Is tuning a crankbait a thing of the past?

[Cam Steele]

Hey guys, I have a quick question regarding tuning crankbaits. Is tuning a crankbait, as prevalent as it once was, 10 years ago? I've fishing a lot of crankbaits recently over the past few years and I can't say that i've ever had a crankbait come out of the box out of tune, or have had a crankbait go out of tune while I was fishing it. For brands, I use Rapala and 6th sense, which I suppose are upper echelon lures. Present day, are crankbait manufactures getting better at tuning their crankbaits and keeping them in tune? I would love to get some insight on this.

Thanks guys,

Cam  

[Josh Smith]

You'll still need to tune them eventually. They may be better out the box these days, but they lose tune if I fish rocks and such.

Josh

 

 

[Bluebasser86]

Had a jerkbait bounce off the rocks last week that hit nose first and almost bent the tie flat against the baits face. Took a while to get it running straight again.

Still get one out of the box that's out of tune occasionally. 

[Raul]

I´ve been purchasing crankbaits for 4+ decades and never I´ve needed to tune a bait out of the box, I´ve needed to tune baits after fishing with them sometimes because it went out of tune after catching a or several fish, other times after banging the bait against wood or rocks. So tuning cranks is not a thing of the past.

[Cam Steele]

How often would you guys suggest that I check the tuning of my crankbait? Every hour or so? 

[Josh Smith]

If it's not running true you'll notice it. Just watch it run back as you retrieve and you'll be able to tell easily if it's running to the side.

How often would you guys suggest that I check the tuning of my crankbait? Every hour or so?

[ww2farmer]

In the last 10 years I can count on one hand the number of crankbaits I have had to tune. I mainly use SK, Storm, and other assorted sub $10 baits.

[papajoe222]

Out of the box, I rarely find a bait anymore that needs tuning and when I do, it's likely a wooden bait.  I do, however, intentionally tune cranks to run to the right or left. It's a great way to get a crank to run under a dock and then deflect off of one or more supports. If I know I'll be fishing a lot of docks with cranks, I'll rig two rods with opposite running baits.   It also works great for standing timber.  I keep a 'tuner' hanging around my neck whenever I fish crankshttp://www.basspro.com/Bass-Pro-Shops-Tuning-Tool-Key/product/52284/.

[flyfisher]

I know i had one SK crank that i couldn't get to run straight no matter what so it got thrown in the never to use bin.  All others i rarely have to tune but i have learned that it doesn't take much to change the way they run.

[junyer357]

14 hours ago, papajoe222 said:

Out of the box, I rarely find a bait anymore that needs tuning and when I do, it's likely a wooden bait.  I do, however, intentionally tune cranks to run to the right or left. It's a great way to get a crank to run under a dock and then deflect off of one or more supports. If I know I'll be fishing a lot of docks with cranks, I'll rig two rods with opposite running baits.   It also works great for standing timber.  I keep a 'tuner' hanging around my neck whenever I fish crankshttp://www.basspro.com/Bass-Pro-Shops-Tuning-Tool-Key/product/52284/.

Ive also had good luck around bridge columns and other verticle structure by tuning it to run to one side rather than straight,  and actually run into the columns. Had a lot of bass nail it after it bounces off the column. Seems to be more eddective on square structure over round. 

[Raul]

17 hours ago, Cam Steele said:

How often would you guys suggest that I check the tuning of my crankbait? Every hour or so? 

It doesn´t work that way pal, you will notice you need to tune when the bait no longer runs true.

[WRB]

You pay for better quality control, design and hardware like hooks split rings. If the deep diving crankbaits run OK and catch bass out of the box why fool with it?

The truth is deep divers are on the ragged edge of not running straight or true and if you change hook sizes split rings some adjustment is usually needed. For example KVD says he always changes his crankbait hooks, tunes them and field test how they catch bass, if they don't catch bass he doesn't use them. KVD knows what to look for, most of us are happy with a straight running crankbait.

When I find a crankbait that is a fish catcher it's earned a place in my box and most of these are over 10 years old like DD14, DD22, Bomber 7A etc.

Tom

 

[fishballer06]

I still tune my baits, especially after they get knocked around on rocks, wood, bridge pillings, etc. Most of my baits are Rapala/Storm, Spro, and Lucky Craft. Very, very seldom do I need to tune one from the factory. If I do, it's usually very minor. 

 

I think the reason it's like this these days is because a lot of manufacturers test their baits at the factory prior to packing them up. 

[tbone1993]

It doesn't happen much and you're less likely to find them when you buy them one at a time. That being said I once bought DSG out of a certain model of diving crankbait in one color and two of them ran sideways out of the box. IDK if they were produced at the same time or what but it was pretty weird. Like @papajoe222 I will occasionally tune baits to run a certain direction,usually buzzbaits to get them to run under a dock and smack into pylons. 

[Deleted account]

Is tuning a crankbait a thing of the past?

Not as long as Norman is still in business...

 

 

[Glenn]

Eventually they get out of whack from banging them on things.  And sometimes, I do it deliberately.  I explain it here: