Adding eyes to Keitechs Hack

[PhishLI]

Some baits don't work well at certain lakes. Not for me anyway. This was the case at one of my local spots. I had very little luck when throwing Keitechs from 3 1/2 to 5" rigged on swimbait hooks, and believe me I put in the time. Thinking bass might've wanted some flash I tried a few versions of Flashy Swimmer type swimbait hooks, but nothing. I was tortured by these baits.

 

Several years ago while at a fishing expo I grabbed a few packs of JDM NorieS Spoon Tail Shad 5" swimmers. They're a slender torpedo shaped bait with dimensions similar to the 4.5 Keitech Swing Impact, but they have 6mm chrome eyes. I couldn't keep the bass off of them.  At first I thought its action, which is quite different from the Swing, might've been the difference, but I truly believed it came down to the eyes providing just the right amount of flash. I tested this by removing the eyes from a NorieS and fishing it against a stock one. There was no contest. The 4" Megabass Hazedong Shad rigged on an owner hook has been another winner for me. Once I added eyes to the Berkeley Champ Swimmer it also took off.

 

You can't simply peel off stick on eyes from a sheet and stick them on a Keitech, Rage Swimmer, Saucy Swimmer, etc. They require a socket. Here's how I made them. Measure the diameter of the eye and match it up to a drill bit. Preferably a bit with a flat bottomed shank. The non-fluted side of a drill bit, or the shank, often has a point. Not ideal for this hack. Flat bottomed types are available. Metal round stock from the hardware store will also work. A dowel. Whatever you have that's the correct size.

 

Heat up the tip of the shank with a lighter, then press it into the bait creating the socket. Spin it slowly, then remove it. You may need to experiment with the amount of time you apply the flame to the bit, but you'll figure it out.

 

The factory glue that comes applied to stick on eyes doesn't work well on soft plastics. I lay out a paper towel, spray it with 90% alcohol, then rub off the factory glue in a figure 8 pattern. It's easy to see when it's all gone. Then apply a very small dab of gel super glue to the center of the newly formed socket. You can install the eye with a finger, but it's better to use a sharp X-acto knife instead. Some of the gel super glue may ooze if your dab is too large. If you use your finger to install the eye you might become one with the Keitech. Using the X-acto knife will avoid this. Poke the tip of the blade into the center of the eye on an angle, pick up the eye, then press it into the socket. Hold it down tightly for a good 10-15 seconds and you're good.

 

Anyway, I catch fish on Keitechs now. Good Luck.

 

 

 

 

 

[jr231]

Not so sure the eyes made the difference even tho your test results say otherwise. 

 

I think it more has to do with a right place, right time kind of deal. And your improved confidence throwing the bait with the eyes. 

 

Regardless. They look good and you're catching bass. Nice job 

[Bird]

Wow, very nice but can't say I share your ambition.

Keitech easy shiner in 3" is the only soft swimbait I throw and have been dynamite in the clear water I fish.

 

Using these 1/16th heads, I get about 5 fish before they tear, texposed that is.

 

I certainly do see all the soft swimbaits that are available but these simply produce for me.

[PhishLI]

16 minutes ago, Bird said:

can't say I share your ambition.

?. Frustration is the mother of ambition.

16 minutes ago, Bird said:

Using these 1/16th heads,

Can't around here. They'd hit the water, and before I could exhale they'd plow into filamentous algae. Can't throw neds here for the same reason. Gotta stick with baits that have shapes that'll cut through it.

[WRB]

Good tip, thanks for sharing?

Tom

[Deleted account]

I'm not a believer in eyes making a difference most of the time, but if you hold a lighter to either end of some heavy mono, you can make eyes in like 10 seconds, and they stay put once inserted without glue or anything else.

[PhishLI]

56 minutes ago, Deleted account said:

I'm not a believer in eyes making a difference most of the time, but if you hold a lighter to either end of some heavy mono, you can make eyes in like 10 seconds, and they stay put once inserted without glue or anything else.

I’d agree, but only in the sense that painted on or molded in eyes do little to make a difference here at this lake.  I believe that the flash from the shiny foil eyes I’m using, which are size-wise in proportion to the bait, is the difference maker here, especially in low light and at night.  My thought is the subtle reflective flash as a first que is enough to get their attention, but not so much that it turns them off. Underspins get me nowhere at this place. This approach seems to be just right more often then not. Who knows? Perhaps @Yeajray231 is right and it’s simply confidence in action. All I know is that I’m not transmitting any voodoo down the line to eye-less baits, but it’s working with ones having shiny eyes.

[Deleted account]

33 minutes ago, PhishLI said:

I’d agree, but only in the sense that painted on or molded in eyes do little to make a difference here at this lake.  I believe that the flash from the shiny foil eyes I’m using, which are size-wise in proportion to the bait, is the difference maker here, especially in low light and at night.  My thought is the subtle reflective flash as a first que is enough to get their attention, but not so much that it turns them off. Underspins get me nowhere at this place. This approach seems to be just right more often then not. Who knows? Perhaps @Yeajray231 is right and it’s simply confidence in action. All I know is that I’m not transmitting any voodoo down the line to eye-less baits, but it’s working with ones having shiny eyes.

Yes, I can see that, at times a small accent of color or flash can make a significant difference, eyes or not. I can't catch a cold with underspins, not sure why, probably a confidence thing at this point.

[WRB]

The OP took the time and effort to share what is working for him in detail. Don’t look a gift hoarse in the mouth.

Tinkering with bass lures is a big part of bass fishing. When you find something that works you feel extra pride in the modification.

We bass anglers don’t have the what the green fish are thinking or motivates them to strike a lure. We benefit from trail and error of other anglers.

Years ago I was trying to determine if yellow eyes were more affective then red eyes before hologram eyes were available.

I came to the conclusion that yellow eyes caught more bass per man bout them red eyes on shad colored lures. Red eyes out fished yellow eyes on green and brown colored lures.

Today it’s hard to find yellow eyed shad crankbaits but I still catch more bass on them.

Tom

 

[TnRiver46]

On 5/12/2022 at 11:22 AM, Yeajray231 said:

Not so sure the eyes made the difference even tho your test results say otherwise. 

 

I think it more has to do with a right place, right time kind of deal. And your improved confidence throwing the bait with the eyes. 

 

Regardless. They look good and you're catching bass. Nice job 

Dude, thought you vanished 

[casts_by_fly]

On 5/12/2022 at 12:06 PM, PhishLI said:

 

Can't around here. They'd hit the water, and before I could exhale they'd plow into filamentous algae. Can't throw neds here for the same reason. Gotta stick with baits that have shapes that'll cut through it.

same here across the Hudson. This black bottom algae sucks for a lot of stuff. 
 

im thinking about more Tokyo rigs for swim baits with the weight half way up the metal rod to keep it a little higher. 

[PhishLI]

10 hours ago, casts_by_fly said:

same here across the Hudson. This black bottom algae sucks for a lot of stuff. 

I've haven't been out for the past two weeks until this morning. The weeds have exploded and green algae is everywhere, floating snot mats, and also draped on the weeds. Gills are even on beds here already, which is something I haven't seen this early.

 

Anyway, right after ice out there were places where I could, but using anything with a 90 degree line tie is over here now. 

10 hours ago, casts_by_fly said:

im thinking about more Tokyo rigs

I bought parts and made them a few years ago, but not a chance here once we turn green. Just an exercise in frustration,

[CrashVector]

That's a good bait hack!  Thanks for the idea!

[Jig Man]

Super idea.  I think I will try that with a fluke.  Thanks.

[ChrisD46]

Cool hack - however I generally just look for VMC (or similar) swimbait jig heads with eyes in them already . 

[Huckfinn38]

On 5/15/2022 at 9:02 AM, ChrisD46 said:

Cool hack - however I generally just look for VMC (or similar) swimbait jig heads with eyes in them already . 

 

I was going to ask the difference in adding eyes to the bait vs using a jighead with eyes.  I use the Berkely Fusion and it has eyes as well.

[PhishLI]

2 hours ago, Huckfinn38 said:

I was going to ask the difference in adding eyes to the bait vs using a jighead with eyes.  I use the Berkely Fusion and it has eyes as well.

As far as I know the Fusion 19 jig head only allows for an open hook rigging which is a no-go around here beginning about now through January. Our waters are just too weedy. I rig most of my small swim baits on Owner Twist Lock Light 3/32 oz weighted hooks for a weedless presentation. VMC Drop Dead hooks are another long shank weighted hook weedless rigging option.

 

I also rig on jig heads, but they're swinging types that come with offset EWG hooks for weed less rigging. Here are a few I use that come with reflective eyes. I usually pull the skirts from the ECO Pro and SKs for use with paddle tail swimmers, but I leave the skirts on if I rig them with worms or craws.

https://www.reactiontackle.com/products/reaction-tackle-tungsten-swimbait-jig-heads-sexy-shad-1-2-oz-4-per-pack?variant=7570068832292&currency=USD&utm_medium=product_sync&utm_source=google&utm_content=sag_organic&utm_campaign=sag_organic&utm_campaign=gs-2021-04-24&utm_source=google&utm_medium=smart_campaign

 

https://www.strikeking.com/en/shop/jigs--spoons/tour-grade-swinging-swim-jig

 

https://ecoprotungsten.com/products/swing-jig

 

Understand that nose weighting swimmers really changes their swimming action and attitude in the water. Where belly weighted swimmers will ride the contours of weed beds, the nose weighted baits tend to plow in unless fished fast. Sometimes that's the ticket, and other times a slow rolled belly weighted rigged bait is. I'm usually fishing both to find out what's up.

 

Here's one from last summer. Yes it's actually the summer. I wear a thick wool hat to keep the skeeters from welting up my scalp. A buddy and I  pounded this zone thoroughly, which is our habit, but no takers. I tied on an ECO Pro Swing jig head rigged with a 7"BPS power worm knockoff, and it got hit immediately ripping and pausing it through a weed bed. Was it the entire bait? Possibly. Dumb luck? Maybe. Did the flash from the eyes pique their interest? Based on my experience at this place I'd say there's a good chance they did.

[txchaser]

On 5/12/2022 at 5:00 PM, WRB said:

I came to the conclusion that yellow eyes caught more bass per man bout them red eyes on shad colored lures.

I have a shad lake I fish where gold eye heads on the a-rig outfishes red or holo by 2:1.

 

[Tackleholic]

I'm surprised no one mentioned using the eyes which apply like a thumbtack;  available in fly fishing shops and work well on small swimbaits.