New To Crankbait Fishing...need Help Please!

[RMcDuffee726]

What's up guys, I always seem to come here at the start of a new season to try and get advice on a new technique.  So basically, I started fishing three years ago, but have never got into cranking before, so I really need help.  I live in New Hampshire and Fall is coming upon us quick, and I have heard this is a great time to use a crankbait?  I'm really new to this so I actually have no idea where to even start.  The first question I have is what should I throw a crankbait on?  I have heard a MH 7'0 with a reel that has a 5:1 gear ratio and also to use 10 to 12 lb fluorocarbon line.  Does that seem right?

 

What am I looking for when throwing a crank? Do I throw a crankbait in deep water or shallow water?  As you can see I am really clueless on this whole technique.  Any video links, personal tips, words of advice, literally anything will help my cause.  Bassresource is where I have developed all my fishing skills and I assume this time will be no different.  Thank you guys, and tight-lines!    

[Senko lover]

This may help ya out: http://www.bassresource.com/bass-fishing-forums/topic/72766-a-rare-insight-into-crankbait-fishing/

[Dave Jakes]

I'm a teacher, during my summers off I pick a technique and go nuts with it. At the end of the summer I make a little write up of everything I learned. I fish in Arizona when the temps are 110+ and the water temps are in the 90s. In that water, deep cranking is one of the very few ways to go. Most of what I wrote below will apply to throwing cranks in shallow water too. Hope it helps!

Part I: http://davejakesfishin.blogspot.com/2015/08/deep-crankin-for-mid-summer-largemouth.html

Part II: http://davejakesfishin.blogspot.com/2015/08/deep-crankin-for-mid-summer-largemouth_21.html

[travis23]

I won't go to in depth as I think you should read Senkos link. Basically with cranking you want a soft parabolic rod to keep those fish hooked. Stay within your rods specifications when choosing which size crank to throw with it. 10-12-14lb line will be good for any cranking scenario. Just look at what cover you're throwing around and accommodate accordingly. A lot of guys, including myself throw square bills on 14lb line. The key to cranking in my eyes is making sure I'm hitting something with the lure. You want to get that bait down and drag the bottom, hit stumps, rip it out of grass, and cause that lure to act erratically. As far as which reel to choose. Normally if in the winter or you're throwing deep cranks, you want that slower ratio. And sometimes the fish want a faster retrieve. You'll have to figure it out, but I would start with a 6:4:1 or something around that. Hopefully this helps. You can throw cranks anywhere you want to just make sure your hitting something!!

I think this is my longest post to date lol

[scaleface]

Around here all I have to do in the fall is fish banks with medium diving cranks and I'm almost assured of having a good day . A Bomber model A  , Rapala Fat Raps and similar baits work well . I just use a 7 foot med action rod and 12 lb mono. on a bait caster . Its pretty easy fishing .

[papajoe222]

No need for a reel geared lower than 6.1:1 for fall cranking as you won't be deep cranking. A good cranking rod will be longer for longer cast and have a moderate tip for both distance casting and fighting the fish. I recommend starting with three baits from the same line (DT's or SK series) in different running depths. Most cranks deflect well, so don't concern yourself with the different lip designs. Get to know those baits.Concentrate on getting to know how they feel when retrieving and what different cover feels like when they contact it.  You should be able to feel the lure vibration. Pick the running depth of the lure you choose on the depth of the water you're targeting and shoot for one that runs deeper so it will contact bottom or cover.  If you can't get the lure to deflect of something, change up speeds frequently, or pop the rod tip.

[RMcDuffee726]

I'm a teacher, during my summers off I pick a technique and go nuts with it. At the end of the summer I make a little write up of everything I learned. I fish in Arizona when the temps are 110+ and the water temps are in the 90s. In that water, deep cranking is one of the very few ways to go. Most of what I wrote below will apply to throwing cranks in shallow water too. Hope it helps!

Part I: http://davejakesfishin.blogspot.com/2015/08/deep-crankin-for-mid-summer-largemouth.html

Part II: http://davejakesfishin.blogspot.com/2015/08/deep-crankin-for-mid-summer-largemouth_21.html

Thank you!

[RMcDuffee726]

I won't go to in depth as I think you should read Senkos link. Basically with cranking you want a soft parabolic rod to keep those fish hooked. Stay within your rods specifications when choosing which size crank to throw with it. 10-12-14lb line will be good for any cranking scenario. Just look at what cover you're throwing around and accommodate accordingly. A lot of guys, including myself throw square bills on 14lb line. The key to cranking in my eyes is making sure I'm hitting something with the lure. You want to get that bait down and drag the bottom, hit stumps, rip it out of grass, and cause that lure to act erratically. As far as which reel to choose. Normally if in the winter or you're throwing deep cranks, you want that slower ratio. And sometimes the fish want a faster retrieve. You'll have to figure it out, but I would start with a 6:4:1 or something around that. Hopefully this helps. You can throw cranks anywhere you want to just make sure your hitting something!!

I think this is my longest post to date lol

Thank you!

[bigbill]

I mainly use shallow cranks and reel them just slow enough for a nice side to side wiggle. Don't reel too fast.

[reb67]

Be careful they don't care what they hook as my learned the hard way

[WRB]

I see you are a kayak angler, meaning you have a self powered boat or possibly a electric trolling motor to assist you? Do you have a sonar unit?

Crankbaits come in many varieties from lipless to extreme deep divers, their goal to imitate a fast moving prey at a specific depth zone. Selecting the lure that works for you where you fish depends on how deep the bass are and what prey they are feeding on. No one can predict the depth or the prey source without fishing the waterway you fish.

Since you have a boat you are mobile and can fish anywhere within your range. To determine how deep to fish a sonar unit is helpful to see what depth the baitfish and bass are using, saving a lot of time. Bass tend to locate near the prey, that is where you want to fish.

If you don't have a sonar unit, it's trail and error method or fishing blind.

The high percentage areas for a crankbait is depth change areas with rocks, points provide this type of structure, islands or underwater humps, creek channels and rip rap walls or dams are all good locations.

Shallow running crank baits like lipless and short bill divers are good for 3' to 7', medium divers or lures that run about 7' to 12' and the deep,divers or long bills that run 12' to 20' make up the crankbaits. You need to know what depth to use and that depends where and how deep the bass and bait are located

If your kayak has a trolling motor, try trolling a slow walking speed about 2 mph, look at the crank air running next to the boat for the best action. Make a cast about 75' and drag the lure behind the boat until it start to hit the bottom, the make slow S trolling pattern out a little deeper, then back a little shallower. You cover a lot a water and can concentrate on strike detection. When you get a strike, stop and fish that area more throughly.

Good method to learn about how your lures work, how strikes feel and where the bass are located, plus what depth works best.

Good luck.

Tom

[F14A-B]

Personally, the last bait I would try & deflect off rocks or even wood would be Rapala DT series baits.. Bills are too fragile, plenty of better baits on the market nowadays. 6 to 8 feet depths are pretty solid & scaleface said it, it's pretty easy pickings around the bank areas, but you should chase schools of shad into the coves & try & catch those fish as well.

Best wishes..

[Choporoz]

Best thing I ever did that improved my cranking was to get a lure retriever that I had confidence in.  Before that, I was skeered to throw an expensive hunk of bait with a bunch of treble hooks into wood and rocks.  Once I reduced the risk of losing a crankbait, I was throwing them into the places that actually held fish...and...what do you know?  I started catching fish on crankbaits.  Now, pulling a squarebill throughlaydowns is a favorite technique. 

[RMcDuffee726]

I see you are a kayak angler, meaning you have a self powered boat or possibly a electric trolling motor to assist you? Do you have a sonar unit?

Crankbaits come in many varieties from lipless to extreme deep divers, their goal to imitate a fast moving prey at a specific depth zone. Selecting the lure that works for you where you fish depends on how deep the bass are and what prey they are feeding on. No one can predict the depth or the prey source without fishing the waterway you fish.

Since you have a boat you are mobile and can fish anywhere within your range. To determine how deep to fish a sonar unit is helpful to see what depth the baitfish and bass are using, saving a lot of time. Bass tend to locate near the prey, that is where you want to fish.

If you don't have a sonar unit, it's trail and error method or fishing blind.

The high percentage areas for a crankbait is depth change areas with rocks, points provide this type of structure, islands or underwater humps, creek channels and rip rap walls or dams are all good locations.

Shallow running crank baits like lipless and short bill divers are good for 3' to 7', medium divers or lures that run about 7' to 12' and the deep,divers or long bills that run 12' to 20' make up the crankbaits. You need to know what depth to use and that depends where and how deep the bass and bait are located

If your kayak has a trolling motor, try trolling a slow walking speed about 2 mph, look at the crank air running next to the boat for the best action. Make a cast about 75' and drag the lure behind the boat until it start to hit the bottom, the make slow S trolling pattern out a little deeper, then back a little shallower. You cover a lot a water and can concentrate on strike detection. When you get a strike, stop and fish that area more throughly.

Good method to learn about how your lures work, how strikes feel and where the bass are located, plus what depth works best.

Good luck.

Tom

I unfortunately do not have a sonar unit, but thank you for the great information! I'm for sure gonna use this. 

[bigbill]

The hummingbird portable cast out fish finder works great from a kayak or small boat. We just put it on a rod setup and let it float near the boat trolling very very slow.

[WRB]

***WARNING***

The term Bait Monkey was coined because of crankbaits. Every bass angler goes through the crankbait stage buying more then they can remember what they have!

The basics:

Lipless, Bill Norman 1/2 oz trap in red chili craw and blue back chrome.

Bomber Model 6A and 7A, dark brown craw and silver shad.

Norman DD14 and DD, chartreuse pearl or blue-green shad and black-red craw

Strike King 1.5 square bill in sexy shad.

That is a dirty dozen that shouldn't break the bank and proven lures/colors.

I use 12 lb Big Game mono with a MH or H 7' crankbait rod, 200 or 300 series baitcasting reels. Don't over think this or worry about reel gear ratio's, they work.

Good luck!

Tom

[scaleface]

***WARNING***

The term Bait Monkey was coined because of crankbaits. Every bass angler goes through the crankbait stage buying more then they can remember what they have!

The basics:

Lipless, Bill Norman 1/2 oz trap in red chili craw and blue back chrome.

Bomber Model 6A and 7A, dark brown craw and silver shad.

Norman DD14 and DD, chartreuse pearl or blue-green shad and black-red craw

Strike King 1.5 square bill in sexy shad.

That is a dirty dozen that shouldn't break the bank and proven lures/colors.

I use 12 lb Big Game mono with a MH or H 7' crankbait rod, 200 or 300 series baitcasting reels. Don't over think this or worry about reel gear ratio's, they work.

Good luck!

Tom

That  would pretty much cover everything I need .

[Snakehead Whisperer]

For most crank baits I fish them on a 7'6" M-M rod with 12lb mono. The reel speed is less important unless you are fishing deep crank baits at 15-20' or more. I use a 5.8:1 ratio round casting reel that retrieves 24" per turn (which is the important number to look at when determining the speed of a reel, as the ratio is relative to the size of the spool, etc... and can greatly vary between 2 reels of the same ratio.) The reel works well for me, as I can get baits down to depth more quickly than I could with a winch reel, but is still easy to deep crank for long periods of time. I prefer mono over fluorocarbon because of the added stretch and slightly larger diameter. 

 

Only real tip that I have is to not look at cranking as a power fishing only technique. There are times when this approach works, however.

 

A majority of my crank bait fishing is slow speed with a lot of pauses. It is more of a finesse technique, in my opinion. 

[MickD]

I am very surprised that no one has yet warned you about starting your baitcasting experience with flourocarbon.   It is the trickiest line to us on baitcasters, and some very experienced anglers do not use it or use it only for lures that cast easily, like lipless cranks and spoons.

 

I suggest good quality mono in the 12-17 range, or braid in the 40-50 range.  Note that you will not try to max the drag to match the braid line test, keep it in a range suitable for the mono line tests.

 

If you use braid you may consider a FC leader.  Now you need a good knot to join the lines, check out the double uni, which I think is the easiest reliable knot.  Others have their advantages and disadvantages relative to the uni.  Search for sites on how to tie the knots you're interested in.  Lots of good sited, including video.

[RMcDuffee726]

I am very surprised that no one has yet warned you about starting your baitcasting experience with flourocarbon.   It is the trickiest line to us on baitcasters, and some very experienced anglers do not use it or use it only for lures that cast easily, like lipless cranks and spoons.

 

I suggest good quality mono in the 12-17 range, or braid in the 40-50 range.  Note that you will not try to max the drag to match the braid line test, keep it in a range suitable for the mono line tests.

 

If you use braid you may consider a FC leader.  Now you need a good knot to join the lines, check out the double uni, which I think is the easiest reliable knot.  Others have their advantages and disadvantages relative to the uni.  Search for sites on how to tie the knots you're interested in.  Lots of good sited, including video.

Thanks for the info! I learned how to fish on a baitcaster so I am very good with them now.