Hey guys so this maybe a bit of a stupid question, but how do you count down your baits? What I mean is I see people talking about counting down a variety of different baits. Are they just guessing, or how do they figure out how fast the bait will sink? Is there any tricks to finding out an accurate rate of fall? thanks

well drop the bait near the boat and see what pace it falls, every bait will fall at different speeds and line is also a factor

Watching a bait fall next to the bot really isn't going to do you any good.  Find a spot with a known depth by either a depth finder or sticking a paddle down in the water etc...then drop your bait and count till it hits the bottom.

 

Some baits are labeled to sink at a specific rate too so you can go by that as any method is an estimate more than anything as there are always other factors tht affect how quickly a bait will sink.

After 50 years I still count em down

Why ya do that?

If I'm casting/flipping/pitching/punching in say 15' & my lure only falls 10' odds are a bass has taken it on the fall.

Again if I'm fishing in 15' & I count to 18 I'll set hook?

But how do you know the depth aint different?

I don't! But I set hook anyway

Ok cool thanks guys. I have dropped them beside the boat before, but I didnt feel like that really gave me much of an idea on what I was counting. thanks again!

Most reels retrieve 2 to 3 feet per crank, depending on how much line is on the spool.  Let your bait out a few feet and crank it in, note how many feet per crank.  Next, let the bait drop to the bottom and do two things, count the seconds down and then count the cranks back up.  Do the arithmetic and you have a good idea of your bait/line combo's rate of drop.  Now, for example, suppose your moving along a bank or rock wall, you cast to that area and count it down and you have an idea of the likely depth as you move along. 

1/4 oz = 1' per second sink rate

I have been fishing 50 years and never once gave it a thought or count....

I just go fishing relax and enjoy myself...

I count down when im jig fishing or using weight soft plastics

I take two approaches to this depending on the situation.  

 

1 - If I can get the bait to the bottom (sparse cover, rocky bottom etc.) I make my first cast and let it sink to the bottom.  I count at an even pace until I hit bottom.  That tells me my max count.  If I divide it by 2 and count my bait down to that number I am fishing roughly the middle of the water column.  You can vary it from there.

 

2 - If I am fishing something over/through weeds (example:  Fishing in 10 FOW with weeds maxing out at 6-7 feet).  My first cast is a one second drop and reel.  My second is a 2 second drop/reel etc.  I keep the count going up until I can consistently tick the weeds.

 

I like these because there are too many variables when it comes to sink rate.  These methods take the conditions you have and simplifies the process for me.

 

Some variation of either should help.  The key is being consistent and finding a technique which work for you.

 

 

Good luck.

Over 50 years ago Rapala came out with CD (count down) series lures that had a fall rate of 1 foot per second. Started "counting down" the CD Rapala's and never stopped with other sinking lures. After doing this for 1/2 century the count down clock in automatic with known lures.

I initially check the sink rate at the launch ramp in 10' of water by making a average cast and count until the line goes slack or I feel it hit the hard ramp bottom. Repeat this a few times and know the sink rate fairly accurately. One reason I fish the same weight jigs so often, the sink rate becomes a critical element of the lures presentation.

Tom

I take two approaches to this depending on the situation.  

 

1 - If I can get the bait to the bottom (sparse cover, rocky bottom etc.) I make my first cast and let it sink to the bottom.  I count at an even pace until I hit bottom.  That tells me my max count.  If I divide it by 2 and count my bait down to that number I am fishing roughly the middle of the water column.  You can vary it from there.

 

2 - If I am fishing something over/through weeds (example:  Fishing in 10 FOW with weeds maxing out at 6-7 feet).  My first cast is a one second drop and reel.  My second is a 2 second drop/reel etc.  I keep the count going up until I can consistently tick the weeds.

 

I like these because there are too many variables when it comes to sink rate.  These methods take the conditions you have and simplifies the process for me.

 

Some variation of either should help.  The key is being consistent and finding a technique which work for you.

 

 

Good luck.

i like that thought process..