Sinking Jerkbaits That Float

[PotatoLake]

I cracked open my new Berkley Stunna this weekend all pumped for some cold water jerkbaiting. As you know the Stunna is a sinking style jerkbait, I threw it out cranked it down, started working it a bit, let it sit, then I looked in the water not expecting to see the lure rising to the top of the water column. I figured I must have done something wrong, went through the same process, same result.

Here's the description from Berkley: "Slow things down and anglers will be delighted with a natural slow sink on the pause to entice even the most lethargic fish into lashing out at your bait."

So, questions, am I overlooking something I'm doing wrong or my particular lure or is just one out of the million they made that floats? I guess I'm going to have to put suspend dots on it, or upsize the hooks.

[MN Fisher]

Cold water is denser - I'm thinking Berkley set the sink for moderate temp waters, so yes, it'll float in cold water.

[PotatoLake]

15 minutes ago, MN Fisher said:

Cold water is denser - I'm thinking Berkley set the sink for moderate temp waters, so yes, it'll float in cold water.

I did end up putting on a different brand that's labeled suspending and it suspended, so who knows. My original plan was that it being a sinker, it would suspend instead of sinking, not float. Oh well, not a huge issue. Nothing a suspend dot cant fix.

[PressuredFishing]

35 minutes ago, PotatoLake said:

I cracked open my new Berkley Stunna this weekend all pumped for some cold water jerkbaiting. As you know the Stunna is a sinking style jerkbait, I threw it out cranked it down, started working it a bit, let it sit, then I looked in the water not expecting to see the lure rising to the top of the water column. I figured I must have done something wrong, went through the same process, same result.

Here's the description from Berkley: "Slow things down and anglers will be delighted with a natural slow sink on the pause to entice even the most lethargic fish into lashing out at your bait."

So, questions, am I overlooking something I'm doing wrong or my particular lure or is just one out of the million they made that floats? I guess I'm going to have to put suspend dots on it, or upsize the hooks.

Maybe a defect maybe temp maybe line size or type I'm not sure but when they act up I wrap lead wire around the shank of the  hooks and go out into the pool to fine tune them like a megabass vision 110. 

[PotatoLake]

3 minutes ago, PressuredFishing said:

Maybe a defect maybe temp maybe line size or type I'm not sure but when they act up I wrap lead wire around the shank of the  hooks and go out into the pool to fine tune them like a megabass vision 110. 

That's a good idea! I'm going to have to try that.
I was using 10lb Invisx, water temp was 50, so not crazy cold too. So yeah, who knows, I've read really good reviews on them, but I take those reviews with a grain of salt these days. Again, thanks for that idea. I'm always weary of changing the look of the bait with those dots/strips. Especially lures that they sit there and inspect before committing.

[PressuredFishing]

1 minute ago, PotatoLake said:

That's a good idea! I'm going to have to try that.
I was using 10lb Invisx, water temp was 50, so not crazy cold too. So yeah, who knows, I've read really good reviews on them, but I take those reviews with a grain of salt these days. Again, thanks for that idea. I'm always weary of changing the look of the bait with those dots/strips. Especially lures that they sit there and inspect before committing.

To cover up the lead wire you can go to a Michael's and tie Maribu or craft feathers under the lead wire and superglue them on, just another thought, although they usually don't care about the lead wire too much 

[GetFishorDieTryin]

Slow suspend baits rate of rise can vary because of water temperature but a slow sink bait should always sink, especially if it costs $15.  I would think even in the coldest water it still wouldn't be able to achieve neutral bouyancy. 

To get the bait to sink you have a few options.  You can put heavier terminal components on the bait, like heavier hooks and or split rings.  Suspends strips/dots or wire are probably the easiest way to go.

The last option of course is to just buy a Shadow Rap.  

[Bluebasser86]

Not sure if mine are slow sinking as advertised or not but they do catch fish.

 

[jimmyjoe]

5 hours ago, GetFishorDieTryin said:

The last option of course is to just buy a Shadow Rap. 

 

  For me, that's the first option, not the last option.   ?              jj

[Bankc]

Did you swap out the hooks and forget about it?  

 

Otherwise, besides water temperature, other chemicals in the water can effect it's density and thus the buoyancy of your lure.  Salt will especially make the water less dense.  And water runoff can pick up all kinds of chemicals on its long journey to the lake, which in small amounts may not effect the fish, but might still effect the buoyancy of a lure that's just on the edge of suspension.  

[PotatoLake]

1 minute ago, Bankc said:

Did you swap out the hooks and forget about it?  

 

Otherwise, besides water temperature, other chemicals in the water can effect it's density and thus the buoyancy of your lure.  Salt will especially make the water less dense.  And water runoff can pick up all kinds of chemicals on its long journey to the lake, which in small amounts may not effect the fish, but might still effect the buoyancy of a lure that's just on the edge of suspension.  

This particular lake would be a candidate for that theory as its nestled in a community where for sure there would be chemical runoff. I cycled through a few different makes and models throughout the day and did have some suspend for me and some others that were wanting to float too. It's like hitting the lottery when they behave. I started getting bites on a somewhat slow day.

[Tucson]

You could start an urban legend about the experimental floating/sinking jerk bait that somehow got out of the factory unintentionally.  And of course it has magical properties.

[Deephaven]

My favorite sinking jerkbaits float....but somehow they all have an F on them.   

[BlakeMolone]

I recently discovered that the only jerkbait I own that actually suspends is my old stx. None of my pointer 78s suspend but my pointer 100 floats super slowly. I added lead to my baits and they suspend now but I caught fish on them just fine before. Has anyone used the stunnas yet? I almost bought one the other day but decided to restrain myself.

[Mbirdsley]

Kvd’ 300’s will suspend in water around 50 degrees.  Try them in a bath tub and the float right to the top 

[A-Jay]

8 minutes ago, Mbirdsley said:

Kvd’ 300’s will suspend in water around 50 degrees.  Try them in a bath tub and the float right to the top 

Do you get many bites in the bath tub ?

A-Jay

[flyfisher]

When I am fishing jerk baits this is why I keep lead tape that I use for fly tying in my jerk bait box.  I can adjust the density on the fly on just about any bait.  I have only had a couple baits that do what they say they will do on the packaging.  Too many variables for the manufacturer to figure out I guess but they get it pretty close.

[detroit1]

17 hours ago, A-Jay said:

Do you get many bites in the bath tub ?

A-Jay

Kevin and AJ do...?

[Mbirdsley]

On 11/27/2021 at 4:12 PM, A-Jay said:

Do you get many bites in the bath tub ?

A-Jay

Obviously no duh, if they float.  Obviously bath bass like suspenders. 

[A-Jay]

53 minutes ago, Mbirdsley said:

Obviously no duh, if they float.  Obviously bath bass like suspenders. 

LOL

See I should have known that.

I love that bait btw ~

That 300D has accounted for 'several' plus size brown bass for me.

A-Jay

[Mbirdsley]

16 hours ago, A-Jay said:

LOL

See I should have known that.

I love that bait btw ~

That 300D has accounted for 'several' plus size brown bass for me.

A-Jay

I’ve got one of those ayus but in a deep diver 500 kvd.  Yeah the kvd jerk baits are pretty good considering the price 

 

this kvd 300 sugar daddy on the bottom of the picture did major work this fall.  
 

I like the one mega bass perch 110 I had however, as you know  with an abundance of pike in our waters up here. I can’t justify almost $30 bucks a pop with so many toothy critters running around. All it takes is a pike hitting the lure, me lifting the rod tip up and there goes the jerk bait never to be seen again. 
 

one thing going forward I will be doing more fall fishing in Michigan.  It was nice having the lake to my self and catching a lot of bass 

 

 

[J Francho]

https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Storm_SuspenStrips_70_Strips/descpage-SSS.html

 

Get some of these.

[Bluebasser86]

Fished my 112+1 Stunna today, it was very clearly sinking, and catching. 

[cyclops2]

I crush the correct size split shot onto a hanging treble.  Belly one.

[Bluebasser86]

The standard one I was fishing Saturday was a near neutral suspender to extremely slow sinker, but still effective.