Last year in the early fall we were fishing on Lake Leelanau and I was pounding fish - walleyes, perch, and smallies - and all the fish were coming on one color.  So I switched everyone in the boat to the same color and yet my bait was still out producing everyone else's.

Later in the day, my son noticed that as soon as you put the jerkbait in the water it sank like a missile to the bottom.  Here's what happened:  that bait had gotten pounded so hard that it developed a little crack near the bill and it filled with water!  So it was a lot heavier than the other baits.  

This summer - on Lake George - we're fishing anywhere from 12-30' down with a jerkbait and you guessed it - that particular bait is out fishing all the other baits.  

My client two nights ago pounded a big largemouth on that same bait.  He was getting snagged in water deeper than 15'.  So here's my theory:  go out and buy a Rapala shadow rap deep.  Take a small drill bit and drill a few small holes in the bottom of the bait, just big enough to let water in and hold on tight!

If you do this (and it works) or have other ideas on how to get baits down deep, email me at nofishleftbehind@gmail.com!