fishordie79 Posted January 30, 2021 Report Share Posted January 30, 2021 Hey TU Folks! So I carved, molded, and poured a jerk bait last night. I used a 10% mix of microspheres to part A of the resin. When I went to add ballast my goal was to add it at each end of the bait for a more steady action. What I realized is that adding a single point of ballast, about 5.35 grams about 2.5 centimeters in front of the belly hook hanger gave me a level descent and the sink rate I was looking for. The only time I’ve ever used a single ballast point on a jerk bait is when putting it at the center of balance. So I filled in the ballast and did some more dunk testing and low and behold it sinks perfectly. All of the waters around here are frozen so I have no means of testing this bait. I know I should test it first but I’ll be waiting for a while to do so so I think I’ll just complete it and give it a shot. I don’t think it will work but what do you all think? Take a look at the image to get an idea of where I placed the ballast. Thanks for any comments/suggestions! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
exx1976 Posted January 30, 2021 Report Share Posted January 30, 2021 With the baits I made, one single ballast in the front of the bait gave me a "dead" action. I mean, it still wobbled, but only a little. I didn't care for it. Maybe that body design will do better? Let us know! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hillbilly voodoo Posted January 30, 2021 Report Share Posted January 30, 2021 If the float test looks good I say finish it but a basic fish catching paint pattern nothing elaborate just incase. Personally the way I balance my resin baits is not conventional. They are carved, molded, and poured in a manner that I can use a pure resin ballast no lead. I rely completely on my float tests not conventional weight locations My opinion if the float test plays true odds are in your favor I don’t know your location but I am in Northern Alberta. In the winter I test my lures in front of a dam. It’s been in the -20c here and there is still open water it’s just a little harder to find. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vodkaman Posted January 31, 2021 Report Share Posted January 31, 2021 (edited) The body material with only a 10% microspheres is very dense. This gives a good weight distribution, the tiny 5g ballast balances out the rear hook. So yes, I think the lure will work well. Dave Edited January 31, 2021 by Vodkaman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishordie79 Posted January 31, 2021 Author Report Share Posted January 31, 2021 @exx1976I sure will man. Thanks! @Hillbilly voodoo I am in southern Germany. Not nearly as cold as where you are but most of the waters are still frozen. There are a few streams where I work that I could test in although the current there is pretty strong and I'm kinda thinking I might get an inconclusive result. Really interesting to hear that you use only resin as your ballast for some builds. I'd like to pick your brain about how you do that sometime. Do you mind if I send you a PM? @Vodkaman if you think it will work then that's good for me:) Thanks for the response. I'll do my best to remember to come back here and give you all the results once I've had it in the water. Thanks again! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishordie79 Posted January 31, 2021 Author Report Share Posted January 31, 2021 Another question for you guys. I have yet to find that perfect balance that allows a jerk bait to sink without rocking slightly from side to side. I've gotten pretty close but I haven't found the sweet spot yet. Do you guys have any tips learned from your experience that might help me to master this? I don't know if any of you guys have used or seen used the Rapala X-rap Twitchin' Shad but that thing has an absolutely beautiful sink. It tilts slightly forward and sinks with zero side to side movement. It's that kind of sink I'm looking for and I am not sure what design properties account for that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vodkaman Posted January 31, 2021 Report Share Posted January 31, 2021 1 hour ago, fishordie79 said: Another question for you guys. I have yet to find that perfect balance that allows a jerk bait to sink without rocking slightly from side to side. I've gotten pretty close but I haven't found the sweet spot yet. Do you guys have any tips learned from your experience that might help me to master this? This is a very interesting point. The rocking from side to side is the very start of vortex shedding, the phenomenon that makes lures waggle. The action is speed related, there is a minimum speed that the rocking starts. The minimum speed is also dependent on the shape of the body. A sinking body, the minimum speed is fairly slow, for a lipped crankbait moving forward, the minimum speed is faster. It is all about Reynolds number in fluid dynamics, and I promise NEVER to mention this EVER again Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Travis Posted January 31, 2021 Report Share Posted January 31, 2021 As mentioned the float test in a good starting point. It will be a fishable lure. Now fishable lures span a wide range in effectiveness and that is where the weight placement can tease out the best action for a given body design. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hillbilly voodoo Posted January 31, 2021 Report Share Posted January 31, 2021 Half asleep do to working nights but if you PM me about resin lures in 2 days I will be more awake Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishordie79 Posted February 1, 2021 Author Report Share Posted February 1, 2021 @Vodkaman Laminar flows, dimensionless numbers, viscous forces, average velocity, slugs/ft........yes I Googled it and yes my brain is smoldering:) @Hillbilly voodoo Sounds good man. Hope you're able to catch up on some sleep. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Outlaw4 Posted February 1, 2021 Report Share Posted February 1, 2021 i cant say for sure on Rapala...but is suspect it has something to do with their body (belly) taper. This is something pretty consistent on all of their baits, that you do not see on everything. there is no doubt when you look at SOME of the big brand baits there is a lot of R&D $$ in them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Epp Posted February 1, 2021 Report Share Posted February 1, 2021 Just curious, what's wrong with the slight wobble on the fall? Might a subtle action at rest help provoke a strike? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
exx1976 Posted February 1, 2021 Report Share Posted February 1, 2021 44 minutes ago, Big Epp said: Just curious, what's wrong with the slight wobble on the fall? Might a subtle action at rest help provoke a strike? I was wondering that as well. Many "production" lures have an attractive wobble on the fall. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hillbilly voodoo Posted February 1, 2021 Report Share Posted February 1, 2021 55 minutes ago, Big Epp said: Just curious, what's wrong with the slight wobble on the fall? Might a subtle action at rest help provoke a strike? I have always viewed it as a good thing myself a little extra flicker on the fall 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishordie79 Posted February 1, 2021 Author Report Share Posted February 1, 2021 @Big Epp @exx1976 @Hillbilly voodoo Nothing wrong with the wobble at all. What I have noticed over the past couple of years is that I've been more successful with natural looking/swimming baits. Loooooots of Germans use big soft plastics for pike from companies like Westin and Fox Rage. Those baits usually have that side to side wobble along with a lot of tail action so, and it may just be me being picky, I feel like I need to present something to the fish that everyone else is not throwing. This year was very successful for me using slow sinking jerks that had no action on the descent so I am trying to figure out how to replicate that. Not only because those baits have been working for me but also because it has been a freaking challenge trying to do so:/ I do see the value in the wobble on the drop, however. @Outlaw4 I couldn't agree more. I've currently got a wooden master with which I tried to replicate the Rapala Haku jerk. The Haku is actually the lure that caught the fish in my profile picture. Slim, tapered belly, as you said, and interestingly placed ballast that, as you also said, is probably the result of some crazy $$ spent in R&D:) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
