Favorite Wake Bait ?

[deaknh03]

Do any of these smaller wake baits truly "wake" at any speed? All the ones I try go subsurface a foot or less

Although big the SK wake shad is the best for me. Always stays on top and calls fish up. I also prefer a jointed for a wake bait.

check out the Jackall cherry 0 footer for burning and the jackall mikey jr for a jointed one.

[Primus]

They aren't super small but I like the old XCalibur wake baits and the LC RC wake baits.

 

Those are my 2 favorites .

[ChrisD46]

Any comments on the Strike King Pro Model  1XS Shallow Crank ? ... Looks like it might be comparable to the Bandit Footloose but is a little heavier at 3/8oz.

[Mswen]

I just got on here to ask this same question.  I need a few wake baits.  Has anyone tried a Bass Pro crank called 'The Egg?'  It's a fat, strange looking bait that seems like it might just work.  Out of 92 customer reviews, only 2 gave it less than 4 stars (out of 5).  There are two sizes, the smaller might fit the 'small' category at 2", but a bit heavy at 7/16 oz., while the 2 1/2", 3/4 oz. version probably doesn't.  One of the appeals for me is that it seems large enough to keep panfish away.  I don't mind crappies or large bluegills, but at some of the lakes I fish, the smaller bream pecking can be a constant irritation. 

[Primus]

The Egg is a legit bait, I like the bigger size. I change out the hooks to the # 2 Mustad kvd short shank. It will probably wake if you fish it real slow but  it tends to run a few inches below the surface on a faster retrieve. 

[ChrisD46]

As far as keeping a wake crank bait more on the surface - research indicates a thicker diameter mono (12lb ~ 15lb) and a high rod tip angle of 10:00 - 11:00 o'clock work best .

[Maico1]

One more to consider.....http://rossocorsa-fishing.jp/line-up-english/calappa.php

[ChrisD46]

One more to consider.....http://rossocorsa-fishing.jp/line-up-english/calappa.php

That thing is sick looking !

[Mswen]

Where can I get one of those?  If you click around, there is also also a micro version (8.5g- 45 mm), and some of their other lures look pretty cool too.  A word of warning though, they have this cheesy R&B song -"Hate How Much I Love You" as the soundtrack to most of the videos. 

[mudkart]

http://www.thetacklehut.com/products.detail.asp?ID=201

[ChrisD46]

Anybody have experience with : Bomber Shallow A Squarebill or a Norman Wake N ? ... These two wake cranks are offered at a reasonable price - just curious how they perform ?

[FrogFreak]

How about the old Jitterbug?

[ChrisD46]

Old school - still have black one for night fishing I have not used in a while ...The cadence was more of a reel slowly for three feet and stop , then repeat .

While no absolutes - most wake baits are a slow , steady retrieve .

[OkobojiEagle]

 most wake baits are a slow , steady retrieve .

 

Why?

 

 

oe

[IAY]

Why?

 

 

oe

The lip cause it to dive if you cast it too far and retrieve too fast. You don't necessarily have to make it steady though.

[deaknh03]

Ima Roumba. Close the thread.

[OkobojiEagle]

You don't necessarily have to make it steady though.

 

My point.

 

 

oe

[Mswen]

How about the old Jitterbug?

The jitterbug is still a great lure.  But I consider that a topwater.  From what I understand, a true "wake bait" should run just under the surface, causing a bulge and leaving a V, or wake.  For my purposes, a super shallow crankbait will do, because I often fish very shallow flats that are thick with moss.  If you go too deep, you get moss.  Plastics may work, or they may gather moss, cover less water, and get pecked apart by bluegills.  I use a jitterbug a lot in these situations, but if the fish aren't willing to hit topwater, options are limited. 

[ChrisD46]

A couple of points : The Ima Roumba is in the top 5% of wake crankbaits - but at a hefty $16.00 ea. it is beyond my budget to stock up on a few basic colors . Next , check out the Ima Roumba site at TW and read the retrieve suggestion - while I previously said there are no absolutes , research elsewhere suggests majority of the pros are reeling wake baits slow and steady the majority of the time so I believe that is not a bad place to start .

[Master Bait'r]

CL8 mouse

I hate to say it but the wiggle wog has produced a ton for me as well. It's very fun to work through weeds, it makes a huge racket and big fish go nuts.

Really REALLY want a Bettencourt jointed squarebill rodent too- the action on those is crazy.

[slimshad]

Just got back from Bass Pro with four Arashi wake baits.  Have a tourny on the Ohio river and I found a place they are eating shad on the surface.  I have never used a wake bait.  I will report monday!

[Mswen]

What about modifying a bait to make it either wake, or wake better? You know how people will scrape part of the lip off on poppers to make them skitter more?  I was wondering if it would be possible to cut or file down the lip on a wake bait or shallow diver to change the action, and make it run shallower?  But before I go and ruin a crankbait, even a cheap one, I wanted to see if anyone else has tried anything like this, and what the results were?  I have a crankbait that I'm willing to sacrifice that has one of the "L" or "stair-step style" lips (if anyone knows a better name, let me know) like on the shallow shad rap, and the super shad rap.  I was thinking that might work better than a regular straight lip, if I just filed off the horizontal part, and then shaped it until I got the correct action.  Thoughts?

 

Also, this may be smaller than you want, but Rebel makes a Teeny Wake-R that is 1 1/2" and 5/32 oz.  I haven't used it, but I've caught a lot of fish on the Teeny Crank, including some pretty nice bass, especially in the brown and white color.

[TorqueConverter]

What about modifying a bait to make it either wake, or wake better? You know how people will scrape part of the lip off on poppers to make them skitter more?  I was wondering if it would be possible to cut or file down the lip on a wake bait or shallow diver to change the action, and make it run shallower?  But before I go and ruin a crankbait, even a cheap one, I wanted to see if anyone else has tried anything like this, and what the results were?  I have a crankbait that I'm willing to sacrifice that has one of the "L" or "stair-step style" lips (if anyone knows a better name, let me know) like on the shallow shad rap, and the super shad rap.  I was thinking that might work better than a regular straight lip, if I just filed off the horizontal part, and then shaped it until I got the correct action.  Thoughts?

 

Also, this may be smaller than you want, but Rebel makes a Teeny Wake-R that is 1 1/2" and 5/32 oz.  I haven't used it, but I've caught a lot of fish on the Teeny Crank, including some pretty nice bass, especially in the brown and white color.

 

If the line tie is on the bill of the crank, then trimming or even changing the shape will most likely ruin the bait to the point where it won't run.  If the line tie is on the nose if the bait, then yes you can play around with shortening and shaping the bill of the crank.

 

There have been some instances where people have been able to successfully modify the bill of a crankbait with a line tie on bill.  Some of custom crankbait builders are known to shave a tiny bit off of bill to make the bait unstable and hunt.  Some pro used to reshape the bills on the bomber fat free shads to get a tighter action.  

[Mswen]

Thanks, that was really helpful.  A couple pages back is a link to a Japanese company, Rosso Corsa, that makes a lure called the Vodka, where the lip can be popped out and turned around.  One side is flat, the other is slightly rounded.  It's an interesting concept, but the lure is $20, and I need some reassurance that the lip won't fall out after 3 fish.

[TorqueConverter]

Thanks, that was really helpful.  A couple pages back is a link to a Japanese company, Rosso Corsa, that makes a lure called the Vodka, where the lip can be popped out and turned around.  One side is flat, the other is slightly rounded.  It's an interesting concept, but the lure is $20, and I need some reassurance that the lip won't fall out after 3 fish.

 

Here's a link to that Fat Free Shad modification I was talking about, if you're interested.

 

http://bassmadness.blogspot.com/2009/01/shavin-crankbait-lips.html