Pausing And Twitching With Cranks

[iceintheveins]

Most of us know that having your crankbait make contact with and deflect off objects like rocks or wood triggers a lot more strikes than a simple straight retrieve.

Does working the crank with a stop and go retrieve, adding the occasional jerk, or changing the direction in which you are reeling tend to have a similiar effect in areas where there isn't a whole lot of cover to make contact with?

[cyph3r]

from personal experience i would say it does induce more strikes from the bass.

[MALTESE FALCON]

Absolutely!!

I observed baitfish for a long time. I rarely, if ever, saw them just swim a straight line. They always will stop and go, or dart in a different direction. I try to imitate that.

Falcon

[Danny1991]

Definitely!!

[Bassin_Fin@tic]

Certainly! I have been know to work certain baits just like a jerkbait.

What about the places and times when you absolutely cannot contact bottom because sticky nasty pond scum and/or muck? This technique works great.

[roadwarrior]

Absolutely!!

I observed baitfish for a long time. I rarely, if ever, saw them just swim a straight line. They always will stop and go, or dart in a different direction. I try to imitate that.

Falcon

My observation is just the opposite. Threadfin shad gather in

large schools and swim straight until they are attacked. Smaller

groups in moving water appear to be stationary against the

current.

I think it's all about the right depth. Otherwise, steady retrieve.

BTW, I do agree with bumping and digging bottom, but that is

more about getting a predators attention than the strike itself.

When structure or cover affect the lures path and action that is

usually good, but again, I don't think this class of lures needs to

be "worked" by the fisherman.

8-)

[retiredbosn]

I like working crankbaits every which way possible.  If I'm not getting bit on a steady retrieve then I start mixing it up.  At times my retrieve becomes very irratic, stop, burn, stop, slow, medium, burn, kill it. I don't know if it helps or not, but it keeps me from becoming bored when the fish aren't biting.  

[Uncle Leo]

I like working crankbaits every which way possible. If I'm not getting bit on a steady retrieve then I start mixing it up. At times my retrieve becomes very irratic, stop, burn, stop, slow, medium, burn, kill it. I don't know if it helps or not, but it keeps me from becoming bored when the fish aren't biting.

Exactlt there really is not wrong way but if you mix it up the Bass will let you know the right way.

[Paul Roberts]

Finding aggressive fish is always your best bet -and a straight chuck-n-wind retrieve can work just fine.

But... there are also times when added triggers help, and sometimes make a BIG difference. This is true with any lure. I tend to start with a straight retrieve and add triggers if needed. Scarcely a fishing day goes by when I don't have to milk a spot with added triggers.

Nowhere I suppose is the possible importance of triggering in crankbaits more obvious than in a jerkbait. These plugs, being long and slender with a small lip, change direction radically they hunt like a Zara. Try fishing a jerkbait with a straight retrieve! And you'll get bored. This isn't really doable with most lipped, fat bodied cranks though. But there's still stuff you can do that can make a difference.

Smoothly accelerating a few turns can do it -I do this a LOT with jigs. This is one of my favorite ways of fishing lipless cranks too, using a slow to moderate retrieve then accelerating through 2 or 3 turns. It can also be really effective done more vertically through sparse vegetation -ripping it up through the weeds. At times, without doing this I'd never have known there were willing biters there. Here's a pic from just such a day: brilliant blue and no bites until I started vertically ripping a lipless. This was a 4lber that topped off this run of fish.

With lipped cranks, I tend to crank straight to achieve depth and search for aggressive fish. But if I believe I'm on fish and not catching, or just getting slaps, I will start playing with triggers. I will slow the retrieve, then accelerate (like I would a jig above), or find something to bang into. Crashing something can really increase strikes. And crashing then sticking and accelerating off of something usually beats just bumping it. I actually believe it's the acceleration again, and direction change, that results.

Changing direction can really work too, but this can only really be done (when casting) when the lure is relatively close to you near the end of the retrieve. I do this a lot. When fish are a bit stale or at least not really aggressive they may follow a bait for a ways. Changes in direction (as well as speed -slight is often better then too fast and long) can elicit a strike. Subtle direction changes can be built into a cranks action too it's called hunting and this action is often why people pay big bucks for custom cranks, and why the original Wiggle-Wart is so coveted compared to the stabilized new models. I have some old Tom Seward Natural Ikes that do this too. I have two left now! :-/ A plug that hunts' shimmies to one side, then the other, as you chuck-n-wind.

[Stringjam]

I would never use an erratic action with a crankbait.  

Just look at how unproductive Rogues and Pointers are.  

[bilgerat]

One of the few baits that gets me ZERO, although I'm determined to change that. I figured it was lack of structure in my waters, but reading this thread shoots that theory down..... :-/

I've read that fall is an especially good time for cranks. Maybe I'll change my luck in the next several weeks.

BTW, why does nearly every crank have a rattle in it ? Are there times when not having it is an advantage ?

[Paul Roberts]

Sorry ice, just re-read your post. No, I've never jerked or twitched a diving type crank. But I do the other stuff mentioned above regularly.

[RoLo]

One of the few baits that gets me ZERO, although I'm determined to change that. I figured it was lack of structure in my waters, but reading this thread shoots that theory down..... :-/

I've read that fall is an especially good time for cranks. Maybe I'll change my luck in the next several weeks.

BTW, why does nearly every crank have a rattle in it ? Are there times when not having it is an advantage ?

Lure makers sell lures to fishermen, not to fish. They include rattles in most jigs and crankbaits

simply to stay competitive. I for one believe that rattles make for an unnatural delivery.

Does any baitfish come to mind, that rattles when it swims? ;D

Roger

[SkilletSizeBass.]

Nothing seems to trigger more bites on a crank than ripping it thru some weeds or bouncing off some wood or rocks to me. But, I do vary my retreive with a crank. at times slow and steady, or burning, pausing, twitching or jerking. And, if that doesn't work, changing baits a lot, cause I got a bunch of differant crankbaits just dying to get out of the box and get wet  ;D...And, If they produce regularly, they will earn a spot in the " top rack" of the ole tacklebox

[luz2blaze]

Long Cast..just a medium speed retrieve... drag,bump,bounce off all underwater wood,grass, shellbed,point, hump etc.... and hold on!

[Five-Alive]

Maybe it is all in my mind but when my crank bait is making constant contact with the bottom, I tend to slow it down a bit, when it makes occasional contact with structure I tend to pause a bit and to me this seems to get me more strikes ......... again this may be just in my mind.

[angler1]

Pause, twitch, and directional changes are all great ways to induce a strike. I personally don't pause for too long, maybe a 2 count. I don't want them to get too good of look at my bait.

[Dr Pigg]

caught this yesterday on series 6 strike king splatterback.  Fishing 9-10 foot of water, coming across 15-16 foot deep ditch.  Cranked 5-6 times to get it down, then 2 cranks and a pause.  Could feel it hitting my side of the ditch.  Caught on about 10th cast into same spot, just as it hit my side of ditch-really felt nothing different--except it had a little wiggle as I put on pressure.

[Dr Pigg]

Sorry I forgot to mention it-I released it!!

[roadwarrior]

WOW!

One heck of a fish and GREAT pic!