pizza Posted February 17, 2012 Report Share Posted February 17, 2012 One of the best things about making baits is making baits that do something that very few commercially available baits do. There are not many slow sinking crankbaits commercially available and since i fish rivers that average about 2-4 feet in depth, i love it when i end up with just the right amount of fall rate. Ive never measured this, but im guessing about 1 foot every 3-5 seconds or so. This combined with a shallow lip, lets me fish me baits at the depth i want to, at the speed i like to, for the longest amount of time during retrieve. Seems like sinking cranks are few and far bw these days. Youve got rapala and youve got rapala (im sure there are others, just don't know offhand, and im not sure that rapala sinkers are considered cranks anyways but you get my drift... How about you? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seeking 56 Posted February 17, 2012 Report Share Posted February 17, 2012 I also weight my cranks. I don't like my baits to rise when i'm turning sharp while trolling. I want them to stay in the strike zone longer especially in late fall when the muskies are more lethargic. s54 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrCribs Posted February 17, 2012 Report Share Posted February 17, 2012 there arnt alot of slow sinkers available i think. and a fast rising or sinking lure wouldnt look very naturel. mayb a bit offtopic, but what is the best way for a lure to rise or sink? head up or head down? or straight? does that even matter? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassguy Posted February 17, 2012 Report Share Posted February 17, 2012 I don't. I just like making them. To be able to build a lure that catches fish is reward enough for me, and I give a few to friends that are fishermen. I've started working on a weight transfer for casting and ballast combo that rattles. Probably wouldn't hurt to sell a few to buy more materials. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crankpaint Posted February 18, 2012 Report Share Posted February 18, 2012 (edited) I make more splashers for hybrid bass at the local dam wood wise but do make a few thin large lures to mimic the local skipjack shad that are from 6 to 14 inchs long that the bigger hybrid bass eat(a 5 lb hybrid will knock the @#$% out of a bigger bait) and becouse theres not many lures the size and weight i use to reach them i make my own and like the feeling of having one about yank the pole out of your hands when it hits in the current below the dams(had them break 20 and 30 lb test on the strike) Edited February 18, 2012 by crankpaint Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sonny.Barile Posted February 18, 2012 Report Share Posted February 18, 2012 The niche I fill is for a guy who cant afford to lose $100 in tackle every weekend. The area I fish in the spring to early summer is shallow and has tons of 3 foot bluefish. They shread my store boughts and at $10 or more each I just cant keep up. The rest of the year Im fishing for Striped Bass (the real kind not those abominations you guys catch in the lakes LOL) and for that I use store bought soft plastics on jig heads. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nedyarb Posted February 18, 2012 Report Share Posted February 18, 2012 For me its more about the hobby (addiction)! I have always enjoyed working with wood and making my own crankbaits has allowed me to continue wood working! If i had to guess money wise I probably have not saved a whole lot, simply because I keep trying new things that never really seem to work. Its a fun habit for me! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
