Whats the proper way of tuning a darter if there is one? I use the Tattoo's darter and I was told by a few guys to just use it the way it is right out of the package. Im using a duolock swivel now but should I tie directly? My problem is I can get it to dig deep like I thought it would. I've used it in breachways and open water during the day to see how it wiggles and all im really getting is the skipping on the top of the water. How can I get it to dig deeper and stay down during the whole retrieve?

not sure thats why i use superstrike darters. Tend to dig better, and everyone is the same.

I've noticed the snaps adeversely affect some plugs and give more wiggle to others. I would try tying direct, that how I fish darters and haven't had a problem..

Your useing to big a snap. Either tie direct or go smaller or breakaways. Love them Tattoos just wish he would come out with a larger one for this time of the year. I used to get some huge ones from the surfcaster years ago ,not sure if they were Beachmasters

Bend the eye of the plug up (vertical). The more you are pulling up and not horizontal ,the more it can dig in.

Also be sure you pull it down with a couple of quick tugs before you start your retrieve.

all im really getting is the skipping on the top of the water.

sounds like roll out ..skipping upside down ? .. ya can't tune that . return ask for another ..

You got give it a couple of really good yanks to get it to dig. If you just start retrieving like its a swimmer it will just skip along the top. once it digs just start reeling, don't do anything fancy, just reel it.

This,from Tattoo's website should help too.:point:http://tattoostackle.com/techniques/techniques_darters.php

IMO, another type of plug might be a better choice for what you want to do (breachway).

Try using a surfster-type lure like a large beachmaster cowboy. You get the same slanted head, but the metal lip gives you better (deeper) subsurface dig (and unbelievable side to side wiggle). I think I've averaged one fish per rotation on a large surfster.

Darters are great for moving white water in rocky areas, that are relatively shallow (compared to a few hundred feet off a breachway).

Just my $0.02.

Darters are fine at the breachways. Like anything else sometimes they are slow and sometimes they catch silly...

check to make sure the eye of the plug is dead center.if it is off center the plug will roll over before it has a chance to dig in

IMO, another type of plug might be a better choice for what you want to do (breachway).

Try using a surfster-type lure like a large beachmaster cowboy. You get the same slanted head, but the metal lip gives you better (deeper) subsurface dig (and unbelievable side to side wiggle). I think I've averaged one fish per rotation on a large surfster.

Darters are great for moving white water in rocky areas, that are relatively shallow (compared to a few hundred feet off a breachway).

Just my $0.02.
Ben I know the point your trying to make but surfster implies the style of metal lip (slightly cupped lip) with a sloped head but would not be a good choice for the breachway unless it was the last half hour to an hour of the drift. The cowboy has the more traditional metal lip (backward Z) and is by no means a surfster but is a good choice for the brachways. Another good choice would be Tattoo's diving metal lip swimmer. This plug slays at the BW's.