Is BALSA really better?

Whats your take are Balsa baits better, You would think with todays technologies you can achieve any action or balance out of plastics or composites. Plastic baits are far less expensive and every bit if not more durable. So is Balsa really better or are you just paying for the illustion of a little ole man hand crafting lures one at a time testing them in a long skinny tank and smiling wriley as he watches his creation swim and wobble?

I bought a $10.00 Lee Sisson Balsa Lure and it's a beauty, But man I hope it don't produce because my rebel crank baits cost $3.49...lol

A couple of thoughts I've had about balsa baits. One, you know there are no rattling bb's in them. Two, I have always thought the bouyancy of balsa was what was so hard to duplicate. Three, and just thought of this, balsa is so light, you should be able to have a rather large profile that is a solid bait, and yet have less weight. Good or bad, I don't know.

I look forward to what others think.

Danny

well one thing i know about balsa baits is that some of them do whats called hunting. i saw this a long time ago with some that i had and then last year there was article in bassmasters about it. they'll be going along just fine and then just dart off to one side or the other for no reason. not all them do it and its no specific type or brand or model but the ones that hunt catch a lot more fish. i've never seen a plastic crank do this. when i noticed it i had 3 lee sisson baits and 1 did this the other 2 didnt. the one that did it was beat up with scars and teeth marks the other 2 still looked practically brand new. its weird dont know why they do it but the stuff catches fish.

dpage has got its the hunting action and not all have it when you find one save it for tourny s

When made right, a wood bait is better than the same thing done in plastic or other composit. Balsa, basswood, cedar, etc all can make nice plugs. You just cannot duplicate that action. While you can get them close, each will be slightly different with the action. Want rattles, you can have them in wood plugs. Not that hard. Sound different than the typical plastic bait too.

Andrew

There are times when a balsa bait will downright smokle em. Then theres other times the fish want the action of a plastic, off the shelf bait. I have a cheap Norman in Mean Green that is absolutely killer on KY/Barkley, but on the Ohio river one of the hand made balsa baits can be unbeatable.

There are a few handmade flat sided balsa baits out there now that can be awesome, (as far as I'm concerned they all copied the Wee Bait), when the fish want that action. But each has its own characteristics and I can tell you from first hand experience some of these baits have won T's for me when most of the rest of the field were struggling.

I have a buddy that has been making them for years and will custom make a bait to your specs. These are real works of art and the clear coat is best bar none. Email me if anyone is interested in getting in touch with him.

He also will refinish any of your old favorites taht are battered and beaten to give them new life. Remember back couple years ago when one of the pros won the FLW at KY Lake throwing a couple custom painted baits, specifically a DD10 with a custom bait job. I had my friend copy the finish and it came out dead on and works great at KY/Barkley.

Bump or should I say HUNT!

Hunting is when the bait tracks back it has an erratic action as the bait tries(hunts for)to find center,you dont find it in too many factory baits mostly handmades and then not all of them do it,like apb said it cant be built in but occurs more frequently with baits that are custom made as they are normally balanced better than production baits




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Vmaxx >)))^((">

balsa is out in my book

i like plastic with rattels, even jointed a lot of times

just my 2 cents

There are times when I will search deep into my box to find a balsa wood crankbait. A balsa bait can be worked thru wood cover alot better than plastic baits. They are more willing to bounce off cover and give a stealthlike action thru limbs and snaggs. Balsa baits can be a good choice when you are following another angler that is throwing a spinnerbait. I have turned many a ticked off anglers' head after pulling right behind them and landing a good kicker fish with a flat sided balsa bait. My favorite was an old Bagleys DB2 in chartreuse but I haven't been able to find another just like it anymore. My advice would be to have just a few balsa baits for shallow water fishing only. A plastic deep diver will stay at a depth alot better and not rise to quickly on a pause like a balsa bait will. good luck

remember...eatsleepfish