The Myfishfinder Bass Fishing Tips Thread

[volume4130]

Tried some of the crankbait/jerkbait tips yesterday and ended up with 3 smallies on the jerk-long pause method.  It was pretty awesome, they smashed the lure when I started to move it again after the pause.

How about bait repair tips??  After I caught my fish, I decided to smash my Rapala Husky Jerk against a tree on a cast and the bill broke off.  The rest of the lure is fine, no holes in it or anything, but it won't dive anymore!! 

Anyone ever repair the bills on a crank bait?  I'd much rather do this than buy another $8 lure, especially since I've only used it 3 times!

[Fat Boy]

That stinks!  I also had that sinking feeling in my gut (and wallet) when that musky took my super rogue

I'll search/ask about repair tips but I don't know of any.  But I was thinking, what about taking a small piece of sheet metal, or plastic maybe, and shape it the same way and attach it to the top of the original plastic lip or what's left of it?  You'd have to cut a hole for the eye though.
 
Can you post a pic of the damage?

[BoutTime]

If you still have the lip, you can superglue it back on.

If not, you can MacGuyver a pen cap to glue on. (one of the cheap flimsy Bic ones) You need to split it up the side so you can lay it kinda flat, an then cut your lip design with scissors. Bend it to fit your needs, although smaller works better with this. Leave yourself a tab or 2 to glue to, or sometimes a stub of the "pocket tab" can be used.

It wont be like new action, but it will be usable again.

[Santo180]

If you still have the lip, you can superglue it back on.

If not, you can MacGuyver a pen cap to glue on. (one of the cheap flimsy Bic ones) You need to split it up the side so you can lay it kinda flat, an then cut your lip design with scissors. Bend it to fit your needs, although smaller works better with this. Leave yourself a tab or 2 to glue to, or sometimes a stub of the "pocket tab" can be used.

It wont be like new action, but it will be usable again.

Sounds like you've done it before

[BoutTime]

Maybe...  LOL

[Fat Boy]

Here is a link to Jann's Netcraft, under their lure making supplies they have crankbait bills:

http://www.jannsnetcraft.com/crankbait-bills-lure-lips/

Barlow's tackle is another good source.

Or, like BoutTime said, some DIY ingenuity could return your Husky Jerk to old form.

[Fat Boy]

I'm always looking to tinker with my lures to make them better.  Here's a cool tip that I found (I haven't tried it yet) where you can make your own clackers to add to your buzzbaits:

http://www.secretweaponlures.com/intel/swtip15.htm

[jibbs]

jann's netcraft for sure

[volume4130]

I was thinking of breaking out the jig saw and doing it DIY , but I didn't know if anyone had any experience with it...I don't really have any weird plastic things laying around that I can cut down, maybe a metal bill...my landlord has a ton of stuff in the basement that I can probably cob job something from...I would buy them, but it looks like they sell them in groups of 10, and I only need 1 so I don't know if its worth it.

Anywho, this is what the damage looks like, I'll have to clean it up a bit before I do anything to it...wish I still had the bill!

[Fat Boy]

Yeah, looks like a DIY would be the ticket along some jig sawin'.  Another options, maybe send the pics to Rapala USA and tell them that you like the fish catching ability of the X-Rap but not it's durability...maybe they'll send ya a new one.

[volume4130]

Good idea Fat Boy...I took your advice and emailed Rapala, haha...they said I should send it back and if its determined that it was a a manufacturer defect, not one cause by wear and tear (ie. me smashing it against a tree) they would warranty it.  Looks like I'll be trying to find something that works...I like the pen cap idea...I'll let you know how it ends up!

I went to Dick's yesterday and they had all Rapala's 20% off and some were on sale on top of that, so I stocked up a little...but it will still be nice to have my damaged one back in the arsenal

[Fat Boy]

Wow, great that Rapala responded, but I would have expected them to replace it no questions asked...the money that they save by denying you a new lure is a drop in the bucket compared to the money they'd lose if they lost you as a customer...

...then again, the amount they make on that is a drop in the bucket compared to a lot of customers.  Still, I think it's pretfy of them to respond that way.  It's not like it's a TV or something

Oh yeah, credit Bout Time with the pen cap idea...my post was right above his.   

[BoutTime]

Got an old spray paint can cap to cut up?

That could work too.

[Fat Boy]

Don't throw away used soft plastic grubs or curl tail worms.  Trim a half inch off and they make good spinnerbait trailers.  Same for spider grubs.

[BoutTime]

Finding replacement spinnerbait skirts in a rural area without a good tackle shop close by is a problem for me. Ebay has been a great resource for me though.

I sometimes customize colors on my spinnerbait skirts by taking ten or so strands from one and add them to another color skirt. Ive got a box full of discarded el-cheapo spinnerbaits, which comes in handy.

This allows you to get the colors you feel are "situational specific", because sometimes you just cant buy the right colors you want.

Another thing I do is look for the skirted jigs that have good colors, and buy them to use the skirts on my spinnerbaits. (I dont use skirted jigs much at all) Jigs are fairly cheap and they usually have sweet color patterns, so this works out good for me.