Crankbait Diving Depths

[zdunham]

Just by looking at any crankbait, how can you know approximately how deep it will dive?

[Steven Ladner]

The only way that I can think of would be by the length and width of the lip. I'm not sure how accurate It would be though

[Siebert Outdoors]

this will probably sound like a smart mouth answer but here goes.

Go to a tackle store and look at all the different brands.  Look at the lip angle to bait and the lip length.  Typically the deeper the bait dives the longer and is closer to the center line of the bait.  Shallower are more toward 90 deg angled toward the center line of the bait.

[roadwarrior]

The only way that I can think of would be by the length and width of the lip. I'm not sure how accurate It would be though

For "general" depth, the length of the lip is very indicative,

but not for specific depth. Most labeling is pretty close.  

Otherwise, you will need to test and mark lures on your

own.

8-)

[zdunham]

Thanks for replies.

[TommyBass]

As the others said, lip size has alot to do with it.  Generally the longer the lip the deeper it will go.  Steeper angles are shallower and slighter angles are deeper.

Theoretical and actual are very different sometimes depending on your line size and particular lure etc.  Actually looking at a lure won't tell you tons. One thing I do is turn my depth finder up very sensitive and run the lure underneath the boat. You will see a line at the depth it runs. Its best to do this standing in the front of the boat if your transducer is in the rear so that your bait is not being pulled up as much due to the short amount of line out. I have found you can generally add a ft or two to the depth that you determine this way since its not in the "prime" depth area of your cast. Another way is to simply graph the bottom depth at the deepest area you can feel your lure hit.

One thing I recommend is to write the depth the lure is advertised to go on the bottom of it when I buy it new.  A good fine tipped permanent marker will stay on for along while and I usually keep one handy in the boat to refresh it if it starts to wear off.