Making ratttless crankbaits

[fishin' fool]

I have a clear rapala square bill crank that I want to use in clear water, but I don't want it to rattle. There is only one ball-bearing in it, so I was thinking about drilling a small hole and putting apoxy or superglue in the hole to hold the ball-bearing in place. I was wondering if this single ball-bearing also helped give the bait action, and if I glued it if it would alter the action so much it didn't swim right. Do any guys or gals have any tips or advice on making a quiet crankbait?? Thanks and good fishin

[pignjig]

FF- A few years ago I read an article by Homer Circle where he described drilling holes and actually taking the ball bearings out. I did this with a couple of lipless and, for me at least, it worked pretty well. The key is to make the hole just big enough for the beaings to come out and then sealing it well. I used super glue and clear packaging tape- just a small, round piece that was a little bigger than the hole. I also took an old crank and glued the bearings in a central spot just to see what would happen but it threw the action off some. Of course, erratic action is hot these days, so that might give the hawgs something they've never seen before. You might get a few other opinions from the guys with more patience and experience, but that's what worked for me. Good luck, FF!


-Pig

[Lancer6]

Piggy,

All this chat of lure modification reminds me of the various (and, some say, nefarious,) schemes I've tried to implement over the many years during which I've pursued the wily bass and other piscine types.
The rattle experiments have been numerous. I even went so far as to drill small holes, transversely, through those hard-foam-bodied Bagley lures and insert glass tubular rattles. Did they work? Well, at least the added weight aided casting.
I even pressed small lead shot, pilfered from my shotshell reloading supplies, into the foam and anchored them with a tiny dab of glue. This added no rattle but did make suspending lures out of floaters.
I, too, have effected rattle removal at one time or another. Sometimes, as with rattle addition (to hollow bodied baits), I wound up with lures with markedly increased casting range due to...you guessed it...the water which had leaked into the lure. My crowning achievements, however, have been in the highly delicate art of lure refinishing.
You see, I DO love to night fish for bass. I also love to throw black lures for the purpose. I've been frustrated over the lack of black finishes offered on many of my favorite lure types and on many occasions have repainted lures, some new out-of-the-box, in ebony hue.
Now, I admit to being a Type-A personality (not to be confused with a Taipei personality, although I loves me some Sweet 'n Sour Pork and I find Asian ladies delightful.) As such, I sometimes become a tad impatient while waiting for paint to dry. Soooooo...I often hang a newly-painted lure in the oven, suspended via paperclip-over-oven rack, turn on the low heat, and twiddle my thumbs while waiting for the paint to harden into a glossy and durable black finish. The first time I tried this I set the temp a bit too high, sad to say.
I'd carefully painted a NEW Cordell Hot Spot and suspended same in the inferno. When, some few hours later, I opened the oven and removed my little jewel I found I'd created a pregnant Spot. The heat had softened the hard plastic and caused expansion of the air therein. I now had the first pre-spawn Spot, belly bulging as though it was great with child. Caught a few bass on that mother-to-be (thought I was gonna say something else there, didn't ya?).
A couple of years ago I made the same error when refinishing a small topwater bait. Ever see a pregnant Tiny Torpedo?
Still, without men of vision, boldly exploring new concepts, where would Science be?

Lancer6
In my lab. Do not disturb.