Sinking a floater

[ISO_the1]

I'm wanting to take a floating hard bait and make it a super slow sink. I bought the slow sink version and it sinks a little faster than I had expected. Can I achieve a super slow sink but switching to a heavier split ring and larger/heavier hooks?

[Ceaser]

maybe, depends on how buoyant the bait is, you can also wrap lead tape around the trebles vertical shanks. can get it at places that sell golf equipment

[bigpoppabass]

Sure can usually but almost all baits have spots where weight works best tho. You have to play around.

[ISO_the1]

what would be the go to hook choice to change to for added weight? 2X ST-41? 3X ST-56?

 

Would increasing the size help or should I stick with the same size and just got to a beefier hook?

[aikenyounggun]

I like adding suspend strips and weight before I start going crazy with the hooks.  

 

But you may want to determine how much weight you need to get this thing to sink.... if its a ton, you are going to have to do all of these things.

 

I like starting the suspend strips on the bottom of the bait (if its a glide bait, you can look at where the weights are on the bait if the paint job is clear --- or look up a pic of a clear-ish paint job) --- put the suspend strips close to these weights --- its a good start at least.

[ISO_the1]

this is a multi jointed hard bait

[swole_t]

What bait is it? That could help

[mx4life14]

I've c-rigged floating freestyles before. Takes pratice but when done right looks bitchen.

[Prodigy_Lee]

I'm trying to do this to a floater Freestyle 3:16 lol anyone done this before ?

[bigpoppabass]

I bought an old one up that seller had failed in the attempt to make it a sinker. Might be tough, usually easier to get a designed slow riser to suspend.

[Craig]

Like everyone says you'll have to try different things. Even Hooks can make a big difference. On some of the baits I make the difference between a set of light Mustad Ultrapoints and some heavy duty VMCs is ROF 3.

You can also try some lead wire they use for soldering just wrapped on the hook. Cut bits off until you have the desired ROF.

Or like MX4LIFE14 suggest a C-rig or weighted double fluke would work.

[chuckin-swimb8's]

I asked mickey about this, making a floating fs gill into a xss/ss. He replied that it wouldnt swim right and id be better off lightening up a ss than trying to make that floater a sinker... Havent tried it out yet tho

[swole_t]

The way I would do it is to start by changing the hook gauge. Increase Guage until it starts to sink. If it doesn't sink you could increase hook size and Guage of that larger size hook and split ring although I personally don't like using a hook or split ring that is bigger than what is meant for the bait. So if hook gauge increase doesnt sink the bait then you can add weight by using adhesive lead tape to the body of the bait. Just keep adding layers until the bait sinks. Like people said there are certain places that are better to add weight to. If u weight it in the wrong place it can throw off the swim. Also you could try lead wire wrapped around the hook shank. If you do figure out how and where to sucessfully weight the bait(using lead tape method), you can drill holes in it, put the correct amount of weight in it, epoxy it in and paint over it for a less visable and permanent weighting.

Edited April 14, 2016 by swole_t

[ISO_the1]

I am wanting to try to make a floating bull shad into a slow sink...

 

I have a slow sink 6" but it sinks faster than I'd like.  Although I am catching a good amount of fish on it, I would like a slower sinking one so I can slow roll it over shallow flats and by structure

[Graphite.Greg]

I asked mickey about this, making a floating fs gill into a xss/ss. He replied that it wouldnt swim right and id be better off lightening up a ss than trying to make that floater a sinker... Havent tried it out yet tho

 

That is not true at all. I have converted floater FS's and they swam just fine. Just gotta know were to put the weight. His baits are injected with different density resin in order to get his to sink rate. You would have to literally carve away the bait to make it lighter to SF.