What does Crankbait really imitate?

[airborne_angler]

If you look at a crankbait,to most it looks like a fish imitator. Think outside the box,and I think what you really are looking at is a fleeing crawfish. The color patterns are to catch fishermen,not just the fish.

We look at a CB as a shad pattern. While its wiggling and wobbling,is that really what it looks like? Its doing its dance so quickly that all you really see is a blur of colors,which in my opinion looks nothing like whats painted on the side.

Why whould a craw pattern be painted on a bait to have the craw swimming forward? Thats not craws swim,and I bet thats not whet the fish see. Watch an actual live craw fleeing,and its so fast that all you really see is a blur of the basic color and a specific shape. You cant make out the legs,the claws or the eyes when a craw flees. Unless of course its on a video and put in slow mo.

Look at the Koppers Live Target Crawfish. Theyve got it right.Looks like a crawfish pattern,but take away the crawfish pattern and it looks like a plain old crankbait body.Bomber will be coming out with some of the same designs. The body of a basic Crankbait,but a paint scheme of a fleeing crawfish.

So when we throw Crankbaits are we throwing a bait that looks like a fleeing fish when the predator fish sees it OR are we throwing a bait that looks like the silhouette of a craw fleeing,and its the action the fish are after,NOT the color scheme,cause its likely what a fish sees is just a blur of mixed colors. anyway. And the ratle? Larry Dahlberg has footage of an actual Crawfish fleeing,and it makes a "clackin" sound upon scooting backwards.

So in closing I once again ask the question...Is a crankbait a fish imitator of a crawfish imitator,regardless of the paint scheme. EDIT: Look below at the links I have posted,Think I just answered my own question.

Heres what the Koppers live target and Bomber baits look like.Take away the paint schemes and you have the basic shape of a crankbait.

Koppers:

http://www.livetargetlures.com/CrawfishTrapInstructions.html

http://www.livetargetlures.com/CrawFishInstructions.html

Bomber:

http://www.lurenet.com/productdetail.aspx?id=b04acfcc

[BadKarma42]

I've never been accused to being too intelligent but perhaps the answer is both.

If its digging and making a dirt/silt trail maybe the fish thinks its a crawfish.  If its not digging, maybe the fish thinks it a fleeing fish.

Either way, let the fish tell you what they want.   

[Grey Wolf]

As long as they think it's a meal , does it really matter?

[OHIO]

I think its probably both. Some ponds I fish don't have crawfish, so the fish aren't aware of what they look like. All of the ponds either have bluegill or shad though, so I think this is what a crank imitates. A lot of it depends on where you are fishing. I also think that we give fish too much credit sometimes. I don't think they always know what they are eating. I have heard stories of people catching fish on empty hooks and as far as I know there isn't a creature that resembles a hook.

[KYntucky Warmouth]

What I want to know is what the heck ribbon tail worms imitate, or a Rage Tail Anaconda for that matter, I've never seen a Knife fish swimming in any of the water I fish.  I like that trap, never really cared for craw baits but that looks like it would do the trick for ripping it up off the bottom

[CWB]

In my many underwater diving experiences, I've yet to see a crawfish that wiggles. They scoot in short bursts, sometimes puffing up the bottom. Likewise, baitfish do not seem to wiggle near as much as crankbaits do.

I think what you are throwing is something that gets a fishes attention and makes it want to eat it. The total package of vibration, sound (or lack thereof) and color presented at the correct depth can be more than some fish can handle. As the others have stated, who cares what it resembles as long as it gets bit.

[tyrius.]

Nothing.  The action of a crankbait in no way resembles a swimming fish nor a "swimming" crawdad. 

Bass don't care though.  They see/feel something moving through the water and if they're hungry they try and eat it.  Bass are by no means finicky feeders.  They eat anything that even REMOTELY resembles a food source.  Bass don't care that your body of water doesn't have shad/bluegill/crayfish/trout/whatever.  They just want to eat.

[hitchhiker]

If you look at a crankbait,to most it looks like a fish imitator. Think outside the box,and I think what you really are looking at is a fleeing crawfish. The color patterns are to catch fishermen,not just the fish.

We look at a CB as a shad pattern. While its wiggling and wobbling,is that really what it looks like? Its doing its dance so quickly that all you really see is a blur of colors,which in my opinion looks nothing like whats painted on the side.

Why whould a craw pattern be painted on a bait to have the craw swimming forward? Thats not craws swim,and I bet thats not whet the fish see. Watch an actual live craw fleeing,and its so fast that all you really see is a blur of the basic color and a specific shape. You cant make out the legs,the claws or the eyes when a craw flees. Unless of course its on a video and put in slow mo.

Look at the Koppers Live Target Crawfish. Theyve got it right.Looks like a crawfish pattern,but take away the crawfish pattern and it looks like a plain old crankbait body.Bomber will be coming out with some of the same designs. The body of a basic Crankbait,but a paint scheme of a fleeing crawfish.

So when we throw Crankbaits are we throwing a bait that looks like a fleeing fish when the predator fish sees it OR are we throwing a bait that looks like the silhouette of a craw fleeing,and its the action the fish are after,NOT the color scheme,cause its likely what a fish sees is just a blur of mixed colors. anyway. And the ratle? Larry Dahlberg has footage of an actual Crawfish fleeing,and it makes a "clackin" sound upon scooting backwards.

So in closing I once again ask the question...Is a crankbait a fish imitator of a crawfish imitator,regardless of the paint scheme. EDIT: Look below at the links I have posted,Think I just answered my own question.

Heres what the Koppers live target and Bomber baits look like.Take away the paint schemes and you have the basic shape of a crankbait.

Koppers:

http://www.livetargetlures.com/CrawfishTrapInstructions.html

http://www.livetargetlures.com/CrawFishInstructions.html

Bomber:

http://www.lurenet.com/productdetail.aspx?id=b04acfcc

It may be to just my untrained eye, but it seems that the eye placement of some craw painted lures are finally in the right place for a craw painted crank.  For whatever it's worth, I'll still be slinging the baitfish patterns for as long as they catch fish.

I don't live, eat, or sleep underwater, but in my mind's eye...

[5bass]

Either way, let the fish tell you what they want.

BK, you sound just like a pro angler giving the generic answer. I notice you replied the same exact thing in another thread. That phrase is like fingernails on a chalkboard to me. Are you messing with me man?  ;D

[kickin bass14]

Bass are opportunistic feeders.  They eat stuff when they have the chance.  Many bass will NEVER see an actual worm on the bottom of the lake.  Why do they eat it?  because they are hungry and trying to survive so they have to take every chance to eat and survive.

[flippin and pitchin]

Vibration, sound, displacement, movement, color (silhouette ) and scent.  Any artificial that produces a combo of the " right stuff " to trigger a response will at some time or another get bit.

[Stringjam]

Crankbaits represent baitfish and crawfish that are learning hip-hop dance techniques.   

Bass hate hip-hop, so they eat the offenders.   

[airborne_angler]

Crankbaits represent baitfish and crawfish that are learning hip-hop dance techniques.

Bass hate hip-hop, so they eat the offenders.

I love this theory!!

[bilgerat]

Crankbaits represent baitfish and crawfish that are learning hip-hop dance techniques.

Bass hate hip-hop, so they eat the offenders.

I love this theory!!

Word!!! I'm gonna get Big M to paint up some cranks with baggy pants sagging / underwear exposed patterns.

[BadKarma42]

Either way, let the fish tell you what they want.

BK, you sound just like a pro angler giving the generic answer. I notice you replied the same exact thing in another thread. That phrase is like fingernails on a chalkboard to me. Are you messing with me man? ;D

Its a little something that Speedbead mutters to

himself in the boat, in his sleep, when he is driving...

Its like his mantra.

[SPEEDBEAD.]

Good lord I hate that answer....

To the OP, seriously, let the fish tell you what they want.

   ;D