Crankin Techniques

[mackkie]

I haven't used crank baits very often, and was wondering the best way to fish these baits, what time of year, how to work them, etc.  

I bought a number of different depths from 2 feet up to 16, some lipless as well, what conditions determine when to run deep, and when to go shallow, obviously summer the bass hide deeper.  Do you target drop offs or a shelf in the lake to run along?  Thaks guys!

[roadwarrior]

This will help, but there is more!

http://www.bassresource.com/fishing/bass-fishing-articles.html#lures

Read through "Fishing Article and "Tacklebox"

at the top of the page. The BassResource.com

Library is extensive.

8-)

[mackkie]

Thanks, there is some great stuff in there!

[NEKvt]

Check out the "favorite threads of all time" thread in the general forum.  Some great crankbait stuff right at the top.

[mackkie]

I've read a number of these articles now, all fantastic stuff.  

I was still hoping to get some of the members insights on cranking, and the questions I posted initially.

[mackkie]

Do crank baits work equally as well for smallies as lmb's?

[Sam]

Mackkie,

Read the articles.

Get DVDs about fishing crankbaits.

Get some good books about crankbait fishing.

Crank fishing is great fishing and you will enjoy it.

Lots of fun and you are on the move all the time.

Three suggestions when crankbait fishing:

1.  When setting the hook, SWING rod to right or left.

2.  Carry long-nose pliers with you ALL THE TIME.

3.  Be very, very, very careful when holding fish to remove cranks.  I have already had to have one treble hook surgerically removed.

Now go out and get some shad colored Bandit 200s and have a good time.  

[Muddy]

My favorite colors are the Crawfish and Bluegill patterns. I use a lot of the Rapala DT'sand I try to use one rated for deeper than the water I am fishing. The reason is I like contact with the bottom and rocks and wood. You get the feel after a while and you will be surprised how little you wind up snagged and how many aggressive bites you get bouncing them off things. I use a DT 14 or 16 in 12 feet of water a lot,on one of my Favorite Cranking spots.

[Raul]

Some of the very best crankbait fishing techniques threads have been written by one of our members, check out Chris ' posts on crankbaits.

[Muddy]

Some of the very best crankbait fishing techniques threads have been written by one of our members, check out Chris ' posts on crankbaits.

Micro,Stringjam and FivebassLimit's posts have also helped me a great deal.

[Chris]

mackkie Posted on: Dec 30th 2008 at 15:14:34

I haven't used crank baits very often, and was wondering the best way to fish these baits, what time of year, how to work them, etc.  

I bought a number of different depths from 2 feet up to 16, some lipless as well, what conditions determine when to run deep, and when to go shallow, obviously summer the bass hide deeper.  Do you target drop offs or a shelf in the lake to run along?  Thaks guys!

What time of the year: year round unless the water is ice

Best way to fish a crankbait/how to work them: I tend to use a graphite rod 6'6" for my short game in cold water because the bite is light and a fiberglass rod 6'6" to 7' for most of the rest of the year. I use a 5 to 1 gear ratio reel for the most part and a 6 to 1 reel for lipless canks. I don't like 4 to 1 reels like David because I have a hard time catching up with fish and tend to loose to many thats just me. Short game I use 14 lb line deep baits ten to eight lb line. I use 14lb if I am fishing around cover trees and such but 12 lb if the area is clear and I don't need to worry about breaking off.  Learn the vibration of your crankbaits and mark them it helps. If the bait has a thump to it that you can feel in your rod/reel/hands mark it for stained to muddy water then figure out the true depth and mark that also on the bait. If the bait has a high pitch tight vibration mark it clear to stained water then figure out the depth it runs. I am a color person so I also weed out my baits by color and choose my baits by color and how clear the water is. For now keep it simple white black back for clear water chart black back for stained. To figure out the true depth you take a given object that is at a known depth and try to hit it with your bait given a long cast. I say this because companies tent to stretch the truth of what depth the bait runs make sure you use ten lb line for all of the lures. (note all lines that say ten lb test line most have different thickness depending on company the thicker the line the less depth the lure will run)How you work the bait is up to you. I tend to use stop and go a lot if I am using a plastic crankbait and not ramming it into something. I use stop and go because with a plastic bait they have a machanical action this changes the vibration pattern. If I am fishing in and around cover bouncing it off then the change of vibration comes when it strikes the bottom or object. With a wood bait I just reel most of mine are tweaked to give it a search pattern or weird erratic action on its own. You take the front line tie eye of the bait and bend it a little at a time to find a sweet spot each time you bend it a little cast it and watch the bait. After you fool with it awhile you will hit the sweet spot and the bait will spook underwater. <--incase you where wondering if you are worried about messing up something just tune the bait to run straight. A perfectly tunned crankbait will swim the deepest and give off the most vibration and catch the most fish. Vibration is key because if you can feel the vibration of the bait then you can also feel the lack of vibration when a fish takes the bait. If you make a cast and don't feel the thump vibration of the bait till it is close to the boat then you need to change something lure, line, rod something yes it is that important.

 

I bought a number of different depths from 2 feet up to 16, some lipless as well, what conditions determine when to run deep, and when to go shallow, obviously summer the bass hide deeper.  Do you target drop offs or a shelf in the lake to run along?  Thaks guys!

I first figure out how muddy the water is. The muddier the water the more the bass tend to hang shallow and close to cover. They also will suspend at a given depth away from cover at times but still shallow. So how clear the water is determine what depth I target and time of the year. Water temp is another item I use to narrow my search. Most of the year I catch most of my fish in 10 ft of water or less. Even in the winter at 40 degree water. I have caught fish right up against the bank with ice on the shore.  I fished a tournament and caught fish all three days up against a rock bank parallel to the bank in 1 1/2 of water 95 degree summer. (my point is that you can have a book with rules to go by but the bass make their own rules and can't read) Anywhere that you can find deeper water close to shallow water can hold fish year round. If conditions turn bad they can change depth easy. They have a shallow area to use to feed and spawn if positioned right. don't limit areas just because someone says to fish them in summer spring fall and such because if the bass has everything it needs to survive and the feed don't run away they might hang out there most of the year.  

[Muddy]

And you can take that to the bank Thanks once again Chris, 8-)

[mackkie]

Thanks Chris, great info.  That's why the Resource rocks!