Help With A Swimmer

[Draft]

I tested this lure but it has the tendency to roll when retrieved. Anyone have any input. Change the shape, add more weight or lip design. Any advice would be much appreciated.

Edited November 5, 2009 by Draft

[pikeman]

  On 11/5/2009 at 8:18 PM, Draft said:

I tested this lure but it has the tendency to roll when retrieved. Anyone have any input. Change the shape, add more weight or lip design. Any advice would be much appreciated.

definitely more weight

to check that you may also apply weight on the treble hooks, how much of the lure enters in the water ?

also check for proper lip alignment but as I see from the pics you have a large lure poorly weighted

[Vodkaman]

I have never built a lure with this kind of lip, so cannot give you benefit of experience.

I agree with Pikeman, in that the ballast looks light for the volume of the lure. Tape another 1/2 ounce to the belly and see the difference. Vary the weight and see the change.

I was also thinking that I would have positioned the ballast closer around the belly hanger. This is something to experiment with on future lures, rather than hack this one.

Try bending the lip up and down and note any changes. Start with the least destructable variables, like lip angle. Tweak the tow eye up or down, this can have a profound effect. If the lure always blows out the same side, could be lip alignment. Try tweaking the tow eye left or right, this might correct the problem.

When designing a new lure, I always make half a dozen blanks with the intention of just cutting and hacking, to try different configurations out. Lures are a balance of several variables such as lip size, angle, wood density, ballast weight and location and more. Only change one thing at a time, or you will never know what worked. Also, test with the hardware fitted or you'll likely be wasting your time, as the added weight of hooks and rings will change everything.

Dave

[benton B]

I would bend the lip down slightly and give a test run. You may want to get the balast weight more forward toward the nose of the bait.

[Draft]

I modified the shape of the lure, It was round, I made it skinnier by taking out material from the sides. It works better but still not what I am looking for. Next I'll try and modify the lip, If that doesn't work then I'll add more weight.

Thanks for the input.

Oh by the way I tested it with the treble hook attached.

Edited November 7, 2009 by Draft

[SPS1]

  On 11/6/2009 at 2:40 PM, benton B said:

I would bend the lip down slightly and give a test run. You may want to get the balast weight more forward toward the nose of the bait.

I agree bend that lip down and add some weight approximately 1" from center (toward the nose)

Good Luck

[SPS1]

  On 11/9/2009 at 6:33 PM, SPS1 said:

I agree bend that lip down and add some weight approximately 1" from center (toward the nose)

Good Luck

1 more thing to try is turn the line tie so that it's parallel to the lip slot.

[Zolja]

  On 11/10/2009 at 1:17 AM, SPS1 said:

1 more thing to try is turn the line tie so that it's parallel to the lip slot.

In my experience line tie that's parallel to lip slot gives a plug more roll. I do this with plugs that don't have enough action. You can add more weight as close to hook hanger, that will defenetly stabilize it. In my opinion your line tie is to low. Move it up to the center of the plug and start from there. The lower you put it, the more roll it will have.

Zoran