Sinkers On Hard Baits

[Texas Hawg Hunter]

Anyone ever put slip sinkers on hard lures to make them more castable like light spinnerbaits or light crankbaits?  This is assuming you don't have a light rod of course.

[HoosierHawgs]

At that point I'd just up the weight of the lure. Some may say, this makes the bait larger, but if you really want a smaller bait, go w/ Savage Fear Finesse Lures, they are smaller than other baits at the same weight class. Terminator spinnerbaits also have smaller heads than other baits of the same weight. I don't see the reason to add weight. If I really want to fish smaller, I'll fish spinning tackle, but I can throw light lures just fine on my casting gear.. I have baitcasters all setup w/dual braking, and set right I can throw lures if any weight quuite far.

[Mike L]

I don't use individual weights placed on the line.

I will wrap the hook shank with lead if I need a little more depth on a suspending jerk bait, or add a little on a floater.

Mike

[Ozark_Basser]

I've thought about that before, but have never tried it.  I have put suspendots under a wiggle wart bill to make it dive deeper though. Sounds like a good idea to use a slip sinker on a finesse spinnerbait if you didn't have a lighter power rod.  Not sure about cranks.  I would just go with suspendots on those, but try it out and post some results.  

[A-Jay]

Storm Suspend dots and suspend strips have been around for a while now.

 

They are specifically designed to add weight to a bait without affecting the action.

 

There is an art to it and it comes with quite a bit of trial & error, but it works well.

 

In fact this is how the first "suspending" jerkbaits came about.

 

http://www.*.com/Storm-SuspenDots-p/storm-suspenddots.htm

 

http://www.*.com/Storm-Suspend-Strips-p/storm-suspendstrips.htm

 

A-Jay

[Sam]

Suspend Dots on the underside.

[Sam]

Or do what some pros do and put solder on the treble hook's shaft.

 

A bullet weight in front of the bill can mess up the action of the crankbait.

[PersicoTrotaVA]

A split shot about 18" to 24" up from the bait.  You don't want a slip sinker.  You want something that stays put.  

[Sam]

Yes!  As Persico says, go with a split shot.

 

If you really want to the crank to go deep you can "peg" a bullet weight up the line about one or two feet from the crankbait.

 

This is known as the "Poor Man's Carolina Rig."

[Bluebasser86]

I use suspend dots but one of these days I'm going to remember to put a bass casting sinker on the front of one of my floating cranks so I can get a slower rise in the cold water. 

[Raul]

To make them more castable most definetaly not, to give them a different behaviour then yes.

[Texas Hawg Hunter]

great comments guys, that gives me a few ideas...have never heard of suspendots but they look like a cool thing to experiment with!

[OntarioFishingGuy]

I use split shot to get Original Floaters deeper when fishing for walleye.