You’ll Never Fish Crankbaits Again Without THIS Modification…

[@mikecollett8513]

Oldie but a goody. I darken the leading edge with a marker before filing to try and keep a consistent edge. Shooting for a 45 degree chamfer, like you filed, for durability. If the bill is filed to a knife edge it becomes pretty delicate. Crash it into a rock and it may chip. You'll get good results and more durability from leaving 0.010" - 0.020" (1/16") on the edge. Where the marker helps. Have to try the serrations. Fun video's today.

[@TN-Vols-Fan]

Years ago, before he jumped ship to mlf, Tim Horton wrote a great article for B.A.S.S. (the true Major League of bass fishing) Bassmaater magazine concerning filing down crankbait lip's. One of his points was how ever much plastic you take off of one side of the lip, you have to take the same amount off of the other side. If not, the crankbait won't run true. Great video Randy.

[@waynecasper5346]

I done that back in early 70s one of the old time pro’s of that time and if I remember it was John Fox not the Fox of today or it could have been Larry Nixon. Was showing that. It really worked. Thanks Randy.

[@comfortablynumb9342]

No kid was ever happier than when old salty dude said "get in the boat". I would have said "aye aye captain" at that age and jumped in. And I still would now, pushing 50. I bet you had fun with him.

[@maxcole3930]

Do you only do this to your deep divers, or to square bills also?? What about your megabass cranks?

[@dustinwalker8152]

Once you get proficient and know what to look for, use a bench grinder with a fine grit wheel. Another couple of tricks to get em to run deeper is use 20# braid but only if the water clarity is less than the depth your fishing. The thinner diameter will get the bait deeper than 8# fluoro and you don’t have to replace line every trip. The reason behind the clarity thing is that if there is 3’ of visibility from the surface, that doesn’t mean there is 3’ of visibility at 20’ deep. Visibility is only as far as the light penetration, so your braided line is invisible down there. Important to know when using braid, there is no stretch in the line so you need a slightly more parabolic rod than you’d normally use as well as thicker diameter hooks than you’d normally use. The other tip is to weight the bait. Without drilling a hole in the bait and specifically weighting certain areas, the best way is to add a drop shot weight to the same split ring that the front hook is on. This works well if you don’t need a fast floating crank, like you would if you’re fishing brush piles. It also works well in the winter, especially when burning cranks, so that the bait doesn’t float too quickly when paused. There are ways to do by using tungsten putty or cutting/drilling cavities into the bill or bait and adding molten lead but I really don’t feel like typing all of that out and this is probably more than anyone wants to read anyways. Randy, you probably won’t see this but if you do, thanks for videos like this and the ones where you breakdown how fish live/respond to changes within their environment. These videos are far better than the livescope bashing and divisive ones.

[@chadjackson4786]

all these guys with livescope on youtube and nobody will do an actual depth test of braid vs floro. i can guarantee the braid is less visible than flouro if im using the equivilant of 1lb mono, and the flouro is thick 14lb test everyone like to deep crank on. That and the braid crank will dive deeper even though it apparently "floats"

[@tunit8946]

Thanks for the info. Does braid really go deeper than fluro or mono?

[@dustinwalker8152]

@@tunit8946 No problem! It will get deeper providing the line diameter is thinner due to less resistance. For example most 50# braid has a line diameter equal to most 12# mono and fluoro lines. If all diameter is the same, fluoro will go deeper because it sinks. Where the braid shines is that 20# braid has the diameter of like 4# mono/fluoro, so you can get deeper without sacrificing strength. It also gives more action to the bait because of less resistance. Also because it doesn’t stretch, you don’t have to worry about a full day of cranking stretching out the line and having to replace it.

[@xXKILLBOT27Xx]

@@tunit8946 No, braid floats.

[@dustinwalker8152]

@@xXKILLBOT27Xxeven though it floats, the diameter is significantly thinner and that matters a lot more and will get the bait deeper.

[@jefffrancis7614]

Yup been doing it for 25 years

[@williamnewell7784]

Awesome Randy! Never thought of that.

[@denissijecic5164]

Thx Randy! This is why we follow you. 😁

[@erichildreth7562]

I was told about filing down the edge before but never heard of using a knife to further enhance the lip. These are some great tips no doubt and thanks for showing this to us!

[@rickrogers8455]

Love that story! Way simpler times

[@dougsather2939]

Thanks for the tip, I will try it I'm a old dude too

[@chrisboyd1408]

Makes sense to me. Thank you very much for sharing!

[@terrytresemer2864]

That's what was nice about the old metal lips. They had a thin leading edge to cut into the water, as well as drawbacks. This trick can be done to chuggers as well ! Yeah, I've been around for a while to!

[@micheledaugherty275]

Have to keep the sides even when you file the lip. Nothing to be in a rush about. If not even, the bait will not track true. It will get you 8” or so more running depth on DD22’s …..so many good cranks out there nowadays compared to years past. You can stock different models to cover various depth ranges. So not as much need to shave, as we once had to. Rob

[@SouthJerseyBaitReviews]

Very interesting u showed this and this is actually pretty popular In Japan to the point. Where there is a bunch of different crankbaits and swimbaits that have lips that have a angle to them like ur trying to do with that file and it seems to help the crank get a bit deeper with a smaller lip and also for bigger lips to help with cranking the bait a little easier and less Drag.

[@danscholes9132]

Thanks for the story and tip. I like thinking about the good old days.

[@33454262]

Hi Randy. I really enjoy your videos. Very informative.. The bibs you showed looked to be rather thick. I make my own wooden lures and make the bibs out of polycarbonate a little less than 2mm thick so I don't think filing them would make a great deal of difference. However I will try the notching trick. Very interesting.

[@AgiDaKinG]

Randy’s about to start telling us how he makes his own lipless crankbaits by cutting the bills off

[@scottehrlich6653]

Thank you Randy

[@markusgrub5839]

Every tip you have randy Sounds for me very cool and i think..how much tip or secrets could this guy have? Very cool and i love to watch your Videos from germany in the Bavaria wood.

[@ellieswofford7285]

mike swofford thanks Randy , look into my tackle box right

[@christopherwatson283]

Seems to me that the top side filed would make it go the deepest. You're leveling the Presentation. It may run a little shallower. Looks more Natural. Straight ahead instead of tilted nose down. Thanks. God Bless, C.

[@GW-yz8fo]

Put your hand behind something your trying to get a close up on (a la Matt Stefan) and the camera will refocus on what you’re trying to show us. Thanks for it all, Randy!

[@maxcole3930]

Great tips will definitely be trying this! So your only filling bottom of the lip??

[@bmannichols4157]

I worry about making the lip sharper or serrated could cut the line when a fish is shaking his head back and forth, have you ever had any line problems ?

[@thespadgett]

Only in the late 70's earlier 80's could a boy fishing alone, jump into a stranger's boat and leave the dock.

[@caseyhepler2806]

Have you shared this info with megabass

[@douglasspickler4925]

Interesting. It's worth a try. Thanks.

[@tateumclark1416]

I’ve heard of people drilling small holes in crank baits and filling it with water then JB weld the hole shut. The said it made a 10XD go 30 foot. No idea if it’s true never tried it

[@davidbaker1359]

Thanks for another great tip!

[@reyn3545]

Interesting.... thanks for sharing!

[@NeilGraham.I.M.F]

Great tips

[@dalbert4991]

Tricky...did you catch any on that day with the old dude?

[@kevinbeaudean704]

Thanks Randy. I do file cranks when they get blunt but never a new bait. You sure you didn't just make a DD18 crankbait? My only mods are triple grip hooks, lose the nose ring for a #2 snap and a splash of red if needed. I really don't get the obsession to make a crank run a extra foot. Just buy a deeper crank. People cranking on 6 and 8# test is nuts. I crank 14 lb floro and more times than I can count glad I do. My line scrapes rocks and lay downs and then I hook a 6lber, no thank you. Fishing has enough drama. Slots on the lip, different from Tom, Dick and Harry is always good.

[@bhmsupra]

Some weird science going on here Randy.

[@ronniemitchell9221]

The juice....!

[@davidmartin1949]

Great tip will be trying it ! Are those lures made by Rebel and do you know if you still purchase them ?

[@mcflypainter7212]

They are made by Norman, I believe its the dd22

[@kcbennie]

Do you think that the sharper, serrated lip would cut thru grass? Seems like it would!

[@bassman4201000]

If you make it really sharp it'll cut grass better. Great if you fishing a deep weed edge.

[@mikesin3430]

Just get a Megabass s crank and the lights off s are sharp edges.

[@clay7514]

I bet it will dredge farther in the bottom like that too

[@academicmailbox7798]

The folks at Mad River Outfitters in Ohio do some interesting content at times (the latest episode was one to look at tackle in the opposite way to which 'the industry' looks at it). In other words, starting with the rod, the reel (these are two of the most important components granted in conventional tackle fishing). You're rods and reels play an enormously important part of the fishing. From casting, to presentation of the lure, to bringing the fish back to the boat. There is the flip side of that though. Especially in fly fishing. Where you look at it from the perspective. Of where the important stuff is located at the other end (by the time you get back to rod and reel components, you've got less and less ability at that point to influence your fishing). His expression was, if you have a ten thousand dollar pair of sunglasses that enables you to see fish in the water (the sort of 'Star Trek' equivalent of forward facing sonar perhaps). It makes no difference, in the situation where the lure and line side of the equation is not correct.

[@academicmailbox7798]

The one thing about conventional tackle fishing though, is that the guys in that side of fishing. They can change things from a bait fishing perspective. Where they can instigate really meaningful changes to what they fish, and how they fish that lure or bait. We can instigate some amount of variation in fly fishing for example. However, it's less dramatic compared to what you can do. When you are fishing from a bass boat (I've discovered that basic physical limitations of what you can carry, and be comfortable fishing from a bankside mean that carrying too many fishing rods is impossible). In a bass boat though, one can accommodate the dozen or half dozen fishing rods. On the front deck. That means that anglers can rig up multiple colors and types of a crank bait for example. Or rig up multiple types of bait, that fish very differently. And as long as you can access the place in the 'bass boat'. You can easily change choice of bait and fishing rod. As you desire to (the point being that crank bait fishing rods are just different from punching, flipping, top water fishing rods).

[@academicmailbox7798]

I happened to listen to Randy's episode in the week. About the time that he flipped a coin with a co-angler. Or fishing partner in a Bassmaster tournament. Which meant that on 'day one' he was unable to take his jet boat down river. To access a piece of water that was inaccessible by regular boats. In other words, if you look at it from Brian Flechsig's point of view (the episode was titled, 'The Most Important Leader Video I've Made'). Yes, it's an episode about why 'leaders' are important in fishing. We have things in fly fishing called 'leader wallets'. And Brian Flechsig explains in the episode that when we change method. The adjustment in fly fishing has to happen first at the 'leader' part of the system. He goes on to explain what 'contact' versus 'non-contact' fly fishing is all about. And I agree with it. The point is though, in conventional tackle angling. The components at the opposite end to the lure and the leader. Are important. The pair of appropriate sunglasses for fishing could be important. The choice of fishing rod and reel is important (and having multiple choices of the same). And the choice of boat even is important. Where Randy explained, it was useful to purchase a sixteen-foot jet boat for certain events. Where he went back to the regular bass boat for others. Things in conventional tackle angling are very much weighted towards rods, reels, boats and apparelle. Equipment basically.

[@academicmailbox7798]

Where it relates to crankbaits though, is important. Because a lot of folks in America who are known as fly fishing experts. They actually grew up before they ever fished with fly rods. They grew up throwing things such as crankbaits. Often throwing crankbaits in rivers from the bank side too. We didn't have crank bait lures and things when I was growing up. Metal spoons definitely. The bit lure when I was growing up was something called a 'minnow' lure. And it's a major fish catcher in moving water (two little circular wings either side and the minnow as it is called flies around in a circle). Kind of like a crank shaft inside of an automobile spins around. Crank bait lures don't spin around in a circle. They wobble back and forth. And what happened was that fly fishing sports people in America who had fished crankbaits growing up. They longed for some solution like that. That they could fish on their fly rods. It took me a long time to understand though, how aggressive a fishing lure that those crank bait lures can be. And that is where the 'contact' versus 'non-contact' lure distinction came in.

[@academicmailbox7798]

There are a couple of unique ways of fishing in bass fishing. That stand out there on their own (because they require the angler to manipulate the bait in some way that is quite intentional). There are a number of methods of bass fishing that are extreme in that sense. Jerk bait fishing requires the angler to make the bait work in the water. And 'walking the dog' using spook baits on top of the water is another way. All other methods of bass fishing. Require a lot less intervention by the angler. Even 'glide bait' fishing which has become more popular now. Requires some degree of intervention by the bass angler. Yet, a lot of the work is being done by the lure as well (which is why those glide-bait lures can be very expensive). What happened on the fly fishing side. Was that fly fishing sports people took the concept of the crank bait, and took the aggressive intervention-ism of the jerk-bait lure method. And they hodge-podged both of those together. To invent a kind of fly fishing. That could be used to induce a reactionary strike from species of fish.

[@academicmailbox7798]

As regards to the leading edge or lip of the crank bait lure. My understanding is that crank bait lures are designed to have as their 'centre of gravity'. The front-most treble hook on the crankbait lure. Most of what happens with the crank bait lure. It's characteristic motion or action. It rotates around the 'weight' that is contained in that front treble hook of the bait itself. The rear treble hook of the crank bait is free to swing bait and forth in a violent, repetitive motion. The front-facing lip or bill of the crank bait lure will also wobble back and forth. While the front treble hook is the static portion of the equation. That remains more or less stable while everything else around that pivot-point is moving. Which means that one has to consider the sharpening of the edge of that front-lip. From that point of view. It is not 'digging' the bait down (that is actually what happens in a 'jerk bait' fishing lure, but not in the crank bait type). What happens with the front lip of the crank bait. It does not dig into the water as much. It does need to 'slice' back and forth. Kind of like a scissors action.

[@clintperry799]

✅

[@mcflypainter7212]

Be sure not to take the hooks off when filing the lip. Because i want to hear all of you Be derps blame Randy when you get hooked.