Smithwick Rogue Problems

[Lip 'em!]

I usually fish husky jerks and x-raps but this weekend i thought i would give the rogue a try. I usually quickly reel suspending jerkbaits down to their max depth then let them sit a while before giving it a jerk. But when i tried to reel the rogue down quickly, it would dive but then pop back up to the surface a few seconds later. I was fishing it on mono cause i have had better hook ups even though i know it wont run as deep. Has anyone else had this happen and know what it could be? Sorry might be a stupid question but im new to the rogues.

[ww2farmer]

You probably have a floating model.

[roadwarrior]

You probably have a floating model.

 

Definitely

 

 

 

[Lip 'em!]

At first that was what i thought too, but on the lip it says suspending. I just re read my post and realized i wasnt clear enough. It would rise back to the surface while i was still reeling. Not rise after i had stopped reeling.

[Teal]

I realize you say that it says suspending. But obvioisly, its not suspending. If it has dencent action, id mark it, and save it for the later in the spring and use it then.

[Ratherbfishing]

Sounds to me like you might be reeling too fast. Or perhaps the line is too heavy.

[J Francho]

Water may be too cold for it to truly suspend. Replace the front hook with a 3X treble, and/or add some suspend strips.

[Stingray23]

how heavy is your line?

[Blue Streak]

If it is doing that while you are reeling it may need tuned. Could be running off to the side and twisting over on a fast retreive

[papajoe222]

If it's a suspending Rogue, it'll have red eyes. The floater has yellow ones.  The other thing that may be happening is that the bait is so out of tune, it flips on it's side and won't dive.  Check to make sure it's running true and don't attempt to burn it down to running depth. Too quick of a retrieve could also be causing it to turn on it's side.

[Lip 'em!]

If it's a suspending Rogue, it'll have red eyes. The floater has yellow ones.  The other thing that may be happening is that the bait is so out of tune, it flips on it's side and won't dive.  Check to make sure it's running true and don't attempt to burn it down to running depth. Too quick of a retrieve could also be causing it to turn on it's side.

I was using 12lb suffix mono.

I just checked and it unfortunately has yellow eyes. Guess I got an accidental cross-bred one since the lip says suspending. lol

And now that I think about it, it was running slightly out of tune but not bad, and was tilted on its side when it surfaced. I also was burning it down at a pretty good pace, but I do the same with the rapalas and dont have this issue.

Decided to experiment just to see what would happen so I filled up the sink in the garage and got all my jerkbaits out and tested them. I even checked the water temperature to make sure it was around 45 degrees like the lake was. This very same rogue suspended like a champ...better than the x-raps actually, which slowly rose to the surface.

So after all of this, what do yall think the final verdict is? Am i using the wrong line, did I get a mismarked bait, is it out of tune, or am I reeling too fast?

[mcipinkie]

I find that the Smithwicks suspend the best if the hooks are changed.  I put a #4 on the front and the back, and a #6 in the middle.  Sometimes that's not enough and some Suspend Strip is required.

 

Water temps vary what jerk baits do.  What works in the sink may not work in the lake.  Our water here in Missouri is in the upper 30's.  I've got lures tuned for that temp.  In two weeks or so when the water is in the upper 40's, may have to redo.  I use fluoro on jerk baits, but you can weight to use mono if you want.

 

Rogues are easy to tune, the way the eye sticks out.  Bend it gently until lure runs correctly.

[Blue Streak]

I would say out of tune and reeling too fast. It is not hard to tune most of them and usually doesn't take long.

[tylerwyp]

I too just purchased some of the suspending version. I havent had a chance to fish them so dont know if they truly suspend or not. I noticed the reply about the eyes. One of mine has yellow yes and one has red. If it matters i bought the cabelas exclusive colors

[tylerwyp]

I too just purchased some of the suspending version. I havent had a chance to fish them so dont know if they truly suspend or not. I noticed the reply about the eyes. One of mine has yellow yes and one has red. If it matters i bought the cabelas exclusive colors

http://www.cabelas.com/product/Smithwick-G-Finish-Suspending-Rattlin-Rogue/1415056.uts?destination=%2Fcatalog%2Fproduct.jsp%3FproductId%3D1368654&WTz_l=RI%3BIK-133543

Here is the link to them. I found it puzzling how on the website some colors have yellow eyes and some have red

[rockchalk06]

Water may be too cold for it to truly suspend. Replace the front hook with a 3X treble, and/or add some suspend strips.

Fill the sink up with cold water and add ice. Then see if it suspends. Try the above method. I have 8 of them and a few, I had to add a split ring or larger hook to make them truly suspend.

[J Francho]

If it's a suspending Rogue, it'll have red eyes. The floater has yellow ones.  The other thing that may be happening is that the bait is so out of tune, it flips on it's side and won't dive.  Check to make sure it's running true and don't attempt to burn it down to running depth. Too quick of a retrieve could also be causing it to turn on it's side.

 

The Limited and Super Rogue series have red eyes.  Standard floating and suspending Rogues have yellow eyes.

 

http://www.lurenet.com/brands/smithwick-lures

[J Francho]

Fill the sink up with cold water and add ice. Then see if it suspends. Try the above method. I have 8 of them and a few, I had to add a split ring or larger hook to make them truly suspend.

 

Tuning is best done on the water at the time you'll be using them.

[rockchalk06]

Tuning is best done on the water at the time you'll be using them.

I've found no difference

[J Francho]

A bait that suspends perfectly at 50* will slowly sink in 65* water.  If you want it to suspend perfectly, then you want to do it on the water that day.

[Blue Streak]

You really need to tune a bait to get it to run straight  on the water just as if you were fishing it.  Check all of the hook hangers to make sure they are straight and then start bending the line tie in the opposite direction it runs to. A little patience and you will correct your problem

[Lip 'em!]

Thanks guys. Next time out I will try to tune it and see if that solves the problem!

[Deleted account]

Needs tuning and slower reeling (I use 2 splitrings on the nose). Rogues often need to be ballasted too. Much like Norman crankbaits, I have a love/hate relationship with rogues. They can be a pain, but when you get one that's right, there are few better baits in really cold water.

[PABASS]

I usually fish husky jerks and x-raps but this weekend i thought i would give the rogue a try. I usually quickly reel suspending jerkbaits down to their max depth then let them sit a while before giving it a jerk. But when i tried to reel the rogue down quickly, it would dive but then pop back up to the surface a few seconds later. I was fishing it on mono cause i have had better hook ups even though i know it wont run as deep. Has anyone else had this happen and know what it could be? Sorry might be a stupid question but im new to the rogues.

Funny you mention this, I haven't used this bait since I found it stuck in a tree 15 years ago, replaced the hooks on it last year and used it this weekend when I reeled fast it would act like a topwater bait, I recently purchased a new one and tried it with the same results.  If you reel these lures too fast they will rise up, also both of my baits suspended better then a new husky jerk..  Reel down slow and jerk they will stay at depth.

[Lip 'em!]

Funny you mention this, I haven't used this bait since I found it stuck in a tree 15 years ago, replaced the hooks on it last year and used it this weekend when I reeled fast it would act like a topwater bait, I recently purchased a new one and tried it with the same results. If you reel these lures too fast they will rise up, also both of my baits suspended better then a new husky jerk.. Reel down slow and jerk they will stay at depth.

Yes thats exactly what mine was doing. Good to see im not the only one. Lol

This weekend i will try reeling it slower or even jerking it down and see if that helps. If not i will try tuning it.