Cranking clear water

[Big Bass Chaser]

I fish what would classically be called a highland reservoir with all its standard attributes : rocky, extremely high visibility, lake defined by the old creek channel that was dammed to create the lake.  There is little other than some fallen timber on the bottom and rocks for a crank to bounce off of.  There is some but not a lot of vertical weed growth in the summer in water < 20 feet deep. I automatically think to fish natural colored, silent, deep running cranks, but I'm interested in what you would do given that kind of water?

[Tin]

I would put a jig around that timber,specifically the timber by the river channel, tubes/football jig around the rock, and depending on the grass maybe that in the warmer temps.

[Big Bass Chaser]

Jigs already whack em (usually) so you're advice is spot on.  I just want to be able to change presentations to a crank sometimes.

[WanderLust]

If you want a silent crank you really can't beat Strike King Series 5 Silent cranks for the money, especially if you change the hooks.

3/4 oz Spinnerbait would work there as well.

[deep]

3/4 oz lipless cranks, or a big Mission Fish?

[Uncle Leo]

I have found that working a crank in clear water is good mostly for a reaction strike. Unless you can find schooling bass, than multiple hookups are possible. Clear natural colors seems to work the best. If banging the bottom I would assume that this lake could have crayfish as forage dependant upon how much rock. If so I would think a crayfish pattern worked on the bottom would be best.

It would seem that a dropshot would be a good choice also based on you description.

[ww2farmer]

For cranking clear water, shallow or deep, cold or warm, keep the bait moving at a good clip. Don't let them get a good look at it and they will react, they can't help it. I use to struggle in ultra clear cold (45 degree) water with slow rolling lipless cranks, till I started reeling them way faster than I though I should be given the conditions. As the water warms up burn it, you can't reel it fast enough to keep it away from them, but you can reel it slow enough to show them too much.  You probably already know this, but baits that are translucent help alot with them not being able to get a great look at it as well, like ghost minnow, or clear sexy shad etc.....

[Vinny Chase]

x2 on the SK 1.5/2.5. This bait as everything you need to get bit in the conditions you mentioned. The silent, darting action, will help portray a bait fish, without the fish knowing hes going to get a mouth full of treble.

Below are a few colors I thought would excel:

[Hot Rod]

My #1 key for clear water cranking is the wind.  If the fish are shallow or deep they will hit a cb fished at the proper depth if the wind is blowing. 

[lavbasser]

I agree that color, wind, and a faster retrieve can be very impt with clear water. A smaller bait and longer casts can help as well. Sometimes I will use spinning gear if I can't enough distance with the wind and small bait.

Also, KVD had a nice segment about cranking clear water on an episode of Bass Pros.

[Thad]

I agree that color, wind, and a faster retrieve can be very impt with clear water. A smaller bait and longer casts can help as well. Sometimes I will use spinning gear if I can't enough distance with the wind and small bait.

Also, KVD had a nice segment about cranking clear water on an episode of Bass Pros.

What did he advise?

[IntroC]

I'd certainly be giving swimbaits an honest go. If your dead set on cranks in clear water. Natural colors with a very fast and erratic stop and go retrieve is what I'd start out with.

With the swimbaits a SLOW steady retrieve. This would actually be my first choice. If that don't work jig it.

[lavbasser]

In off-colored water he likes to keep his crankbait in constant contact with cover or bottom. In clear water the fish are going to be deeper and closer to the bottom. In these situations he often fishes deeper but above the vegetation with no contact. The key is to keep your bait no more than 4 feet above the vegetation. Instead of making contact to trigger strikes he used a very erratic retrieve. The fish were in the grass but he was able to get them to come out and react to his bait (a few feet above the grass).

He said he uses a much faster retrieve and that can be key. He also likes ghost colors (bright conditions) and sexy shad colors (overcast).

[A-Rob]

I enjoy using watermelon (clear water) and junebug (darker water) 10" worms on deeper structure in the summer when the water is warmed up. If things are clear and you want to go more subtle, Zoom Mag II worms are awesome for a smaller profile worm that's still big enough...it's perfect for me. Maybe worth a try.

I find the worm is underutilized....but it's a nice contrast to a crankbait and bass usually eat a worm. KVD throws it after cranking an area he said in an article I had.

[kLuo]

In off-colored water he likes to keep his crankbait in constant contact with cover or bottom. In clear water the fish are going to be deeper and closer to the bottom. In these situations he often fishes deeper but above the vegetation with no contact. The key is to keep your bait no more than 4 feet above the vegetation. Instead of making contact to trigger strikes he used a very erratic retrieve. The fish were in the grass but he was able to get them to come out and react to his bait (a few feet above the grass).

He said he uses a much faster retrieve and that can be key. He also likes ghost colors (bright conditions) and sexy shad colors (overcast).

what season is this episode from?

[lavbasser]

what season is this episode from?

Sorry, I don't know. I saw it last year and it re-aired again recently.

[Big Bass Chaser]

If you want a silent crank you really can't beat Strike King Series 5 Silent cranks for the money, especially if you change the hooks.

3/4 oz Spinnerbait would work there as well.

I will order a few shortly, thanks.

In the one lake with stained water locally the spinnerbait seems to work, but maybe I need to fish it deeper in my main lakes.

[Big Bass Chaser]

3/4 oz lipless cranks, or a big Mission Fish?

I have had success with Yozuri and XCalibur lipless cranks (although not in the current water temp, tried a few days ago).  Not sure what a Mission Fish is?

[Big Bass Chaser]

I have found that working a crank in clear water is good mostly for a reaction strike. Unless you can find schooling bass, than multiple hookups are possible. Clear natural colors seems to work the best. If banging the bottom I would assume that this lake could have crayfish as forage dependant upon how much rock. If so I would think a crayfish pattern worked on the bottom would be best.

It would seem that a dropshot would be a good choice also based on you description.

I hadn't considered running crayfish color cranks into the bottom, I'm going to give that a try.

Your dropshot advice is absolutey correct, on my last trip (President's day) it's the only thing that produced.

[Big Bass Chaser]

For cranking clear water, shallow or deep, cold or warm, keep the bait moving at a good clip. Don't let them get a good look at it and they will react, they can't help it. I use to struggle in ultra clear cold (45 degree) water with slow rolling lipless cranks, till I started reeling them way faster than I though I should be given the conditions. As the water warms up burn it, you can't reel it fast enough to keep it away from them, but you can reel it slow enough to show them too much. You probably already know this, but baits that are translucent help alot with them not being able to get a great look at it as well, like ghost minnow, or clear sexy shad etc.....

I will speed my retrieve up, I had been really slowing it down recently scared that they wouldn't chase.  Regarding natural/clear colored cranks, I think I need to invest in a few today.

[Big Bass Chaser]

x2 on the SK 1.5/2.5. This bait as everything you need to get bit in the conditions you mentioned. The silent, darting action, will help portray a bait fish, without the fish knowing hes going to get a mouth full of treble.

Below are a few colors I thought would excel:

Thanks for the pics, I might have to pick up all 3, these remind me of the Luckycraft lures similarly named that I'm not willing to pay for.  My shopping cart groweth.

[Big Bass Chaser]

If I didn't quote your response, thanks for the advice too!  I love how helpful everyone is here.

[hookset on 3]

I found a bunch of KVD videos on You Tube, including the BPS Bass Pros series. They also give you the topic in the description section. That makes it really easy when doing a search.

good luck Big Bass.

P.S. I crank clear water all the time, and your right about the advice from our Bass Resource brothers; priceless!