Crankbaits in cover

[papajoe222]

Cranks are great 'search' baits for areas you're unfamiliar with. They can tell you everything from bottom composition to where the depth changes, not to mention what types of cover and how high the vegetation grows off the bottom.  The hardest part of not getting hung up or snagged is learning when your crank is approaching cover or vegetation.  With wood and rocks or boulders you'll feel the line dragging over it before the bait actually comes in contact with them and you can work the crank over them with a slow,steady lift of your rod tip and a short pause when it bumps the cover (hang on because that's when you'll likely get bit). Vegetation is a little different, especially if you encounter it before your crank reaches maximum diving depth. Learn to slow down your retrieve speed once the bait reaches running depth. (It's much easier to concentrate on what's happening at the end of your line when you're not burning the reel's handle)  If you feel it start to load up, stop reeling and allow the bait to rise a little before continuing. Once you establish how far down the weeds are you can switch to a crank that runs shallower or adjust the running depth by raising your rod tip.