Expert Tip: Add a Smile Blade to your Crankbait to Attract More Fish

At the many seminars we do promoting Mack's Lure, one of the tips that we pass along creates quite a bit of buzz. It is the one where we put a small 0.8 Smile Blade behind a stick bait. This little addition to their favorite lure gives the illusion of a tail in swim mode. After the seminar I encourage those who want to learn this method to meet with me so I can demonstrate to them just how it is tied. This creates quite a traffic jam at the Mack's Lure display. Anglers want to know how to tie the Smile Blade tight to the stick bait so I will also share how with you.

The items needed are; a 16" piece of 14# power pro braid, a 0.8 Smile Blade, (we have found gold and silver sparkle series work the best), and a 4mm ruby red bead (also available through Mack's.).

Step 1:

Remove the treble hook and store the split ring for some other time. With one end of the #14 braid, tie a palomar knot to the tail end of your stick bait. Tighten and trim the tag end.

Step One: Adding Smile Blade to Crankbait to Attract Fish

Step 2:

Slide the Smile Blade on the string with the sparkle facing the knot you just tied. Slide the 4mm bead on behind the Smile Blade.

Step Two: Adding Smile Blade to Crankbait to Attract Fish

Step 3:

Tie another palomar knot on the treble hook --- with one exception. Start out as usual with the tag end through the eye then back through. Now, with a loop in one hand and a tag and main line in the other, tie an over hand knot. Right here is the secret; instead of putting the loop back over the treble to cause the knot to 'lock' in place; hold the loop and separate it and randomly choose one side of the loop. Hold the treble with one hand and pull on the side you have chosen. If the tag end gets shorter, you've chosen the wrong side. Continue to hold the treble and pull the other side of the loop. Keep pulling until the treble is tight against the red bead. Hold the treble and pull the tag end adjusting the loop as it gets smaller so it doesn't entangle the bead or Smile Blade and settles nicely on the eye of the treble. Pull tight.

Step Three: Attach Smile Blade to Crankbait to Attract Fish

Step 4:
Cut the tag end off and holding the stick bait, pull on the Treble. You'll feel a little more locking of the palomar knot and you'll get just enough slack to let the Smile Blade spin free.

You can use the larger 1.1 Smile Blade on the larger stick baits, or any of the ones with violent side to side action. We put the Smile Blades on all our stick baits except the smaller flat fish type. We always tell seminar participants that no one fishing lure will catch all the fish all the time, but this technique will raise your catch rate like it has ours.

Step Four: Attach Smile Blade to Crankbait to Attract Fish