# crankbait lips



## gunnr (Jan 30, 2010)

Hey all. I've been checking this site out for several years and finally decided to register. I've been pouring some jigs and doing musky bucktails and decided to try some crankbaits (probably from cedar to start). Anyway, I have a question on crankbait lips. I see some w/thru-wire but the bait doesn't seem to be thru-wired and I was wondering how they were anchored in the bait if they weren't attached to the hook hangers. Also, why the wire instead of a screw eye - easier to tune? Thanks in advance and look forward to posting more - you guys do amazing work!


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## vc1111 (Apr 13, 2004)

Hi gunnr. 

The wired lips have the wire bent flat against the bottom of the lip and then anchored by epoxying the wire into a hole beneath the lip. If properly installed, neither the wire or the lip is ever going to come out of the bait.

The hole into which the wire slides is parallel to the lip slot. In other words it is drilled so that when you slide the lip in, the wire slides right into the hole beneath the lip. The lip is 'roughed up' with a rotary tool and small sanding drum so that the epoxy has something to hang on to and the lip slot should be free of paint, etc, so that the epoxy is touching bare wood inside the lip slot.

I'm not sure that the wire is any easier to tune than a screw eye. It is a tad easier to bend sometimes. Mostly the wire is used when the lip is long enough that you must place a line tie on the lip, as opposed to putting on the nose of the bait. 

The choice of longer lip and wire or shorter lip and screw eye for a line tie is a function of what the bait requires to run properly. Some baits simply will not run with one lip as opposed to the other. 

There are also variables as far a lip shape. Rounder lips impart a more pronounced action compared to squared-off lips...but square lips are less fuzzy and tend to dive better and deflect off of structure with fewer hang ups and snagging.

Hope that helps. Welcome to the madness.


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## gunnr (Jan 30, 2010)

Thanks Vince, that's exactly what I was after. Off the subject, I saw in one of your post that you were interested in maybe carving walking sticks and wondered if you ever tried it. I've done a few with a morel mushroom on top and they turned out pretty decent. After seeing your baits, I would love to see what you could do with these! Maybe I could give you some tips/ideas on these since being new I don't have alot to offer in the way of lures!  Thanks Again!


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## vc1111 (Apr 13, 2004)

I would enjoy learning how you do it. I'm sure the carving tips would apply to bait building as well. Have any pictures of what you do?


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## gunnr (Jan 30, 2010)

Here's a few pics of the only one I have left (gave the others away w/o taking any pics). The images are a little distorted due to the curve of the wood but you get idea. The top of the lanyard is the base of a deer antler as well as the small mushroom "slide adjustment" at the bottom. Antler carves pretty decent but smells like burnt hair! Anyway, hope ya like it.


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## Fish With Teeth (Mar 1, 2008)

vc1111 said:


> Hi gunnr.
> 
> The wired lips have the wire bent flat against the bottom of the lip and then anchored by epoxying the wire into a hole beneath the lip. If properly installed, neither the wire or the lip is ever going to come out of the bait.
> 
> ...


So, how do you get the hole for the wire tight against the bottom of the lip? Do you slide a piece of scrap lexan into the lip slot and run the drill bit down along side of it? I have been drilling my holes slightly below the lip.


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## vc1111 (Apr 13, 2004)

> So, how do you get the hole for the wire tight against the bottom of the lip? Do you slide a piece of scrap lexan into the lip slot and run the drill bit down along side of it? I have been drilling my holes slightly below the lip.


That is just how its down. If you put the hole tight to the lip it torques the wire a bit and holds it better. The 90 degree bend beneath the lip precludes leverage on the line tie...if you get my gist. I do one bait, the Threadfin Shad, with the wire beneath the lip, but that's a long story.

Gunnr, that is really good stuff! How did you do the mushroom?


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## gunnr (Jan 30, 2010)

I roughed out a cone shape with a hatchet and then used a dremmel with a course sanding drum to shape it and then used a cone shaped carving bit to make the pits. If the bit is a little dull or you use a slower speed, it also burns the wood a little which gives an appearance of a shadow. I've also used the wood burner to darken the inside of the pits. Pretty much the same for the antler only no hatchet on that.


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## vc1111 (Apr 13, 2004)

I'm even more impressed now that I know how you did it. Very cool work. I've always loved that kind of stuff.

I hope you try making some baits. You'll be a natural.


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## gunnr (Jan 30, 2010)

Thanks - I'm hoping the crankbaits turn out decent. Figured I'd show some of the bucktails I did. The small marabou ones are for smallmouth - the others are for musky. Not much of a challenge making them and I don't care to throw them that much - soooooo on to crankbaits!


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## vc1111 (Apr 13, 2004)

Those are sharp. I don't throw them much either. I don't seem to do that well with them in Ohio for the muskies. 

There are some links with templates and supply sources. Let me know if you want them to help you get started.


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