Lochie Posted April 10, 2022 Report Share Posted April 10, 2022 Hey everybody. I’ve recently started making a new lure design, and when test swimming it, it doesn’t swim stable. The lure is 120mm long, 35mm deep and 15mm wide. It’s got two size one ball sinkers in the belly. Any help as to how to make the lure more stable would be much appreciated. cheers Lochie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hillbilly voodoo Posted April 10, 2022 Report Share Posted April 10, 2022 It could just be the pic but the lip doesn’t look centered to the tow point. This would cause it to swim to one side and may even swim on its side. Look at the pic it would favor the left It could be a few things but without more information it’s hard to say Looking at the overall design it is just a matter of tweaking things. Personally I would like the lip closer to the tie point as it would make the lure more forgiving could you explain in more detail on what you mean by not swimming stable? Video is always best and many here would know what to change right away just watching it 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lochie Posted April 11, 2022 Author Report Share Posted April 11, 2022 18 hours ago, Hillbilly voodoo said: It could just be the pic but the lip doesn’t look centered to the tow point. This would cause it to swim to one side and may even swim on its side. Look at the pic it would favor the left It could be a few things but without more information it’s hard to say Looking at the overall design it is just a matter of tweaking things. Personally I would like the lip closer to the tie point as it would make the lure more forgiving could you explain in more detail on what you mean by not swimming stable? Video is always best and many here would know what to change right away just watching it Hey mate, it might just be the picture about the bib being crooked because it looks pretty straight when holding it. When I say it doesn’t swim stable I mean it’ll swim straight, then it will dart to the left/right and swim on its side. Then it goes back to straight. Maybe it needs more weight in the belly to prevent it from toppling over? I will try and get a video this weekend in clear water. Cheers for the reply! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hillbilly voodoo Posted April 11, 2022 Report Share Posted April 11, 2022 If it’s weighted near the front hook try handling some extra weight there to see how it runs. This would be a good start as it’s easy to test Other option is trim the lip shorter Theses are my first 2 thoughts because it sounds like the lip is over powering the lure personally if it was my lure I would try to find the point where it still wonders sided to side but still stays up right. A bait that wonders a little will trigger strikes from fish that would normally only follow a lure that runs completely straight 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RiverSmallieGuy Posted April 11, 2022 Report Share Posted April 11, 2022 What I would say, from personal experience, is that you may want to check your lip slot to see how straight it is. If your lip isn't straight, your lure will not work. If you look at your lure and your lip isn't straight, you can shave down the side of the lip that is closer to the nose of the lure to get a decent wobble. Ideally, you would take your time to ensure that your lip is perfectly straight. You can always widen your slot and tweak the lip. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RiverSmallieGuy Posted April 11, 2022 Report Share Posted April 11, 2022 Just now, RiverSmallieGuy said: What I would say, from personal experience, is that you may want to check your lip slot to see how straight it is. If your lip isn't straight, your lure will not work. If you look at your lure and your lip isn't straight, you can shave down the side of the lip that is closer to the nose of the lure to get a decent wobble. Ideally, you would take your time to ensure that your lip is perfectly straight. You can always widen your slot and tweak the lip. And when I am talking about your lip being straight, I am not referring to your lip being centered. I am referring to your lip slot being cut perpendicular to the center line of the bait. Think about the vortices that your lip creates, and if your lip is asymmetrical when it comes to the perpendicular aspect of it, it will be asymmetrical vortices which would in turn cause your lure to blow out. Think about making both sides of the lip and the lip slot the same. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hillbilly voodoo Posted April 11, 2022 Report Share Posted April 11, 2022 If it was the lip slot it would only wonder off to one side not both not both left and right 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RiverSmallieGuy Posted April 11, 2022 Report Share Posted April 11, 2022 31 minutes ago, Hillbilly voodoo said: If it was the lip slot it would only wonder off to one side not both not both left and right good point 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark poulson Posted April 11, 2022 Report Share Posted April 11, 2022 12 hours ago, Lochie said: Hey mate, it might just be the picture about the bib being crooked because it looks pretty straight when holding it. When I say it doesn’t swim stable I mean it’ll swim straight, then it will dart to the left/right and swim on its side. Then it goes back to straight. Maybe it needs more weight in the belly to prevent it from toppling over? I will try and get a video this weekend in clear water. Cheers for the reply! That bait hunts, meaning it has an erratic action on the retrieve, just like a wounded baitfish. I would keep it, and concentrate on finding the retrieve speed where it just begins to hunt, so I could get it to hunt consistently. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hillbilly voodoo Posted April 11, 2022 Report Share Posted April 11, 2022 8 minutes ago, mark poulson said: That bait hunts, meaning it has an erratic action on the retrieve, just like a wounded baitfish. I would keep it, and concentrate on finding the retrieve speed where it just begins to hunt, so I could get it to hunt consistently. I would also be trying to at least retain some of the side to side action. The truth is even when it turns on it’s side is a natural action for a wounded fish. good chance it gets bit as is My personal preference would be to tweak it so it just wonders but doesn’t turn on its side. This is no more then me thinking about the action I like though 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Outlaw4 Posted April 12, 2022 Report Share Posted April 12, 2022 my first crack would be to bend to tow eye down below centerline. that helps keep downward pressure on the lip. it looks like a thru wire so maybe could cut a small notch below it to get it down easier? This would be easy to move back if its not it. second thought would maybe be some weight in small increments between the front hook hanger and the lip? cool looking bait though and sounds like you are close. The dialing it in is so very fun and frustrating 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flaswimbaiter Posted April 25, 2022 Report Share Posted April 25, 2022 On 4/11/2022 at 4:18 PM, mark poulson said: That bait hunts, meaning it has an erratic action on the retrieve, just like a wounded baitfish. I would keep it, and concentrate on finding the retrieve speed where it just begins to hunt, so I could get it to hunt consistently. Agreed, I love when baits do that, as long as they returns the center, I call it done. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...