Looking to add sponge to a crankbait

[King Bait Co.]

I would like to add a little chunk of sponge on my crankbaits to hold the scent on longer. Would it be best to glue it on to the body or tie it to the shaft of the hook? I have seen it on hand tied jigs but I didn't know if it worked on crankbaits.

[MTfishingrods]

I have done both, and for now have settled on tying on the hook shaft. Have not given up on attaching to the bait though. Just have not figured out a way that I like.

[King Bait Co.]

Thanks thats what I was thinking. So not to ruin the finish if the sponge falls off.

[Nathan]

Kingbait,

The sponge on the hook shank works really well..Just cut the sponge in to a small square,and drill a small hole through it...slide the hook shank through the hole and reattatch hook..Nathan

[outcast]

I use the soft/cloth side of Velcro. You can get it in different colors, and sizes. I like to use the black, cut it in a 1/4" strip, and stick it along the back of the lure. It works best when you use the thicker, paste or gel type scents. Hope this sparks some ideas....

Edited April 16, 2008 by outcast

[mark poulson]

I don't make cranks, so I really am talking through my hat about something for which I have no first hand knowledge, but I was just wondering.

Someone posted pictures of a pike jerkbait with a hollow tail, to which he super glued a grub onto the head of a nail.

Maybe you could copy that idea, by hollowing the back of a crank, then adding your through wire or hook hanger, and superglueing a doughnut shaped sponge into the recess around the hook hanger. I would think that might interfere less with the action of a lure than putting it on it's back, or on one of the hook shanks.

[King Bait Co.]

Thanks for the ideas everybody. It helps a lot!

[diemai]

Just like mark poulson I am now talking about something , that I have not done before , and I agree with him as well , that such exterior sponge-piece might minor the lure action .

On some of my crankbaits I ocassionally assemble homemade rattles of round metal tubing (8 mm dia , 0,5 mm wall) .

I place these into holes , that are drilled crosswise through the lure-blank , and seal them off with putty .

Anyway , my idea about your scent-sponge is now to also drill a hole through the lure and glue in a piece of tubing , maybe little larger and of plastic , off course you must leave both ends open .

You could later paint your lure and seal off as usual , it would loose only a little buoancy .

The sponge you could always push into the hole and it would stay there , if you cut it large enough in diameter to comprime a bit and therefore bind into the hole . Cut precisely , it would also sit reasonably flush with the flanks of the bait and not disturb its action at all .

Good success with anything , that you're up to , diemai

[mark poulson]

Diemai,

That's a great idea. I've seen lure here with through holes as part of the lure design, but not for scent sponges.

Any turbulence created by the irregular sides would probably be a plus, giving the lure a distinctive underwater "signature".

Rick Clunn came out with a line of cranks a few years ago that were supposed to give off a different vibration due to the notches on their sides, which was supposed to show up on a bass' lateral line as a unique signature, and make the baits get bit more since they were not the run of the mill crank.

Who are we to argue with Rick Clunn?

[Vodkaman]

Diemay, my thoughts follow yours exactly. In addition, I would dye the sponge black. The sponge hole would double as a 'kill spot'.

[mark poulson]

Vman,

Doubles as kill spot! Clever devil.

[King Bait Co.]

I am going to try all of these ideas. Many grerat ideas to little lures. As for the Rick Clunn Orion E.T.I. Crankbaits I had bought six of them two seasons ago and haven't caught any more fish with them. Then a Norman crankbaits. I think they put some spit and shine on a old lure for a dollar something more as they do so many other lures and BPS reels

[diemai]

@ Vodkaman , @ mark poulson

kill by smell , aye ?

@ King Bait Co.

Sorry about that wasted money , but many , too many lures are put out to hook fishermen , not fish .

Better stay with the old proven classics of whatever kind .

But your lures would surely catch fish , with or without some tinkering , because that's exactly what you make them for .

Greetings , diemai

[MTfishingrods]

"Doubles as kill spot! " Awesome Idea! This is what I like about this site.

[King Bait Co.]

Update I cut small squares of a sponge and put them on the back hook. It seems to have slowed the wobble down a lot on the crankbaits. The sent stayed on for quite a few cast. It works better on jigs and spinner baits. If you put it behind your trailer.