Crank'n

[Chris]

(Pictured crankbait is a CS 4x4)

*Tips*

1) When you are fishing shallow water you can change the running depth of a crankbait to run shallower by changing the speed of retrieve, using a large test line, or raising the rod tip.

2) Wood or plastic (yeah I know the big debate) truth is with a wood bait you can slow the bait down more than plastic crank and it will not kill the action. In dirty water you want run the bait slower to give the fish more time to locate the lure.

3) In muddy conditions bright colors and larger lures tend to draw more strikes.

4) Rattles are not the most important element in a crankbait when it comes to a fish locating the bait. Rattles tend to give and area of noise and direction of origin. Vibration is the most important element because it helps the bass track it and pinpoint it in muddy conditions.

5) Pay attention to how the bass is taking your bait because it will clue you in to the activity level of the fish.

6) Always pay attention to what your bait is doing at all times. By doing this you can pick up on the kind of cover your running through, bottom hardness, and fish bumping the lure.

7) Catching the wrong fish isn't a bad thing it is just telling you that your doing something right and might need to make a slight adjustment to catch the right fish.

8) When the fish are up sometimes reeling the crankbait just under the surface and leaving a wake can be just the ticket.

9) Most people fish a crankbait way to fast and might be missing out on larger fish because of it.

10) Speed cranking at times will force a fish to react to the bait and can get a few fish in the boat.

11) Random motion is the key factor that will make a fish think your crankbait is real.

12) In muddy water or low light conditions steady vibration and movement tend to draw more strikes because the fish can track it better.

13) As ambush fish bass will react to a lure deflected off a stump more often then a crankbait that runs around the object without hitting it.

14) Knowing the limitations of each crankbait that you own will make you a better crankbait fishermen.

15) High floating balsa crankbaits work best in weed cover.

16) Coffin bill crankbaits tend to be a good choice when fishing single lone objects like a stump because of the two kick out points that force the lure away from the object upon impact which will draw strikes.

17) In heavy cover a coffin bill is not the best choice because the lure tends to bounce off one object and hang up in another a square bill is a better choice.

18) A round bill is a good choice if you want the bait to travel tight to an object after impact like for example if you think a bass is sitting on the deep side of a tree.

19) Deep bill crankbaits can be effective in shallow water the larger bill acts as a weed guard around hard cover.

20) Countdown crankbaits are a great bait in late fall through winter.

21) As the water cools off and the fish slow down so should your cranking speed.

22) All lures are not the same some either because of the rattle, the way it is tweaked, made, or bait signature one will always produce more so than another of the same lure. There are "pet or special lures"

23) A lure that runs straight will always dive the deepest, come through cover the best, and catch the most fish more so than another of the same lure.

24) Graphite rods are great rods for cranking cold water because you can feel everything and they will put a few more fish in the boat.

25) The running depth on most crankbaits are determined by the factory by using 10 test line.

26) The longer you can cast the deeper your bait will run.

27) Depth control is the biggest down fall of most crankbait fishermen they don't understand the true depth the lure is running. Without knowing this, it is hard to determine what depth the lure is running in relationship to where the fish sitting at and it is hard for them to target that specific depth or fish.

28) The best hook set for cranking is a sweep set.

29) Think of a crankbait much like a spinnerbait and use the right vibration for the water your fishing and if you can not feel the vibration of the crankbait you might want to change your set up. (it shouldn't feel like a dead pull)

30) Being able to cast a crankbait with accuracy is everything when shallow cranking and can mean the difference.

[Valascus]

Awesome tips there Chris. I love crankin'. I think I am already decent at it, but I am always looking for ways to make myself better at it. This list helps a ton!

Question: What is the perfect Rod and Reel set-up for cranking in regard to reel gear ratios and rod length and action that will allow you to get the best action out of the crank and increase hook up ratios?

[Dean]

Awesome tips!!!Good job ;D ;D ;D

[Bankbeater]

Thanks for the tips!!

[Guest whittler]

Valascus, Do not mean to jump on Chris's answer but each fisherman will most likely have a different rod and reel combonation that they swear is the best. For me, I want graphite, want to feel what is going on with the bait and for me a heavy, non sensitive glass rod is not the way to go. Now before someone says says that graphite rods will take a bait away or tear a bait out of the mouth of a bass, think about this. Most pros try to turn the boat over on a hook-set then lift the fish clear of the water and sling it into the boat in one move from 30 feet away. How could you possibly tear out a hook doing that?

[The_Natural]

1) When you are fishing shallow water you can change the running depth of a crankbait to run shallower by changing the speed of retrieve, using a large test line, or raising the rod tip.  

Fishing crankbaits, mostly square billed baits running 5ft or less, this is the best advice.  I became a much better shallow crankbait fisherman by fishing them in ponds.  I'll start out the retrieve with my rod tip down, and raise it toward the end of the retrieve to prevent my bait from snagging bottom (although I like a little contact).  I'll even be on the bank, and have grass in front of me,  and cast over it.  I'll just retrieve my crankbait right up to the grass line (we are talking standing grass/weeds out of the water), and stop it.  Once it floats to the top, I jerk it out of the water and over the weeds.  I catch a lot of bass out of ponds on shallow cranks; they are effective and mostly overlooked by the local pond beaters in my area.  

[Raul]

Don 't pay attention to Chris ' tips, the man knows chit about crankin.  

Good post Chris.

[.dsaavedra.]

Now before someone says says that graphite rods will take a bait away or tear a bait out of the mouth of a bass, think about this. Most pros try to turn the boat over on a hook-set then lift the fish clear of the water and sling it into the boat in one move from 30 feet away. How could you possibly tear out a hook doing that?

HAHAHAHAHA im so gald that someone else notices this too!!!! thast one thing that really bugs me about the way pros fish. also, (bill dance does this so much) they will just have the fish right at the boat (or shore) and just let it sit there splashing around and stuff, and act like its actually fighting, when they have the control over it. and they'll lift it out of the water and say something like "oh did you see that jump?" thats just stuff that bugs me :

anyway, nice post chris! some handy tips there. i really like shallow cranks in farm ponds.

[Siebert Outdoors]

Thanks Crankin Chris. 8-)

[CJ]

Excellent post Chris!

I wasn't much of a shallow cranker until I had to fish qualifying events at Smithland Pool.Shallow cranks saved are butts.Just wished I could have read this sooner.

[Bream Master]

Thanks Chris!  Great tips!

[The_Natural]

Just to back up the shallow crankin' excitement...all my best summer days came from shallow cranks.  Believe in them...

B2 summer bass...(when they're on it...they EAT it)

Circuit board lip big-O (ssshhh...they really suck ) Does anybody have any of these for sale? (limited production...bass pro had them for $9.99)

WEC Wobbler hog...

[Jimzee]

Natural, get that Pixie and that Alphas out of the dirt, you're bringing tears to my eyes. ;D ;D Nice fish man!!!

Blaine,

BTW,  great post Chris!!!

[LakeAnnaBasser]

Sweet post man..... Now you got me pumped to throw a crankbait at my tournament saturday....    Also The Natural what is that purple grip on your fore grip.... it looks kool and how does it fit so good???

[Avalonjohn44]

I throw cranks more than anything else.  It was initially because I am an impatient person, and do not wait a long time for a worm to work, but now it is because it is the fastest, most fun way to fish.  Bouncing cranks off rocks and rip rap has to be the best way to  fish crankbaits.  I never tried it until early this year, and it has produced for all year long.  They love the deflection.  Also, I used to be a guy that would never use a lure again if the paint rubbed off... The bass don't care.  I have beat the hell out of my bandits on the rocks this year, and the bass keep killing them.

[.ghoti.]

Nice post again, Chris. Man I wish you were around more often.

Who's crank is that? Is it one of yours? Inquirying minds want to know.

Cheers,

GK

[Stringjam]

Some very good information, there Chris!   Thanks for putting it up!  8-)  I've gotta try out one of those JM Woodcrafts sometime....

I don't agree here (I've tank tested enough to prove to myself otherwise) - but you know how that goes...

truth is with a wood bait you can slow the bait down more than plastic crank and it will not kill the action.

[Chris]

Question: What is the perfect Rod and Reel setup for cranking in regard to reel gear ratios and rod length and action that will allow you to get the best action out of the crank and increase hook up ratios?

I use several different set ups depending on what I am throwing where. For example if I was roll casting big shallow runners to targets in shallow dirty water I like to use a lews cranking stick 6'6" with a 5:1 ratio reel with 14 LB excel green line. I use the same set up for single blade spinnerbaits. I like glass for this for the give because I am short range fishing and the lure thumps like mad but the rod is still a medium heavy rod. For long casting I use a 7' graphite medium heavy rod IM8 10 LB line 5:1 reel. For general rod for smaller cranks I like a 6'6" graphite rod still with a 5:1 reel. I use the same action rod for all my cranking because when I change rods all of them act the same. I use the same 5:1 ratio reel because it fits me and my style of fishing and forces me to slow down.

Tips:

1) You don't want to throw a tight vibrating bait in heavy stained water because bass would have a hard time finding it and it will not stand out.

2) Tight wiggle baits are for clear water because bass feed mainly by sight not sound or vibration. Medium wiggle baits I use for clear to stained water and wide wiggle baits are for stained to muddy. I do this because the less distance a bass can see under water the more a bass uses its hearing.

3) Bait signature is the vibration and water displacement that every bait has. The more water a bait displaces the greater the bait signature. This means the more water displacement the better a bass can find your bait in low visibility. This is important in choosing the right vibration with the right water clarity.

4) Distressed live bait: If you ever watched a shad get spooked you should know that it darts around trying to get away from a would be predator. Shad and other live bait act completely different when they figure out that they are on the dinner plate. They boogie in a random direction to try to get away. Many fishermen try to bounce their bait on the bottom to make it have a random action.

5) If you take a wood bait and tune it slightly out of tune your bait will do some wild stuff. You don't need to bounce it off of anything just reel. Some "special crankbaits" will search a good distance right and left.

6) Baits that have a lot of rattle or an odd vibration or action strikes the curiosity of a bass. In some cases it turns the bass off.

7) tuning: A medium and deep bait that is perfectly tuned when you throw it out and point your rod at your lure and reel should run almost under it and the very front of the lip should be what you see as it reaches the surface. It should not run right or left of center at the boat. A perfectly tuned bait will dive the deepest and vibrate the most when it is tuned correctly. Bait runs right bend the eye left. Bait runs left bend right. It just takes a slight bend in most cases and if it takes a dramatic twist you might want to ditch the bait.

8) Casting distance will effect the amount of room the bait has to reach its deepest running depth. Its kinda a game of angles if you get good at it you can hit structure or a depth zone with some consistency.

9) If you want to gain depth on a crankbait you can drop down in line size or add a bullet weight ahead of your line tie either as a Carolina rig or free sliding.

10) Triple grip hooks are the most snag free of the hooks out there.

11) Round bend hooks tend to stick the fish that just come up to sniff your crankbait.

12) When fishing the thick stuff don't forget to beef up your set up it helps to ******, turn, and drag a fish out of the stuff.

13) Sharpen hooks often when fishing around hard cover and check your line.

14) Thin crankbaits are great winter late fall lures. When Fall rolls around till the water temp reaches the 47 degree mark most guys start breaking out the thin homemade crankbaits. Fall is one of the best seasons tailor made for this bait. When the temperature starts to fall the bass head for the flats and put on their feed bag. Thin crankbaits have just the right action to mimic those shad that gang up on flats.

15) If you can not feel the steady thump of your lure how can you feel when it stops (something to think about)

16) night fishing with white crankbaits on full moon nights can be killer

17) If your waiting for the fish to hook itself you might loose the waiting game.

18) Late spring early summer green is a good color.

19) Early spring when the crappie are up splatterback black is a good color.

20) Don't forget the belly color it is important it is the last color a bass sees before it hits it. (orange dark water, white clear water, chart stained water)

21) When plowing the bottom with your crankbait the top color is most important.

22) You can sharpen the lip of the crankbait to gain a little depth.

23) The larger the line thickness the more resistance it has going through the water and the harder it makes the lure work to gain depth. Always read and compare line thickness between companies of the same pound test line with most of them there is a difference and it will effect the running depth of your lure.

24) If you tie directly to the line eye without the split ring it will tone down the action as will larger pound line. Sometimes if you want to give the fish a different look at your lure this works.

25) Lakes that are clear most of the year then a storm muddies it up this is when it is wise to slow down and use more vibration because the bass is still in the clear water mode.

26) The real beauty with a wood crankbait is when your fishing heavy traffic water you will be fishing a lure that is different from everyone.

27) Largemouth bass are not made to chase down prey for long distances. They rather just take a short burst of speed to ****** up something than run it down over long distances particularly big bass. Because they want to conserve energy they take up a spot to ambush rather than hunt down. Your bait needs to act REAL for it to tempt a big fish. This goes beyond just chucking and reeling your bait. Bait fish in a normal environment do not swim from point (A) to point ( in a straight line. Bait fish act different around a big bass that might eat it. Bait fish that are unaware of the presents of a big fish do not duck and dive or swim fast. Shad are not fast swimmers, crawfish do not skip along the bottom at 100 mph, bluegills don't swim a 100 yd dash in record time even when chased. Live bait can move short distances at a rapid pace but cannot run any races. So make your crankbait look alive and slow it down a tad.

28) Ambush points are places that hold active bass. Bass only go there to hunt. It is like a spot within a spot. You take a point for instance you might find fish on your depth finder hanging all over the point scattered. You fish it one way then you change directions. You fish both directions and at different angles. Then all of a sudden bam you get a hit. The next thing you know you caught a few bass. On any given cover or structure there is a natural direction that bait will swim on that cover or structure. If you figure out that direction and you figure out the sweet spot things change...you catch fish. (food for thought)

29) Sometimes if you make repeated casts to an object or break line you might tick off one fish enough to bite which will turn on the rest.

30) You have got to fish for today and forget about yesterday or even the cast before. If you get caught up in the idea that the day is going to stink you already beat yourself. Let the fish tell you what they want don't go by what you feel like throwing because it worked last week. If I fish a 5 day stretch I might use 8 different kinds of crankbaits to stay catching fish because conditions and mood changes. To many people get stuck in a rut and use the same stuff over and over and wonder why they are not catching as many fish.