Crankbaits And Short Strikes

[cjam93]

Hey guys so I was wondering what you guys do when you get short strikes or fish turning away from your lure at the last second when using a crankbait? I read online a while back that this is when you should start to change colors, is that right? For an example, yesterday I was fishing one of the newer Yamamoto crankbaits in chart blue back. Anyways the first fish of the day for me came on that crankbait. However he was hooked barely through the lip, by one of the hooks from the back treble. Then a hour or so later (no fish were caught in between) I had another bass follow the crank all the way back to the boat, and then rush it. However right before hitting the crank he turned and swam off. Im just wondering if when that happened mixed with the fish earlier in the day barely taking the crank, should I have changed the color of the crank, or what would you have done in that situation? Thanks guys!

[Brian Needham]

change retrieve speed first .....then color.

[bigbill]

Do you use a scent?

The fish could pick up a foul oders when they get close to your lure.

I agree to change speed, try slowing it down. Are you matching the lure color to the water conditions? Clear water natural colors fished faster, stained water a combination of clear,/muddy water conditions but medium sized lures fished slower, muddy waters larger lures brighter colors fished the slowest? Then change colors next. If that doesn't work then go smaller in lure size. Pay attention to the water conditions. When all else fails throw a firetiger. Sometimes when I don't read the water conditions from shore a firetiger color will save me.

But if there not committing to striking cranks, change to another lure like an inline spinner, a spinner bait, swimbait, rapala minnow etc.

[Jrob78]

Changing colors in the same bait is the first thing I do when I get followers and short strikers.

[cjam93]

Thanks for all the replies guys. I only usually use a scent on my plastics, so in this case I did not have any scents on my bait.  I will remember to try the different retrieves next time as well.

 

Jrob, how do you decide what color to change to? Do you usually just find something similar to what you were throwing but slightly different or what do you do?

[Jrob78]

Thanks for all the replies guys. I only usually use a scent on my plastics, so in this case I did not have any scents on my bait.  I will remember to try the different retrieves next time as well.

 

Jrob, how do you decide what color to change to? Do you usually just find something similar to what you were throwing but slightly different or what do you do?

I will change to a completely different pattern of the same bait to start with.  If I'm throwing a shad pattern I will switch to a bluegill pattern, just something with a different primary color.  I do try to stick with colors I know work for the water clarity I'm fishing.

[cjam93]

I will change to a completely different pattern of the same bait to start with.  If I'm throwing a shad pattern I will switch to a bluegill pattern, just something with a different primary color.  I do try to stick with colors I know work for the water clarity I'm fishing.

Awesome thanks man!

[MacP]

Well, if you see them doing it, they may be getting spooked by you or your boat too. 

 

I agree with everyone else.  Change retrieve cadence or colors!

[Swampstud]

Do the natural baitfish have a blue back or a black/grey back. This can be the difference. I had several chart/blue back cranks, once I figured this out I bought new ones, even spray painted the backs on the old ones, call me redneck but those blue back turned black back catch fish now!

[cjam93]

Hmm thats interesting, to be honest Im not really sure what the baitfish look like in this lake. Ive never seen any of the shad in it besides on a graph. I need to figure that out, thanks!

[papajoe222]

change retrieve speed first .....then color.

X2, also vary the speed during the retrieve by either lifting your rod tip or stop cranking.

[aquaholic]

If im seeing where they are turning away, ill speed up my retrieve. I want them to not have the chance to think about it, i want all reaction. Thats what has worked with me recently .

[WhiteMike1018]

This happened to me a lot this spring, theres probably 50000 different approaches you can take when something likes this happens, most of the time I just keep casting with the crankbait, if he dosent hit it again, ill most likely slow down and go at him with a worm, and if that fails, ill leave the area alone for an hour then go back depending on how big the fish was

[WRB]

Active bass curious about what they see taking a close look at what the strange creature was; your lure!

If they didn't strike something wasn't right to the bass. The bass reacted to your lure, you need to make a change, often it's a different type of lure like a spinnerbait verses a crankbait or a change in color or cadence or depth range.

If the bass are larger adult size, change to a swimbait!

Tom