# Trouble with belly weight..



## Photog (Jun 18, 2010)

No, not THAT belly weight! that's from way too many pizzas....

Here is the problem, I am either using too light of weights OR I am putting them too deep. My crankbaits float on their side. Any suggestions for weight/length combos? I know that will be tough due to many factors but I just need a little guidance before I get frustrated and quit.

I have been using pine. Also I have a couple nice pieces of oak... what can I expect from it?

Thanks in advance guy!


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## JamesT (Jul 22, 2005)

Put the weights/weight as close to the bottom as possible and try using more weight. Also depending on the shape of your lure, it will more than likely benefit from additional weights (round split shots work well, that's all I use) in front of and behind the belly weight. I don't even use belly weights and have never had a real problem (I do have a couple that swim very slightly off from vertical). I just put split shots in multiple positions in front of and behind the belly hanger. An additional thing that will help a little bit is to use oval splits rings on your hook hangers. This will slightly lower the center of gravity of the bait and help it stay in the upright position. 

I've never used pine or oak so can't comment. I know people use pine and a few use oak.

If you've ever seen Thundershad cranks, their belly weights tend to hang below the belly and they use oval split rings. I'm not a fan of this though. In my opinion you oviously want the bait to swim upright/troll straight at the maximum speed you will be trolling, but you also want it to "hunt"/have the occasional erratic action. IMHO a higher center of gravity tends to make more of a "hunting" crankbait. So get the center of gravity low enough so that it swims in an upright position (which will also help it swim straight), but not so low that it doesn't "hunt". Very very few store bought lures have a "hunting" action.

In addition, you want to make sure your epoxy is evenly distributed. Too much epoxy on one side will tend to also cause the lure not rest and swim in the "upright" position.


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## st.slippy (Oct 3, 2008)

I use pine and put the weights just deep enough that I can smooth over them with glue. Use split shots as well. Agree with everything James said as well.


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## jerkin (Apr 3, 2008)

A picture of the lure in question would be helpful so we can see what you're dealing with. The only lures I've ever made that tried to lay on their side were musky lures with a really tall profile but an egg sinker somewhere on either side of the front hook hanger fixed that. Tall lures can be tricky to work with because if you are even slightly off center with your weight it will cause the lure to lean to one side. What I normally do is slightly over weight them then drill out the excessive lead. That way you can take some out of one side or the other to balance the lure.

I'm not a big fan of oak, if you get any water into the wood it will swell up and crack. Most woods will do the same thing to an extent but it seems to be excessive with oak. I'm not crazy about pine either because of all the sap in it and how light it is but lots of people use it. If you're new to this and want to use a nice, easy to work and cheap wood pick up a piece of Poplar, you can get it anywhere.


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## Photog (Jun 18, 2010)

Thanks a ton guys for the replies and advice. I truly appreciate the time you took in them. That being said I am going to try the egg ans split shots. I was using some bullet weights i had but the butt end of them is concave so that raises the center of gravity.
Also, looking at the designs I have to admit they have a very high side profile. I think reducing this would be a great first step.
As far as pine and oak, I've been dirt poor lately and it is what I had on hand. I will try some other woods like poplar soon.


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## JamesT (Jul 22, 2005)

Happened to have a couple to test so got a pan of water. They are balsa and my ballast is 1 or 2 of the largest split shots in the micro split shot assortment in each poisition. The biggest floated upright without hooks. The smaller one needed hooks (2 #4) to float upright (didn't take pic). We'll see how it goes. It does have a taller profile. It is similiar to the cedar ac shiners in shape but I made it taller. Also, hunting crankbaits, in addition to having erratic action occasionally also sometimes swim a little to the right and sometimes a little to the left but always come back to centered so that they overally swim straight. 

The 2nd pic is the lure on the left floating upright, last pic is lure on right floating toward the side without hooks. With hooks it floats upright.


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## st.slippy (Oct 3, 2008)

Pine is not my ideal either, but have a ton of scraps from building and remodeling stuff for the house. Have a bunch of bass wood that was given to me a while back, that I am excited to use.


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