what are some things you do to tweak a crankbait to get the most out of it?

Replace hooks with Owner Stingers.

Remove the split ring line tie, and use a Duo-Loc.

I have a few super shallow runners that are "off tune" to run right or left for banging dock pilings.

Vary the retrieve-stop it, speed it up, jerk it etc.

If you need to, swap out the hooks for high quality replacements.

Have read about shaving the bill but haven't tried. Too afraid to ruin an expensive bait.

[movedhere] General Bass Fishing Forum [move by] five.bass.limit.

Shaving the lip ( sometimes that killer bait you have doesn 't have a shallow running version  : )

Changing hooks

Removing the split ring

Adding a feathered treble

Heating and bending the lip

Giving it different color accents

Off tuning

Casting into rock walls, shoreline and dock supports

creates random nicks, cuts, splits and chips. Dragging

crankbaits along a rocky bottom is very effective for

paint modification, too!

Otherwise, I don't tweak lures. The Baitmonkey advised me

on this. He said, "You want something different, buy something

different." That made perfect sense to me.

The Baitmonkey advised me

on this. He said, "You want something different, buy something

different." That made perfect sense to me.

Man, that BaitMonkey acts differently on me, he says:

"This bait needs to have it 's bill modified, get 3 or 4 just in case you blow it and it doesn 't get done right at the first attempt. Plus get some of those, they are different, some more of those ones and .... the list goes on ! "  

I'm kinda like RW on this.  If something doesnt run right I will tweek it a bit.  Seems like the ones that work the best have been beat up on rocks and stuff.

Right now I'm in the process of learning how to make my own cranks.  So I guess that is another way I will be tweeking them.  I've got a great mentor. 8-)

Put bigger hooks on them.

You will loose a lot less fish and not compromise the action of your lure too much if you upsize your lures.

For example: Lures with #6 trebles >>> put some #4 Owner Stinger hooks. These hooks have a shorter shank, are sharp and very strong.

You will loose a lot less fish.

If i sit there and tune a bait by tweaking the pull point and i just have a crap bait last resort is to shave the lip. When your doing this you are shaving the side of the lip not the front. sometimes the molded figure 8 on the lip is off or there is to much plastic on one side than the other because the lip wasn't set straight. If the bait is running right shave the right side left shave the left side. make sure you do this in real small amounts and check it how its running each time you shave it some. Sometimes the weight isn't set right and the bait will not center itself which will also put the bait off tune. You fix it by adding weight in the center of the belly and center of the bait. You can use suspend dots or that tungsten sticky weight stuff and it will fix it. Golf shops use sticky lead like suspend strips to balance golf clubs so if you can't find suspend dots try there. If you want a bait to dive deeper you can add weight right under the lip this makes the bait point nose down when it floats on the surface and the lure will dive more like a fat free shad or a DT lure. You can also shave the front of the lip to a knife edge point which will cut the water and help it dive deeper. Another thing i do when i want the lure to dive deeper is to use a worm weight threaded above the lip this helps battle line floatation. Also where you weight the bait changes the action of the lure. Sometimes when i have a lure that is hard to cast because it is light i add a larger treble hook on the back to be able to cast it better. I also change the front splitring to an oval ring. I also sometimes remove the splitring to change the action of the lure particularly with jerkbaits. Where you set the knot changes the action of the lure.

I modify them all the time.  A lot of my cranks have shaped lips, and I've moved the line ties on several H20 baits.  If you are just 'chillin on a Sunday and aren't fishing....grab your crank box and some 220 grit sand paper.  Put the sandpaper on the counter, and run your crank down it until the edge is sharp.  They'll dive deeper and thump harder....

For those who adjust their cranks to suspend, do you use SuspenDots or do you wrap wire or solder around the shank of the belly hook?

I use suspend dots because i don't want to give up any gap on my hook which might not let the hook drive as deep as it would with the wrapped lead. You could also change to a thicker wire larger hook which also adds weight.