crank bait problems

[ohiobassmaster93]

hey guys i've got a problem that i don't really know how to fix. anyways i need some help catching bass on crankbaits i've had little luck doing this. i won't to know how to catch bass on crank baits little tricks and stuff. i fish mostly shallow water 2-4ft. or maybe 6 or 7ft. at most i think i use good crankbaits norman fatboys and other good brands. but i don't know how to catch more.       thanks

[Shakes]

Wow. That was fun to read.

You need to run to the sto' and get yo' self a Rapala DT-4. Spend the cash and forget about it. Doesn't matter what pattern you get. Once you get it, take it the lake you want. Run it until you feel it bang into something. Cast at the spot again until you figure out what it is. Develop a mental picture of the bottom and what structure is there. Don't worry about hangin it up. If you do, bow your rod like your shootin an arrow and it will send a shockwave down your line and pop your hook free of the timber (all Rick Clunn on that one). If you lose it, so what. Thats the trick to learnin cranks. You'll learn what you can and can't do.  

[Grey Wolf]

You want your cranks bouncing off objects or digging off the bottom.

[Guest the_muddy_man]

I use Dt's most the time and a few others The best results i have is to find underwater boulders and stumps and knock em right off them ALL THE FISH I HAVE CAUGHT WITH CRANKS COME AS THEY ARE COMING OFF SOMETHING! Bluegill and Crawfish colors work best for me. I hope this helps.

[Matt Fly]

I like to have a variety of cranks, at this time of the year, we have three types of fish to target, pre, post, and spawners.

I like a crank that will suspend and stay at the running depth.     Majority of bass aren't in chase mode, they are looking for very easy meals as to not spend to much energy.    As the spawn progress, the fish up lake will be more aggressive than the downlake bass because normally, those fish are still waiting to spawn.

Traps, stick baits, and shallow running cranks should do the trick.

The key is to vary your retrieve until you have a few hook ups to get some feedback on.

Some fish will nail it on a pause, some will nail it after you deflect off some type of cover and pausing it, some on a steady retrieve.      Once you have found the way they like it, you may be able to use that same cadence on other sections of the lake.

matt.

[BIG M]

I would suggest a few Bomber thin A's and Balsa B's, yellow or chart for dirty water and pearls for clean water.  These are the best store bought baits for the price IMHO.  Then buy a plug knocker to get you baits back, that shooting the bow works about 10% of the time.  You don't have to bang the baits of cover, it does help but not mandatory.   Bring only cranks to the lake and fish them until you figure out the right speed and color that the fish want.

[LONGEARS]

Matt Fly is on the right track.It is said that practice makes perfect but the truth is THINKING about the practice makes perfect.

Every lure runs a little different and every fish acts a little different but it is the trend or pattern that is important.

Take a few moments aftr a catch or miss and ask yourself these questions

1.How deep was the water

2.How deep was the lure

3.How fast was I reeling

4.What type of retrieve was I using

5.Boat moving with wind or against

6.Maybe most important,What is different now.

[Matt Fly]

Some times its a combination, boat position is key also, just as your approach.   Did you catch that bass by casting into the wind?  

Was that fish positioned by the wind, was it the current, was it in the shade, maybe sunning.

What type of vegitation was it holding by?  Does the vegitation have wood mixed in, or soley grass.  Was that bass holding on the edge of where two types of vegitation meets, like pepper grass and hydrilla?   Are you getting hit around wood only?  are bass holding next to pipe docks, wooden docks.  

Put all the pieces of the puzzle together to unlock patterns.  

Matt