crankbaits the feel

[bass109]

I plan to make the most out of my crankbaits, any advice (dont care what skill level), on working with crankbaits?

Crankbaits are my favorite fishing lure out of all the other lures.  anyone have a special technique or method?

Whats your best retrieve? you can seed me a message. bass109

[BASS fisherman]

http://bassresource.com/fishing/iaconelli_crankbaits.html

http://bassresource.com/fishing/iaconelli_deep_crankbaits.html

http://bassresource.com/fishing/crankbait1.html

http://bassresource.com/fishing/crankbait_fishing.html

http://bassresource.com/fishing/crankbaits_bass_fishing.html

http://bassresource.com/fishing/crankbait_bass_fishing.html

http://bassresource.com/fishing/crankbaiting.html

There's a start.  

[bass109]

What's your favorite depth range in your body of water, when fishing crankbaits?

[BASS fisherman]

What's your favorite depth range in your body of water, when fishing crankbaits?

Where ever the bass are holding at is my favorite depth range.  

[bass109]

favorite all season crankbait?

tight wiggle vs wobble?

[Chris]

I plan to make the most out of my crankbaits

Learn the personality of each bait. Figure out what action it has and what depth. Figure out how long or how long of a cast it takes for the bait to reach a known depth. Figure out which baits are better in cover than others and how each bill reacts to cover. This is how you make the most out of a crankbait.

anyone have a special technique or method?

I'll give you four straight retrieve in cold water, stained to muddy water and around cover. CS 4x4 by JM-Woodcraft would be a good choice for this application. That particular bait has a body and bill design that will get through cover clean.

Erratic retrieve in open water, clear water, hot water. It is like a stop and go but in high gear. It works best with wood baits. reel reel reel pause for a split second reel reel pause reel pause reel reel reel pause and so on. You hesitate the bait for just a second and with a 5 to 1 reel your not burning the bait that fast.

Speed reel with a 6 to 1 reel works in spring, summer in clear water.

Slow roll this works best with a balsa bait in cold water or when the bass are sluggish. Because balsa is light and floats well it doesn't take much movement or speed to give it a lot of action. Most baits if you slow down way down loose action balsa doesn't work that way.

*The erratic, speed, and slow roll retrieve I would suggest the tapered tail version of the CS 4x4. The bait is named after me "Chris's Special" myself and Whittler put a lot of time into that series over a year in development. Check out the tacklemaking section it shows the bait.

[bass109]

thanks Bass fisherman and Chris for you help

Color selection for crankbaits?

For this up coming spring crawfish color will produce, is there any unusual color that might work for a highly pressured area.

[BASS fisherman]

Color pretty much depends on the water condition at the time your fishing.  If the water is clear, go with something natural like a craw pattern,  blue gill, or shad pattern.  If the water is stained go with something bright like a firetiger pattern.

[bass109]

Does the a snap or swivel work better then a split ring when tying your fishing line to the crankbait?

Does the rapala knot work better then tying your line to a split ring?

[BASS fisherman]

Does the a snap or swivel work better then a split ring when tying your fishing line to the crankbait?

Does the rapala knot work better then tying your line to a split ring?

I prefer to use snaps for cranks.

The rapala knot and a snap do basically the same thing: give the lure the best action available.  

[bass109]

any tips on Modifying crankbaits?

increase in hook size, or change in hook color,ect?

[Chris]

Color selection for crankbaits?  

For this up coming spring crawfish color will produce, is there any unusual color that might work for a highly pressured area.

Early in the year I use crawfish-looks like a crawfish or bluegill, khaki-looks like off colored shad or albino, splatterback black-looks like a crappie, olive back chartreuse belly-shows up well in off colored water.

Does the a snap or swivel work better then a split ring when tying your fishing line to the crankbait?

Does the rapala knot work better then tying your line to a split ring?

I use an oval split ring

any tips on Modifying crankbaits?  

increase in hook size, or change in color,ect?

I use sharpie markers, spike-it dye, to add color or just repaint them. I change hooks to round bend in open water or when the fish are just slapping at the bait and triple grip hooks for cover. I increase the back hook if I need more weight to cast a light bait or to change the vibration or signature of the bait. I change to larger hooks if the hooks stink on a bait or they don't cover the bait like I want. I also change hooks if the hook gaps are small that come with the bait. I change the front hook sometimes to short shank hooks if the front hook tends to hang on stuff.

[Chris]

I also change hooks to add weight to a bait for casting distance or if I want the bait to suspend more or slowly rise.

[bass109]

Whats your favorite material made for a crankbait?

Balsa,Cedar,jelutong,foam, stainless steel, or other?

[Chris]

Whats your favorite material made for a crankbait?  

Balsa,Cedar,jelutong,foam, stainless steel, or other?

It depends what I want out of a bait.

Cedar is a good material to use if you want a slow riser or suspending crankbaits. The material is great for deep cranking but it has less action in compared to basswood or balsa. The material is less responsive.

The stuff that Lee uses (jelutong) is more responsive than cedar it is harder than balsa and is a happy medium. The problem with Lee Sisson's lures or at least my complaint is the hardware he uses. He uses an eye screw that is to large and makes it harder to tune and I feel that it takes away from the action or potential action that it could have.

Poplar, and basswood are other good materials to make crankbaits out of. What's your favorite material made for a crankbait?  Balsa, poplar would be a close second. I don't own any stainless steel or foam crankbaits.

[bass109]

whats your favorite crankbait fishing line?

Fluorocarbon,mono,super braid or other?

favorite rod 6'6 , 7'11, or other?

graphite,E-glass,fiber glass, or other?

[BASS fisherman]

I like a graphite rod with a fiberglass tip.  For line I like monofilament.  It has a good stretch to it, so you don't tear the hooks from the fishes mouth.

[bass109]

thanks Bass fisherman and Chris again

my last question would be this for now,

which would be a great multi species crankbait?

work on smallmouth,Large,spotted,crappie,trout,bluegill, channel catfish, or more?

[Chris]

I use excel mono green BPS line 10-14 for most of my cranking. I use fluorocarbon sometimes for deep cranking or if I want to get a foot or two deeper with a bait. I personally don't like to use braid for cranking. I like to use stretch to my advantage if I get hung up. It tends to help get the bait free when you pop it (bow and arrow technique). Sometimes I use the buoyancy of the mono to reduce the depth of a bait. I do use braid for rattletraps around heavy weeds. Favorite rod length would be 6'6" but if I am deep cranking I use a 7' rod. I use three different kinds of rods to do different things. I have a composite that I use for general purpose. I have a glass rod that I use for shallow cranking and short distance casting around objects. I have a graphite rod that I use for deep cranking.

[bass109]

what are your tips on keeping crankbaits in good condition?

[dabluz]

what are your tips on keeping crankbaits in good condition?

Let them dry before storing.  Do not let them rattle around in the box, this rubs the finish on the lures.  Ideally, they should be stored in their cardboard box but that would mean hauling huge tote bags.  Putting each crank bait in a small plastic bag before putting them in the tackle box is a good idea.  Keep them out of the direct sun and heat.

[bass109]

thanks dabluz

what would you consider the good quality crankbaits, for local waters?

made in U.S. , Japan, or Europe?

[Bud]

   Whats your favorite material made for a crankbait?  

Balsa,Cedar,jelutong,foam, stainless steel, or other?      

Where did you find a Stainless Steel Crankbait?????????????????????????????

[Guest whittler]

With crankbaits you must learn to feel what each is doing through your hands and concentrate on what they are telling you. You will not be able to see what they are doing, with the exception of gin clear water, so you must rely on feel, knowing exactly what the bait is or is not doing is more important than what you paid, color or brand name. Anything that changes or alters the vibration pattern of a crankbait you must be able to feel and identify to increase your crankbait fishing, make that catching.

To me, as you might have guessed, feel is most important so the tackle that I use is going to go against what most "pros" will tell you, but it is my choice. Graphite rod, 4/15 PP braid or 6/15, if I feel the need to go heavier, attached to the crankbait with a Duoloc snap.

[Brad_Coovert]

With crankbaits you must learn to feel what each is doing through your hands and concentrate on what they are telling you. You will not be able to see what they are doing, with the exception of gin clear water...

Here is where you need your swimming pool, if you have one or if a buddy has one.

Omori built a special swimming pool just for testing baits.  It is only a few feet wide, long enough for a long cast and about 10' deep.  He fishes all his baits in it to see how they react to rod movements, line size/type changes, certain retrieves, etc.   Then, he has a good idea of what his bait is doing when he is fishing out on the lake.

I use the small retention pond across the street the same way.  Not nearly as good as a pool, but it helps to be able to try new baits and new line/rod/bait combos to see how they act.  Having a few bass in there helps too.

Brad