Best time to start with Crankbaits

[Masaccio]

I want to try crankbaits.  I've read a ton about them.  I have lots of Luck-e-strike squarebills, but only a couple Strike King XDs, and a variety of Rapala DTs 4-8.  I gather that cranks are good all year, theoretically.  But NJ lakes in my area are weedy.  I might should have titled this post, "How do weeds behave?"  Do they die down enough in fall to favor cranks?  If you don't have electronics and you're trying XD cranks in an extra-deep lake, does it make sense to try to find the drop-offs?  Are lipless cranks any good at all in early spring or late fall?  Well, heck.  

Big question:: when is the best time for an inexperienced crank bait guy to start experimentng?  I'm guessing spring, with lots of time to correct errors.  Fall could just be frustrating.  Fishing this week. Want to make the most of my time.  Thanks. 

[Drew03cmc]

When? All year. How? Flats work well in cooler or super hot water. I like to rip cranks out of grass, if it's not that snot stuff. Lipless, early spring and late fall, definitely. Again, rip them, yo yo them, burn them...just throw them.

[MassBass]

I would say in a weedy natural lake, the best time is spring, when the pads are just starting to come up and are still red and underwater...run a black/chart. Crankbait through that stuff. 

If you arent using electronics and want to fish weedlines, you need multiple (like a box or two) of crankbaits of varying depths. You are going to pull in a lot of grass, bit thats ok, dont let it scare you from crankin the weeds for largemouth. Summer is good for that. If you can find baitfish in the fall, throw a lipless around.

[Deleted account]

Yeah, try that, why not...

[papajoe222]

Anytime is a good time to try something new. Stick with one or two cranks at first. Get a feel for them; what it feels like when they deflect off something, when they pick up a strand of grass, or when their vibration changes ?. 
I try out new techniques when catching is tough. 

[Columbia Craw]

Right now!  If you have vertical grass that has a distinct edge, parallel it like it was a sea wall.  If the vegetation grows out a little deeper beyond the visible edge, better.  Try to tick the top of that thinner vegetation.  Be patient and cover those weed walls and you’ll be surprised .

[WRB]

Select a lure that works where you fish. Can’t cast treble hook deep divers in weed beds. You can cast a lipless to run just above most of the submerged weeds and rip a few occasional snagged weed string free.

My advice is look for rocky areas or around a made made dam and focus you crank bait fishing in those areas weeds don’t grow roots  in clay, sand, gravel or rocks.

Best time...when bass are active feeding and willing to case down a faster moving lure.

Tom

[JayMac89]

I'm new but have been having some recent success on a lipless on a certain lake. There isn't any grass or lilys or anything. Just a little sand bottom lake. Iv been throwing and running then parallel with with the shore line, about 10-15 feet off the shore right where the bottom starts dropping off and gets deeper. I swear it's the only way i can catch fish in that specific lake. 

[GetFishorDieTryin]

Most of the water in my area is very shallow.  By june some of the lakes nearly full of milfoil which makes crankin inefficient.  The best time seems to be late feb-mid to late april.  Ripping DTs out of milfoil is a good way to catch them in march but by the later part of april or may in colder years the grass starts to get a little thick.  From about now to till early winter can be really good too for cranks.  You can still work them aggressively and get bit consistently.  The dead and dying grass can get in the way.  If you want to fish grass in the fall, find the bright green healthy grass.  

 

[Bluebasser86]

Right now is getting to be flatside/lipless crankbait season. Shallow rock and wood is my preferred areas. 

[Masaccio]

Tomorrow or Wednesday (maybe both). I'm gonna take a couple of lipless, a 10Xd, maybe a couple of DTs and a couple of square bills.  And so I don't get stuck with crankbaits, I'll take some soft t-rigged swimbaits, (I wish I had a buzzbait, but don't.) Maybe a jerkbait or two for general lake.  I get to take three rods.  Obviously the medium-heavy moderate, a medium extra-fast and a medium fast - sense the consensus in another thread seems to be not to get hung up in details.  

For the crankbaits:  Say you're fishing a really really deep lake with no electronics.  It makes sense to spend some time finding dropoff slopes to see if I can reach a bottom to bump off off.  That sounds like fun.  Suspended bass in deep lakes may not be there, though.  Right?  Spoons are also a possibility. Short casts letting them flutter-fall.  I have some Sebile Vibratos I've never used.  I could do those on a spinning rod.  

Maybe my trouble is that I don't fish often enough so when I do go, it's a "big" fishing trip.  Trying too hard, trying to make it happen.  But getting the concepts, putting it together with what you've got, rigging the rods and getting it all together to go out is A LOT. 

The Sebiles are 3/4 oz.

[scbassin]

I tend to choose a bait to fish by the conditions in the lake & not the time of year. Water temp is important. Below 45 Degrees I fish the northern side of the lake for the sun will warm it up especially mid afternoon. Lake level is another factor, the higher it is you will find some fish further up. Dikes & rocks are another good place to try different baits, lay downs too. If your new to the lake get a map & ride it & look it over that way you will have a better idea of what you can throw where.

[Bankbeater]

Start fishing with them now.  You can use crankbaits all year long.

[king fisher]

When the bass are around rocks, it is a good time for crankbaits.  When the bass are in wood it is a good time for crankbaits, and the Bait Monkey.  When the bass are in the weeds I fish something else.