# making crawler harnesses



## Chippewa (Oct 25, 2004)

I tried to look back on this thread on making crawler harnesses for lake erie but I didnt find anything... I found a couple good sites on the techniques of making them but I have a few ? on the preferred components from everyone here.... Which do you prefer... the folded or the quick change clevises and why? What kind and test line do you prefer? What are your favorite style, size, and color of blades? I want to get a nice assortment made up before the season gets here!!!!!! If anyone wants to get together and make some up and have a fish fry and a few brews I am game for it....


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## fishingguy (Jan 5, 2006)

I use the quick change larger size. I like the versatility they offer being able to change blades. I mostly use french and willow leaf blades. French because I used to make lures and bought them by the 1,000, still have plenty so I use them. There are a number of colored prism tapes made to fit the french blades. Work well trolling at slower speed. Faster speed I use the willows, and doctor them up with markers and tape. I tie them up using 20# floro., it might be a bit heavy, but if your trolling it works ok. The stiffer line doesn't seem to twist up and they last alot longer. For the bodies I use beads, stacker beads, and sometimes the floating things, not because I want them to float, but beause they add color and size to the harness without weight.


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## Hetfieldinn (May 17, 2004)

I've been tying up a lot of harnesses lately. I opted for the quick change clevises. I use 15# Seaguar florocarbon.

Bass Pro has a nice selection of blades. Ole Pete does as well. I plan on ordering some from him this week.

Bass Pro also has the spinner spacers, which are nice. I also bought a bunch of beads from WalMart and Pat Cataans the other day.


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## Toolman (Jun 8, 2004)

Check out this link below. One of the topics of this seminar will be making your own crawler harnesses.

http://www.ohiogamefishing.com/community/showthread.php?t=63431

As far as components...14# Trilene XT, Quick-change clevises. #4 or #2 Mustad triple grip or Gami EWG on the front and a #2 or #1 Gami wide gap on the back. Six or seven 6 mm beads, or five 8 mm beads-enough to keep the blade off of the knot on the top hook. For Erie typically a #5 blade minimum (up to # 8 which looks like a hubcap from a Volkswagon)! Northland has some nice stock blades. There are a lot of guys who custom paint and sell spinner blades.

Tim


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## bkr43050 (Apr 5, 2004)

Tim,

You mentioned the larger blades and it brought up a question. At times I have more problem with the harness with large blades getting all twisted up. It is like they put too much stress on the clevis and start pulling the line in a twisting motion. Should I look at maybe putting bigger clevises on those? I don't recall the size but they are not very big.


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## K gonefishin (May 4, 2004)

Try some deep cup blades, they will spin better at slower speeds, and yes you do have to match the clevis to the blade, otherwise they may not run right, your line might be to thick also for the clevis size you are using, just a couple thoughts, got tweak, tweak and tweak till you get the right componets fitted to each other.


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## bkr43050 (Apr 5, 2004)

Yeah, I ordered a bunch of stuff last year and I undersized the clevises. I need to get some more of them.


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## misfit (Apr 5, 2004)

i like the smile blades,and use them more than any other.though most of my fishing is for saugeyes,they work great for erie eyes too.
no clevis needed.these things will spin if you breathe on them and are perfect for ulta slow drifting/trolling presentations,but also work well at faster speeds,giving off more vibes.tied basically the same as above methods.


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## bkr43050 (Apr 5, 2004)

I still have not picked up any of those smilies. It sounds like they may be the ticket for us on the lake we fish in Canada. At times we really slow down the presentation and those may shine in that setting.


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## fishon (Apr 20, 2004)

Gary Zart of Blue Dolphin will be having a seminar tonight on Worm harnesses @ the Fishing show in Strongville!!!.. if ya can make it! i beleive he does hase a stickey link in Lake erie Forum, Chippewa!


frank


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## liquidsoap (Oct 22, 2005)

We made our own last year. We used 15lb fluorocarbon.
They worked excellent. Didnt do anything much to put them to the test though.
I can make one from cents on the dollar compared to buying them.


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## Toolman (Jun 8, 2004)

Brian,

What # test are you using for your harness? If it's too light, it can twist easier. A minimum would be 12# for blades bigger than #6. I like 14# because it is in the middle for the right amount of stiffness and strength while still being able to hold a good snell knot. A good ball bearing swivel connecting the harness to the weight device (bottom bouncer, keel weight, jet, dipsey, etc.) will help eliminate twist, too.

Mack's Lure Smile blades can be very effective for inland (saugeyes) and on Erie. The nice thing about Smile Blades is you can drop on on any harness and they will work...another reason to use quick-change clevices. You can take off the metal (colorado) blade and use a Smile Blade. If you need a third reason, the plastic clevises are not as abrasive to the line as the folded metal clevises. 

Tim


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## bkr43050 (Apr 5, 2004)

Okay, so I think I need to make my next order of clevises soon. And I will opt for the quick changes.

I believe my line was 17# flouro and I was using crane swivels. I think my primary problem is the clevises the more I read about it.

I know I need to get some of the Mack's smilies as well.


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## Toolman (Jun 8, 2004)

Brian-

17# floro is definitely stiff enough you shouldn't have problems with twist. One problem with the quick change clevis is that you will occasionally have a fish shake and "flip" a nice (sometimes expensive) blade into the drink., but they are still the way to go IMO. I'll get you some Mack's stuff.

Tim


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## BIGHILLBILLY (Jul 29, 2006)

#15 to #17 pound flouro is the way to go or even fireline. I use the quick change clevis's on all my hand tied harnassess's because it makes it so much easier to change blade colors then the whole rig.

Smiley blades are awesome for super slow trolling all the way up to burning them. It really doesn't take much to get them to spin and they put off a lot of flash!


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## Weekender#1 (Mar 25, 2006)

http://dns.advnet.net/mkg/harness/Article/HowTo.htm

Try this link to How to Tie a Harness. FYI


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## Chippewa (Oct 25, 2004)

Thanx for all of the great replys!!!!!! when you are talking about seaguar flouro are you talking about leader material or the actual fishing line? and weekender that link that you posted is the one that I have been using for the basics... It is a great learning site... I couldnt make it to the strongsville show today but I am going on sunday with walleyeguy to check it out....


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## Hetfieldinn (May 17, 2004)

I use the leader material. I tied up some more harnesses today while watching some fishing shows on the DVR. I got a box full of more spacers and blades from Bass pro, as well. I know when the dogs go ape crap that the brown truck is near.


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## boss302 (Jun 24, 2005)

hetfield,
what does BPS call the color of the purpleish blade in your photo? Also, do you use the trebble hook for casting rigs, or just when trolling?


I use 20lb stren, and folded metal clevises with colorado blades. I feel the quick change clevises take too much force to start them spinning......casting and drifting only for me. The heavier line stands up to the walleye teeth and sheephead better. Before switching I used to end up with a lot of mayfly rigs that started life as a harness. Now, I can get several limit catch trips out of a single lure.


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## Hetfieldinn (May 17, 2004)

That's called a chopper blade, the color is rainbow. I use the treble when open water trolling. When, and if I cast rigs, I use a single hook on the rear. A single hook decreases the odds of hanging up on a zebra mussel bed.


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## dodgeboy75 (Feb 20, 2007)

This is probably a stupid question, but is a 3 hook crawler harness legal. The few times I have trolled with them it didn't even dawn on me that it might be illegal.


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## misfit (Apr 5, 2004)

yes,3 are the legal maximum.


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