Crank Baits

[CDMeyer]

Hey I got a couple of questions and I would like to hear some people's input.  I fish a very shallow lake and mostly Texas-Rig it but I would like to start to crank bait fishing.  Does any body have any tips for fishing in shallow water exp:( Where to fish, structure and other cover). Then what is a good crank bait to use in these waters?

[Comfortably Numb]

1.5 squarebills are a good choice in shallow water

[rippin-lips]

Yes the 1.5 and 2.5 are both shallow divers. It's also not a bad idea to use a crank that goes deeper then the water your fishing sometimes. Bang it off the rocks,dig the bottom ect. Also they are good around structure like laydowns. Bang it off limbs and pause for a second. A lot of reaction strikes come from that.

[Tuckahoe Joe]

Yes the 1.5 and 2.5 are both shallow divers. It's also not a bad idea to use a crank that goes deeper then the water your fishing sometimes. Bang it off the rocks,dig the bottom ect. Also they are good around structure like laydowns. Bang it off limbs and pause for a second. A lot of reaction strikes come from that.

X's 2 on this.  Aside from the KVD 1.5's, I also like the Bomber Square A in shallow water.

[Bluebasser86]

Strike King KVD 1.5's or Lucky Craft 1.5's ran into any type of cover and bounced off rocks are great ways to get bit in shallow water like others have said. A lipless crank burned across shallow water and deflecting off rocks will trigger a lot of strikes also. 

[Marty]

Fish a crankbait anywhere you think the fish are, assuming the cover will permit crankbait use. There are loads of good shallow-running cranks, such as Baby 1-Minus, Swim-N Image, Shallow Shad Rap, the aforementioned KVDs and others. If shallow for you extends to 5'+ then you have loads of additional choices.

[fishking247]

how shallow? most of the lakes and ponds i fish average 3' in depth. i am a big fan of the manns -1

[Dave P]

Don't overlook the XCalibur squarebill. I've used it a lot this spring and it is an excellent shallow bait. Max depth 4 feet.

[draggin]

the manns -1, is that the huge shallow diver

[iceintheveins]

I would use the Bandit 100 in fairly open areas, and the KVD 1.5 where there is a lot of rocks and sticks. X2 on the excalibur as well.

[xxjace]

The kvd 1.5 and 2.5 are about the best in my opinion..I've fished crankbaits forever and there hard to beat..bomber square a's are very good too..I'd say start with the kvds but I'd also say there the best so just try some out and see what you think..rapala makes good crankbaits too but there very expensive and I think the kvds are better.

[xxjace]

Just don't want you buying alot of rapalas right now spending a ton of cash..but rapalas are great too..didn't want to make it sound like they weren't.

[DementedMutt]

OK guys I made a dumb rookie mistake. Bought a bunch of different cranks. Threw the packaging away now I don't know how deep they dive. Found some of the packs but they didn't have depths on them anyway. So how can I tell what depths they dive?

[papajoe222]

 With all the different body shapes, sizes, bill shapes, colors, material, etc. it can be confusing. 

When considering which crank to throw, you need to consider a couple of factors besides the depth you want to target.  The type of cover, or lack of it,  will help you determine which style lip and body shape and the type of forage and water clarity will help with choosing a color.  These are basic considerations when determining which lure to begin with. Notice I said, begin with. What other factors will you be dealing with and exactly what do you want the bait to do , or not do. 

Just as with trying to determine where to start fishing on any given day or body of water, keep it simple to start with and refine your approach as the fish dictate.

[papajoe222]

Normally the size of the bill determines the depth it will run along with the angle of it.  Long bills will generally dive deeper. Remember also that the manufacturer's stated running depth is determined using a set standard of line size and distance.  The best way to determine the  running depth is to tie it on the combo you'll be using and cast it out over an area you know the depth of. 

[DementedMutt]

Thanks I appreciate any advice I can get I'm really new at this. I've caught a few dinks so far on a spinner bait, and I'm hooked but I'm looking for that 5+ pounder.

[Tuckahoe Joe]

OK guys I made a dumb rookie mistake. Bought a bunch of different cranks. Threw the packaging away now I don't know how deep they dive. Found some of the packs but they didn't have depths on them anyway. So how can I tell what depths they dive?

PapaJoe gave you good advice.  Aside from that, if you remember the brands/models, you can look them up on the BPS or *** website.  They should have the diving depth listed.

[Snakehead Whisperer]

Normally the size of the bill determines the depth it will run along with the angle of it.  Long bills will generally dive deeper. Remember also that the manufacturer's stated running depth is determined using a set standard of line size and distance.  The best way to determine the  running depth is to tie it on the combo you'll be using and cast it out over an area you know the depth of. 

Yes, and also the position of the line tie on the bait (e.g. the further forward the line tie is placed on the bill, the deeper it will usually go.)