weight placement - Striper Talk Striped Bass Fishing, Surfcasting, Boating

blackeye · 03-05-2004, 10:14 AM

what way does the placement of weight effect the swim characteristics of a plug? what is the difference between oplacing the weight under the chin, like a pikie, and placing it towards the middle like a danny?

chris

blackeye · 03-05-2004, 11:06 AM

Slipknot · 03-05-2004, 11:12 AM

I'll take a stab at this, the pikies get weight under the chin because basically your line enters the water at an angle and the force wants to make the plug come up too much so adding a little chim weight it keeps the lip down in the water so the plug can do it's thing which is waggle with it's nose down and rear up.

The danny wants more of a snakeing motion so with the weight placed at more of a pivot point in the middle , that does the job for you since dannys ride more or less on the level.

blackeye · 03-05-2004, 11:26 AM

once again, thanx slip

Jigman · 03-05-2004, 11:27 AM

Weight placement depends on the action you want from the plug. Think of the weight as the pivot point, the plug rotates around the weight on retrieve.

A pikie is weighed in the chin for several reasons. First, the action you are after is a wider wobble. Weight close to the front causes a larger rotation, resulting in the tail wobbling back and forth more. Additionally, by placing the weight in the chin, you force the nose down a little to allow the lip to grab the water better. This also causes the tail to raise up and slap the water. Finally, the face cut on the pikie works as an extension of the metal lip. By forcing the nose down, you bring the face cut into the equation. All work together to give the pikie its action.

For a danny, you want a more snake like action. Placing the weight at the mid point of the plug allows it to stay level during the retrieve (no roll) and causes the plug to rotate evenly around the weight. More snake action.

My 2 cents.

Jigman

justplugit · 03-05-2004, 05:12 PM

Does the weight of the lip on a surfster give it it's action?

bassmaster · 03-06-2004, 01:41 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by justplugit
Does the weight of the lip on a surfster give it it's action?

some what I think on some of the larger models there is a slug going on the through wire in the nose
Make Your self a set of plugs say 5 and weight them 1 in nose one in middle and offset with the others to give You a better handle on wher eyour weighting needs to be for WHAT YOUR plugs require.
tailer the weighting to Your needs, The best way to learn is to just do it and put the time into it. then You will get an eye for weighting a plug after You turn it.
gonn let You in on some thing Balance and another tid bit
is how deep into the plug the slug is will affect the roll
in other words the balance may be good but the plug may roll from the slug being to high in the plug body.
however in a danny You may want this
and in a popper it may be good to
and if You do make poppers a counter weight will make a world of differance along with how it floats or rides in the water.
a good example ids My small BM poppers I came up with short and the curve will have You thinking no spray. Yet the plug thrown more water than a the largest polaris.
( its called R&D)
I stress that as It will make You a better builder and dont forget proper alighnment of the wood.
Tight grain towards bottom, it will help swimmers have mojo
If a hunk feels to heavy with very tight grain ,save it for a popper or pencle or a needle, or a DARTER......
toodles and good Luk