glitter can be used to add a little sparkle to a crankbait.
7) Earlier, “stick-on” eyes were discussed, but they can also be painted on. A nail head or dowel of the desired diameter can be dipped in the paint to apply the larger circle on the bait by dabbing it in the proper location. After it dries, use a smaller nail head or dowel to apply the iris. The combinations of colors are limited only by your imagination.
8) Some topwater enthusiasts make sure that some of their topwaters have had their bellies painted black. They believe that a dark color is more visible to bass when they are surface feeding. In low light conditions the black color gives a better contrast making the topwater bait easier to locate from below.
HELPING LIGHT WEIGHT BALSA BAITS CAST BETTER:
Small balsa minnow baits are great fish catchers, but casting these light crankbaits can be difficult. Any wind, no matter how light, can further complicate the situation, causing the bait to turn sideways and spin in the breeze. Many anglers give up in frustration. Here’s how to remedy this situation.
Today’s hard plastic minnowbaits often have a large single ball bearing that rolls to the tail section during the cast, sending the long thin profile through the air like a missile. In order to make solid balsa baits do the same, some anglers add lead “Sticky Weights” or “Suspend Strips” to them, right on the top of the back, about a quarter-inch in front of the back hook. This modification causes the tail section of the lure to shoot forward on the cast and lets the angler cast them more accurately in the wind.
This modification can be “over done”, and too much weight can ruin the action of the bait. Too little weight and the minnowbait will move around on the cast. The only way to find the correct weight is to experiment while in the boat during actual conditions, modifying it as you go.
WAYS TO ADD WEIGHT TO A CRANKBAIT:
There are many ways to add weight to a crankbait, (especially jerkbaits), so that they suspend or sink at a certain rate.
1) With hollow plastic minnowbaits or jerkbaits, a small 1/16th inch hole can be drilled in the hollow belly and water added as weight, (some anglers use a syringe to inject the water). A round toothpick is inserted and cut off almost flush, and the bait is tested in water. Trial and error occurs until it floats or sinks according to the angler’s desired buoyancy. Then the toothpick is cut off flush and a clear coat is applied over it to seal it. Commercial RTV products can replace the toothpick if desired.
2) With solid wooden crankbaits, a hole must be drilled and lead must be added to prevent them from floating up. Take the selected crankbait and begin experimenting by placing different worm weights on the belly hook of the bait until it sinks in water. Take the weight and measure the diameter, selecting a drill just a hair smaller (you want a press fit.) Pre-drill with a small diameter drill to begin with. That way, when you drill with the larger drill it will not drift but follows the smaller hole. The hole is usually located on the belly of the bait between the diving bill and front hook eyelet.
Make sure you drill only deep enough to take in the lead weight. If you initially removed the hooks in order to make drilling the hole easier, go ahead and replace them now, insert the weight, and test the bait in a tank of water. Keep removing the weight and filing the lead one stroke at a time until you get the buoyancy you desire. Remove the weight and let the lure dry thoroughly – reinstall the weight and seal with two part epoxy.
3) One of the easiest ways to add weight is to clamp a split shot to the shank of the belly treble hook. They come off easily without any damage to the bait.
4) Just as easy, is wrapping lead solder around the shank of the belly treble hook. This is easier to adjust by cutting little piece off until the buoyancy you desire is achieved.
5) Another method of adding weight to a crankbait is to use adhesive lead spots or strips. (“Sticky Weights” or “Suspend Strips”)
6) Bass pro Kevin VanDam has been known to attach a small split ring to the forward eyelet on the belly and then clips a Luck “E” Strike Quik Clip weight to a Bomber Long A or other similar minnowbait.
7) As mentioned before – use a heavier hook!
ADDING OR SUBTRACTING RATTLES:
Adding: You can take a hollow plastic minnowbait or jerkbait and add some small BB’s or buckshot, creating internal rattles. Not many can be utilized if the bait to suspend. The holes drilled should be just a hair larger than the diameter of the metal balls chosen. Different sounds will result depending on the number, size, and material of the rattles inserted. Use JB Weld or an auto body putty or some other hard drying material to seal the hole. Remember to keep the lure upside down until it the plug material is hardened or the rattles will stick to it and defeat the purpose of adding rattles. After it is dry, file the plug flat, and paint the filled hole if you feel it is necessary.
Subtracting: Sometimes rattles work great, and sometimes the fish prefer a quieter presentation. To quiet a rattling bait, you can drill a hole, remove the rattles, and plug the hole as described above. But this will change the weight of the plastic crankbait considerably, affecting the action too. This may be OK, but if you want the weight to stay the same, drill a small hole and squirt a little super glue inside. Put your thumb over the hole and gently shake the bait so as to roll the BB’s in the glue to make sure they are coated, and then plug the hole.
If the bait you want to modify has only one large steel ball, drill a small hole in the belly of the bait, between the first hook and the bill. The hole has to be a bit smaller than the solitary rattle so it doesn’t fall out. Apply super glue all around the hole inside the hollow body and then roll the steel ball forward until it settles into the hole. After it dries the lure is sealed, but you can add some filler, let dry, file flat, and paint if you so desire. Be aware that this process not only stops the rattling, it gives the bait a different action and vibration.
ADDING SPINNERS OR BLADES TO A CRANKBAIT:
Almost any crankbait can be converted into a tail-spinner with Quick-clip Blade Attachments. You simply remove the rear treble hook and split ring from the bait and clip the Blade Attachment onto the rear wire loop, and you’re done. If you want to reattach the treble hook, simply use a split ring and clip it to the end of the Blade Attachment.
These blades come in Willow Leaf, Indiana, Turtleback, and Colorado shapes.
ADDING TAIL FEATHERS AND FLASHABOU ON REAR TREBLES:
Both topwater and diving cranks can be dressed up with a rear treble hook that has had feathers or flashabou/mylar tied to the shank. You can tie them yourselves or buy them. The dressed treble shows up well, exaggerates the side to side motion of the bait, and flares out when the bait comes to a stop. Some anglers spray the feathers with silicon spray which causes the feathers to float upward. The action of the feathers can sometimes convince semi-active fish that the crankbait is alive, persuading them to suck it in.
<Return to PART 1>
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