Is there a way to open a crankbait? 2024
fin reply :
I'd like to open a lipless crankbait and remove weight/rattles. Would a heat-gun loosen the glue enough to pry it open?
MN Fisher reply :
The amount of heat needed to loosen the glue would also strip the paint and deform the plastic.
If you really want to remove the rattles...I think drilling an appropriate size hole in the top, shaking out the balls, then sealing with some 2-part epoxy would be the best bet.
Someone correct me if I'm wrong on this.
Realize also that you will totally change the action of the lure.
Vilas15 reply :
On 3/8/2019 at 8:46 AM, MN Fisher said:If you really want to remove the rattles...I think drilling an appropriate size hole in the top, shaking out the balls, then sealing with some 2-part epoxy would be the best bet.
I was going to suggest the same. I'd think superglue would work too. Make sure to set the bait straight and not on its side so the rattles wouldn't end up stuck to one side or the other, you want them in the middle to keep balance right. Maybe try a sacrificial bait and crack or cut it open to see where the rattle chamber is so you know where to drill the hole.
If you want to remove them entirely for a silent and lighter bait, then good luck with that!
fin reply :
I want to see if it's possible to make it float/suspend.
I have some I would be willing to sacrifice for experimentation, but I'm not even sure how to start to crack it open. Maybe cut it apart with a heated Xacto knife? I don't have a dremel.
MN Fisher reply :
A thin kerf modeling saw - try not to use heat on plastic, it'll deform.
https://www.amazon.com/Zona-35-550-TPI-010-Inch-Length-16-Inch/dp/B000BRESQY?source=ps-sl-shoppingads-lpcontext&psc=1
Team9nine reply :
Going to have a hard time removing both, I believe. I've removed the rattles (BBs/shot) which will lighten them up quite a bit. That's pretty easily done by drilling a small hole, usually through the top and then removing the shot and refilling the hole with epoxy. Here's a good view of a Trap
Jigfishn10 reply :
Hey bud, I wrote in your thread in Fishing tackle about suspending lipless crankbait in that you can drill out and remove the ballast (BB's) from the body.
In Team9nine's post above you can see the smaller ballast that are in the cavity between the hook hangers. Drill out in between the 2 hook hangers and remove a couple of ballast. Take the end of a pencil and stick it in the hole and break the pencil. Go test the bait to see if it suspends the way you want it.
If it doesn't suspend, the repeat the process. Remove the pencil tip and remove or add a BB and try again.
Once you get to the point where you like the way it suspends, you can now do a couple of the same type baits removing the same exact number of BB's. Meaning, if your suspending a Red Eye Shad then modify Red Eye Shads.
Sharpen your pencil and stick it in the hole of every bait you drilled, sharpening each time you plug a bait.
Now to waterproof, take nail polish and cover the pencil plug at least twice.
Done
Oh BTW, if you use a red nail polish to cover the pencil plug, the bass hate it...Just saying
Good luck and PM if you have questions.
OCdockskipper reply :
I have found the best way to open a crankbait is to misjudge your casting distance and accidentally bounce if off a stone retaining wall. Opens them up nice & neat...
smalljaw67 reply :
Why not simply buy one? Rat-L-Trap makes a floating version and I know there are baits out there with no rattles as well.
fin reply :
On 3/8/2019 at 10:55 AM, Jigfishn10 said:Hey bud, I wrote in your thread in Fishing tackle about suspending lipless crankbait in that you can drill out and remove the ballast (BB's) from the body.
In Team9nine's post above you can see the smaller ballast that are in the cavity between the hook hangers. Drill out in between the 2 hook hangers and remove a couple of ballast. Take the end of a pencil and stick it in the hole and break the pencil. Go test the bait to see if it suspends the way you want it.
You gave me the idea in the first place, but drilling sounded iffy, so I thought it was worth a try to ask about opening. After seeing the picture that Team9nine posted, I can see drilling would be easier.
It sounds like you have done something like this before. You think removing just rattles is enough? I would think at least one of the lead weights would need to come out.
Any idea what size those lead weights are? Would a 1/8" bit be about right? I think I have some small dowel I could use instead of a pencil.
On 3/8/2019 at 6:58 PM, smalljaw67 said:Why not simply buy one? Rat-L-Trap makes a floating version and I know there are baits out there with no rattles as well.
Pfft. Too easy. If I pull this off and catch fish with it, I'll be on cloud 9.
Jigfishn10 reply :
On 3/8/2019 at 8:00 PM, fin said:You gave me the idea in the first place, but drilling sounded iffy, so I thought it was worth a try to ask about opening. After seeing the picture that Team9nine posted, I can see drilling would be easier.
It sounds like you have done something like this before. You think removing just rattles is enough? I would think at least one of the lead weights would need to come out.
Any idea what size those lead weights are? Would a 1/8" bit be about right? I think I have some small dowel I could use instead of a pencil.
Pfft. Too easy. If I pull this off and catch fish with it, I'll be on cloud 9.
Wow somebody actually reads my posts? 
I have done this. Sacrificing an old bait to see what makes them tick is just the curious OCD in me. Experimentation is how you learn not just on the current project but it usually has carry over to others.
So my post gives you the basics of how the bait works and what you can do with it. You're question about the weight in the head is a valid one. A bit of caution here and the reason I kept my post somewhat vague. No 2 lipless crankbaits are the same. Some will have more weight in the head like the one Team9nine posted (looks like a rattle trap) and some will distribute the weight from head to body. You can tell this by the way the bait sinks. It could be a head down sink or a horizontal sink or anything in between. Some use steel balls for weight and some don't. A few years ago I bought some lipless crankbait bodies from Janns Netcraft because they had a pumpkinseed pattern that should be illegal in my waters. I have more fun with that bait than any other in recent memory. I also got an unpainted version cuz I wanted to paint it a color that wasn't available. The reason why I bring this up is because the unpainted version I could see thru it and it uses lead or steel to fill the cavity in the head section. So if I wanted to take weight out I would have to drill out the lead or steel. I didn't do this cuz I'm having way too much success without modification.
Th suspending lipless I did was on a Cordell Spot. Cordell Spots are a little lighter than the Lewis Traps - BTW, the spot in red craw is killer in spring - It also has a head down attitude but not as much as a Trap IMO. The reason for the Spot being the sacrificial lamb was, well, it was a cheaper bait to experiment on.
I also took a spot and cut it in half length wise and made a master mold so I can pour plastic resin and make my own...That was fun.
Back on Topic. So depending on what your particular bait you're gonna use to experiment on, start with taking out the BB's in the belly section before going after the weight in the head. Once you get the hang of the process anything is possible. Some ideas: You change the steel BB's and put in plastic ones and get a totally different rattle or install a larger ball and make it a one knocker. You can switch smaller BB's for a larger one and get more of a horizontal fall. Just try and experiment. If it sux it sux. Go back to the bench and try something else.
Another couple of words of caution/advice you need to know. The suspending lipless crank that worked in 50* water may not work in warmer water as the season progresses. Work on a 1/2 oz lipless, the bigger and wider the lipless crank is the easier to suspend. Remember you are taking weight out, a smaller bait may leave you with something that won't cast to your liking.
Last one: If you get really good at this suspending gig, here's a hack to try. Once you get the bait suspended like you want it, select a drill bit about the diameter of one of the bb's you removed and drill the side of your bait, one side only. Go really slow, you don't want to drill thru the plastic, you want to leave an indent. Now glue the BB to the side of the bait, color if you want, but don't use red...go fishing. The lure will track straight until you stop. When you stop it will suspend and slowly turn on it's side. Catch you PB then run like H3LL, they'll be a warrant out for your arrest.
Good luck
A-Jay reply :
On 3/8/2019 at 9:49 PM, Jigfishn10 said:Wow somebody actually reads my posts?
Last one: If you get really good at this suspending gig, here's a hack to try. Once you get the bait suspended like you want it, select a drill bit about the diameter of one of the bb's you removed and drill the side of your bait, one side only. Go really slow, you don't want to drill thru the plastic, you want to leave an indent. Now glue the BB to the side of the bait, color if you want, but don't use red...go fishing. The lure will track straight until you stop. When you stop it will suspend and slowly turn on it's side. Catch you PB then run like H3LL, they'll be a warrant out for your arrest.
Good luck
2
I Like That one ~
You've Very Tricky . . .
Wonder if hanging a couple of sus-pend dots on one side would do the same thing ?
btw - I'm the other guy that reads your posts.
A-Jay
Jigfishn10 reply :
On 3/8/2019 at 10:21 PM, A-Jay said:I Like That one ~
You've Very Tricky . . .
Wonder if hanging a couple of sus-pend dots on one side would do the same thing ?
btw - I'm the other guy that reads your posts.
A-Jay
You're also the reason why IT won't give me a new keyboard, I just spit coffee on this one. Not too bad, no cream or sugar in my coffee so not sticky.
Honestly, I appreciate that.
Yeah A-Jay, you just need enough weight to pull it out of balance, no need to overload here.
Years ago, not sure how long, my son is 14 and it was before him, I carved a lipless crank and added weight and purposely installed a smaller one just off to one side. First cast was instant feed back. Three cranks and let it sit. Bass hit with all the subtlety of a run away train. The bait was about 3' of water and I got to watch the whole thing. Really cool actually.
The next cast I hung it in a tree...
...My father is like; "You're just not lucky are you?" ...
OCdockskipper reply :
How would a suspending lipless crankbait get to a depth in order to suspend? Jerkbaits have a lip that gets them to the depth, while regular lipless crankbaits sink in order to get to certain depths. Unless it is actually just a slow sinking lipless, I would imagine a suspending version would never get more than a few inches under the surface of the water.
fin reply :
On 3/9/2019 at 1:22 AM, OCdockskipper said:How would a suspending lipless crankbait get to a depth in order to suspend? Jerkbaits have a lip that gets them to the depth, while regular lipless crankbaits sink in order to get to certain depths. Unless it is actually just a slow sinking lipless, I would imagine a suspending version would never get more than a few inches under the surface of the water.
In the other thread I started about this, and in an older thread, it’s explained that the flat surface on top of the head serves as the lip that forces it deeper. Retrieving faster makes it go deeper to a certain point.
https://www.bassresource.com/bass-fishing-forums/topic/213988-suspending-lipless-crank-baits/
Jigfishn10 reply :
On 3/9/2019 at 1:22 AM, OCdockskipper said:How would a suspending lipless crankbait get to a depth in order to suspend? Jerkbaits have a lip that gets them to the depth, while regular lipless crankbaits sink in order to get to certain depths. Unless it is actually just a slow sinking lipless, I would imagine a suspending version would never get more than a few inches under the surface of the water.
Water temps would certainly affect depth of a suspending bait. Above the nose of the bait is the flat part that makes it dive as well.
Vilas15 reply :
On 3/9/2019 at 1:50 AM, fin said:In the other thread I started about this, and in an older thread, it’s explained that the flat surface on top of the head serves as the lip that forces it deeper. Retrieving faster makes it go deeper to a certain point.
https://www.bassresource.com/bass-fishing-forums/topic/213988-suspending-lipless-crank-baits/
I think as long as the line tie isn't centered in the middle of the back it would be able to dive. It's about where is the force pulling it located vs. where is the force of the water resisting. The lure dives until it reaches equilibrium and the angle of the line is just right where the upward force (line) equals the downward force (water pressure on the bill or flat surface as you pull it). Buoyancy/weight can fall in either category depending if it floats or sinks.
WRB reply :
Buy floating Rat L Trap! Easier to add suspend dots to suspend it.
Plastic lures are usually ultra sonic welded together, not glued.
Tom
Jigfishn10 reply :
I guess it sounds easier to install suspends dots on a floating crank, but now your experimenting with not just how many to install but where to install. By removing ballast you don't need to figure out how the bait is going to sit in suspension.
Can be done no doubt, not disputing that.
Munkin reply :
On 3/8/2019 at 6:58 PM, smalljaw67 said:Why not simply buy one? Rat-L-Trap makes a floating version and I know there are baits out there with no rattles as well.
While I love to tinker with baits this is the best suggestion. If you then need the bait to suspend they make those as well or add suspend dots to the floater.
Allen
fin reply :
On 3/9/2019 at 7:54 AM, Munkin said:
While I love to tinker with baits this is the best suggestion. If you then need the bait to suspend they make those as well or add suspend dots to the floater.
Allen
I have to say, I'm a little disappointed in you, Allen. You're not the tinkerer I thought you were. Seriously though, I may end up going that route. The weather is starting to improve.
On 3/8/2019 at 9:49 PM, Jigfishn10 said:No 2 lipless crankbaits are the same.
You're not kidding. I dug through my pile of junk lures and found these to practice on. Looks like I have a floater in the back there. The SK's sink like rocks and lay on their sides. The Cordell and Traps sit nose down on the bottom.
I can hold the floater up to the light and see it's only got one weight in the front instead of 3 like Team9nine posted. I can see through one of the SK's too, and it has two separate chambers of BBs, one in the tail and one mid top, and it has two separate weights, one on either side of the front hook. I've got a bunch of junk SK's, but they look like they'd be tough to modify.
Jigfishn10 reply :
Good luck @fin, I hope I answered your opening post. I'm done here.
islandbass reply :
On 3/8/2019 at 10:55 AM, Jigfishn10 said:Hey bud, I wrote in your thread in Fishing tackle about suspending lipless crankbait in that you can drill out and remove the ballast (BB's) from the body.
In Team9nine's post above you can see the smaller ballast that are in the cavity between the hook hangers. Drill out in between the 2 hook hangers and remove a couple of ballast. Take the end of a pencil and stick it in the hole and break the pencil. Go test the bait to see if it suspends the way you want it.
If it doesn't suspend, the repeat the process. Remove the pencil tip and remove or add a BB and try again.
Once you get to the point where you like the way it suspends, you can now do a couple of the same type baits removing the same exact number of BB's. Meaning, if your suspending a Red Eye Shad then modify Red Eye Shads.
Sharpen your pencil and stick it in the hole of every bait you drilled, sharpening each time you plug a bait.
Now to waterproof, take nail polish and cover the pencil plug at least twice.
Done
Oh BTW, if you use a red nail polish to cover the pencil plug, the bass hate it...Just saying
Good luck and PM if you have questions.
I like that thought process! I would have come up with something similar for sure if I wanted to pursue this.
Just to make things easier, do you think a smaller strip of tape to cover the hole might be sufficient for testing the buoyancy for whether the bait will suspend?
I used an old cd holder cover as my test tank, lol, but any deep enough clear container will do.
Sam reply :
On 3/8/2019 at 8:46 AM, MN Fisher said:The amount of heat needed to loosen the glue would also strip the paint and deform the plastic.
If you really want to remove the rattles...I think drilling an appropriate size hole in the top, shaking out the balls, then sealing with some 2-part epoxy would be the best bet.
Someone correct me if I'm wrong on this.
Realize also that you will totally change the action of the lure.
You are correct.
Pros do this to some topwaters by removing the small BBs and using one larger ball.
But they ain't talking!
Jigfishn10 reply :
For sure @islandbass, 100%. Anything to keep the water out while testing the performance. Anything I wrote was meant as a guide and not hard and fast rules.
I've been in construction all of my adult life and have way of doing things but I also adjust if I see or hear someone doing something better and faster. I always go back to the basics or what I know works and can adjust from there.
I always encourage people to do the same.
I hope this helps.
islandbass reply :
Thanks, Jigfishn10. I think the same way, but I sure could have used your help when my wife said, “It sure would be nice if we had (over the years): ”
1) hardwood floor in the living room
2 tile in the kitchen and bathrooms
3) a wooden fence around the house
4) new lights (chandelier style) in the stairwell and foyer
and the honey do list goes on, lol.
I told her she needs to stop watching that home improvement channel. I didn’t know how to do any of these things but followed your systematic approach and sought advice when needed when I didn’t know or to see off my plan was in the right direction.
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