I was fishing a 5" floating jerkbait the other day for small pike in a small isolated swimming area of a big lake. It only got down to about 3-4 feet. It also floated nose up. Since I was getting bit with larger jerk baits in deeper water, but not hooking up, because the fish were small, i was forced to innovate. I used a small split shot 6" ahead of my lure. This made the lure run deeper and face nose down. I started getting bit and hooking up. HAs anyone done this before? i recommend giving it a try!

Back in the day when a floating Rapala was the only minnow bait out there, we did exactly that to get the bait down for walleye. From split shot we graduated to rubber core sinkers that we could slide up and down the line to get the bait closer to, or farther from the bottom.  Next came adding a swivel below the weight to keep the lure running true. I currently use that tactic to present small, crappie crankbaits and square bills in deep water, but keep that trick to yourself because if word gets out, I'll come looking for you.

Good work.  Yes I have done this before usually with Rapala Jerkbaits.  Put a single split shot 12-18 inches above the lure and you are good to go.