Stickbait Vs Shad Crank

[coryn h. fishowl]

I am quite cleless as to which is better for bass. I have never understood why a tight wiggle action crankbait could be more effection than the alternative and so I throw quite a few stickbaits.  Which is better for what situation and why

[Bass Junkie]

Well, first of all a tighter, more subtle action can be good in a few situations, especially in colder water or pressured lakes where the fish are less aggressive. As for cranks vs. stickbaits, stickbaits tend to suspend, and therefore are hard to work through cover such as downed timber, etc. without hanging up. they also do not deflect nearly as well as crankbaits, again leading to more snags. The stickbait is generally meant to be fished with a stop-and-go retrieve, mimicking a wounded minnow and pulling fish in from a distance, especially under less than ideal conditions, while crankbaits are used either as search tools to cover water and find fish, or as a lure to dissect pieces of structure and pick off active fish that are stationed on the structure. In the end, both are parts of an effective arsenal, but no necessarily interchangeable ones.  

[tbone1993]

I am quite cleless as to which is better for bass. I have never understood why a tight wiggle action crankbait could be more effection than the alternative and so I throw quite a few stickbaits.  Which is better for what situation and why

Crankbaits, spinnerbaits, a rigs etc I would group together into search baits. Those baits can land you some big fish but they also key you in on the fish. Stickbaits on the other hand are baits that let you slow down. You can fish them a thousand different ways but essentially they let you target fish in an area.  I will throw a crankbait to find the fish then I might slow down and throw a stick bait to key on the fish that aren't biting my crankbait. Honestly they are completely different and it is a reading and practicing game. Just take your time and keep reading new material and trying it out. ASK QUESTIONS! Get on the water with someone that fishes tournaments or someone that fishes a lot more than you do. The best way to learn is from someone who has been in your position before. When I am teaching someone a technique I will give them a few baits to try out.  From time to time I run in to some bad apples out on the lake but for the most part guys are open to tell you what they are using and how to use it. I know this was a lot but fishing isnt something you master in a day ( im light years away from mastering it). 

[Paul Roberts]

Well, first of all a tighter, more subtle action can be good in a few situations, especially in colder water or pressured lakes where the fish are less aggressive. As for cranks vs. stickbaits, stickbaits tend to suspend, and therefore are hard to work through cover such as downed timber, etc. without hanging up. they also do not deflect nearly as well as crankbaits, again leading to more snags. The stickbait is generally meant to be fished with a stop-and-go retrieve, mimicking a wounded minnow and pulling fish in from a distance, especially under less than ideal conditions, while crankbaits are used either as search tools to cover water and find fish, or as a lure to dissect pieces of structure and pick off active fish that are stationed on the structure. In the end, both are parts of an effective arsenal, but no necessarily interchangeable ones.  

What he said ^ ^ ^

 

I use both during early spring. I may alternate them on the same stretches of water and pick up more fish.

 

In fact, I often alternate 3 types of CBs -jerks, shad crank, and lipless:

 

 

 

[smalljaw67]

Shad raps and jerkbaits aka stickbaits tend to work well in cold water due to the tight action, the reason a tight action works well in cold water has to do with muscle movements of fish. Fish are cold blooded meaning their body is the same temp as its enviroment and in cold water their muscles move very little, I saw this with shiners in cold water, they only move the tail and they change direction far less than in warmer water situations. I will throw a shad rap when the water gets in the upper 40's, like 48 degrees and up and once the water gets into the 60's other baits work better. Jerkbaits are what I choose to fish most of the time because I can stop it and leave it sit but in the warm water I fish shallow diving versions that don't suspend but float. The reason for floating jerkbaits in summer is they have a little wider action and can be fished aggressively to trigger strikes, you can burn a shad rap but I never did too good with them in warm water.

[Dwight Hottle]

Simple answer is stick baits for prespawn & crankbaits for postspawn.

[coryn h. fishowl]

also when to use floating sticks like the rapala original floater?