Anyone here know how to tweak crankbaits?

[senkoskipper]

Ok Im sure everyone knows about those rapala DT series lures. Is it possible to grind down the lip on a DT16 to that it will only go down as far as a couple feet?

[Bassboy1645]

Never tried the dt's but holding ur rod tip high and reeling slower brings a couple feet of ur dive. also if u have a deep diver u wish to fish shallow, just cast and twitch. every twitch dives the crank, but the pause lets it float back up all the while reeling in a quarter to half turn of ur reel. Bass see wounded prey and go nuts!!!!!! got three of em tonite with this technique. have at em!!!!!!

[ZOKU]

Quote:

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also if u have a deep diver u wish to fish shallow, just cast and twitch. every twitch dives the crank, but the pause lets it float back up all the while reeling in a quarter to half turn of ur reel. Bass see wounded prey and go nuts!!!!!!

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Interesting. I've never actually used this technique but it seems like I'm always reading something about it. Is it effective to simply purchase a deep diving crankbait with just a couple of simple rod twitches? Cast it out... and then what? Obviously, if you begin reeling in the lure as you normally would... it will dive. Would I just incorporate a stop-start-stop-start motion?

Just curious to know how the lure is worked... sorry if this post has gotten off-topic.

[smallie_hawgin]

There was a recent article in bass times about this subject. You can get a crank to dive deeper by "sharpening the lip" in other words filing the bottom of the lip on a more or less horizontal plane with the bait to a sharp point. Some of the pros modify their baits by heating up the lips and bending them down gives a different wobble and shallower depth. OR simply filing the rounded corners down and making a square lip profile gives a tighter wobble and shallower depth as well. In general, any shortening of the lip will give a shallower depth whle sharpening the lip will give a deeper diving depth. Hope this helps.

[Deitz Dittrich]

senk- Just currious why you want a DT16 to only dive a couple feet. THey make one that will dive only 4 they make a DT4 I think.. Or if you are looking body size Manns makes a Minus 1 that only dives 1 foot and is fairly large.....

If you want to start tweaking as you say.. it probably can be done.. I have messed with a few, not the DT series, but I have changed cranks to get them to dive and have a different action. TO get them to dive shallower, heat the lip of the crank right where it goes into the body and increase the angle of the lip. WARNING- For every crankbait you successfully change you may ruin a dozen trying!

[ZOKU]

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senk- Just currious why you want a DT16 to only dive a couple feet. THey make one that will dive only 4 they make a DT4 I think.. Or if you are looking body size Manns makes a Minus 1 that only dives 1 foot and is fairly large...

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I guess this was more or less my point in my previous question... why would you purchase a deep diver and make a few twitches with it... when you could essentially get the same size lure made specifically to run at the depth that you want it to. i.e., what is the deep diver going to do (or not do) that the crankbait made for shallow running is doing...?

[senkoskipper]

I find that the cranks made for shallow water are too small. I know they make those big ones that dive shallow but they are always sold out. I like the action of the DT series but the DT4's are so tiny. I figure a DT16 size would be perfect if it ran shallow.

[Deitz Dittrich]

senko-your biggest problem is, when you change tha angle of the lip to get it to dive shallower, you will change its action... No doubt about it. I would start searching for a different crankbait. Ones I would suggest you get your hands on would be a Big Sisson 3, Its a 3" long lure weighs 3/4 oz.. and only dives about 6 foot? Look it up at bass proshops or similar web site or catalog.

another a cordell Big O... Its 2 1/4" in length and dives to 5 feet. Or a 3" model dives to 6 feet.

Bagley cranks also make some very large shallow divers.. little more expensive at $10 a bait.. The killer B is 3" and dives only 6'.

And norman lures makes a little N 2 1/2 inches in lenght and 5' diving.

Give those a shot, I really dont think you will get the DT16 to do what you want.

[cheektowaga]

I think Deitz hit it originally with the Mann's Baby O or 1 minus. Great Baits!

ZOKO, I often use my Rapala Broken Shads in the larger sizes and start them shallow and "walk" them down a gradual drop-off with the same twitch-twitch, pause, slow real, repeat... I've got the shallow running (2 foot and less) cranks but I use the broken shads when I want something slower and less of a constistant planed out wobble of the baby o minus. I've had pretty good results with it early and late in the year. I hope I'm not misinterpreting your earlier post, I guess I've just found that sometimes I do want the alternative to the shallow crank in shallow water.

I wouldn't wreck a perfectly good DT.

[fish'n 4 fun]

Here's another vote for the Mann's minus series! In fact there's plenty of free one's in the OT county lakes if you can catch one of the many northerns that have swam away with mine!!

[senkoskipper]

actually guys i was thinking more like 1 or 2 feet under the surface. Ill keep researching.

[bassn1]

you can also decrease the depth by going to a larger line size. The larger the line the shallower the bait will go.

[Studer]

There is a topic exactly about this in the July edition of Field & Stream.