Deep Cranking

[ryan7261]

Using Deep Crankbaits

WHEN TO CRANK: Cranking is typically best in water between 55 and 80 degrees, or when bass are at their activity level. In this range, bass are most likely to make the reaction strike that makes deep cranking so effective.

WHERE TO USE DEEP CRANKBAITS: 1. In Shallow Water: The long bill of a deep crankbait is an effective buffer against hangups, allowing the angler to root the bait on the bottom in shallow water. This gives the lure an erratic fleeing crawfish action which is highly effective in the spring, when the water is warming into the 60s and bass are moving shallow. Crank shallow flats, bars and coves. 2. In Shallow Depressions: Ditches, shallow creek channels, dredge lines and the like are migration routes for bass moving from deep to shallow water in the spring, and bumping the edges and bottom of these depressions with a diving crankbait can produce a quick limit. 3. On Humps, Rockpiles and Roadbeds: These high spots are bass magnets, and cranking is the most efficient means of probing them. They're worth checking from spring through fall. 4. On Points: Best in post spawn and fall. Bass gravitate to points to intercept passing schools of baitfish and are vulnerable to a crankbait presentation. 5. On Channel Drops: With today's crankbaits that dive 20 to 30 feet, bass holding tight to or suspending over a channel drop are within reach.

DEEP CRANKING TACKLE: Most cranking rods range from 6 1/2 to 7 feet in length and have a very soft action. Graphite is considered too stiff by many pros, who prefer fiberglass or composite rods for crankbaits instead. The reason for the long, soft rod? Many bass hooked on crankbaits are skin hooked or hooked on the very edge or outside of the mouth. Crankbaits often foul hook bass that take a swipe at them, too. Landing these lightly hooked fish demands the maximum shock absorption - if a stiff rod is used, the bass may throw or rip out the hook on its first run. To attain the maximum depth and action from a lure, use a baitcasting reel spooled with 10 or 12 pound test line when deep cranking.

CRANKING SUBSTRUCTURES: Crankbaits are among the best bass lures for probing substructures, or structure on structure. Often a large piece of structure, such as a channel drop off, most of the bass in the area will be on a smaller piece of structure associated with the larger, such as a sunken tree or rockpile. Use deep diving crankbaits in association with your electronics to pinpoint these areas. Once you graph the substructure, drop a marker buoy, then probe the area with a crankbait capable of attaining the depth necessary to bump the substructure. Often, strikes will occur as the lure careens off the rock, stump, etc. But sometimes bass will suspend over the object and will strike a fast moving crankbait retrieved through them without making contact with the object.

READING BOTTOM WITH CRANKBAITS: With practice, you can read the bottom with a deep diving crankbait. When coupled with a sensitive rod, these lures have the ability to telegraph a considerable amount of useful information to the angler. The experienced fisherman can tell a gravel bottom from a mud bottom, or a rock from a stump, when his crankbait contacts it. Strikes often occur where one type of bottom condition or cover transitions into another.

WOOD vs. PLASTIC CRANKBAITS: Both wood and plastic crankbaits have their place in a tackle box. Wood lures are more buoyant and may appear more lifelike to the bass, particularly when careening off objects. Plus, there's an undeniable mystique to fishing a wood bait, this may inspire more confidence on the angler's part. But wood crankbaits aren't as durable as plastic and often chip or crack when bumped around stumps and rocks.

CRANKBAIT COLORS: Stick to basics when selecting crankbait colors. Shad, bluegill and crawfish colors are best. Chartreuse or fire tiger are especially good in stained water or in clear water on overcast days. Many anglers use crankbaits with reflective finishes, chrome, gold, blue, etc. These simulate baitfish well on sunny days, but quickly lose their flash when clouds roll in. On overcast days, avoid reflective colors and switch to flat baitfish simulating colors such as bone or Tennessee shad.

CRANKING TECHNIQUES: Crankbaits are mechanical lures unlike jigs or plastic worms, they have a built in action predetermined by the lure's design and construction features. If you cast them out and reel them straight back to the boat without bumping them into anything, they will have an unvarying action. This may be sufficient to tempt bass into striking. Varying the retrieve often can increase stikes when using deep crankbaits. A stop and go retrieve may trigger reluctant bass into striking, and, especially in clear water, probably makes the crankbait appear more lifelike to the bass. Finding out what kind of retrieve the bass want on a given day is always a matter of trial and error. If bass aren't responding to what you're doing, change it. Many anglers crank with the rod sideways, tip close to the water. Some sink the rod into the water, the kneel and reel presentation. This can cause your crankbait to dive to extreme depths, but may deaden the sensation of the lure vibrating through the rod and cause you to lose touch with the lure

Robby.

[crankbait-nate]

I think we all owe ROBZILLA a thanks and good job!! : on all the info youve been posting as of latley
MANY THANKS !! CB ;D

[ryan7261]

I can not take the credit for these post's, I have read them on another site and brought them here to share with you guy's.

I know some guy's don't do alot of reading, or looking for articles. It's good to come here and find it all right here no fuss no muss!

But I will take the thankyou for sharing with you though!

happy times fun fishin!

Â*Robby.

[bennersj]

Thanks Robzilla I learned some things from the article.

[ryan7261]

Some of the other reasons I have gone to anoter source for information is some of the topis get repaeted or just plain dragged out. So to break upt the staleness
of the board I thought it would be good to get some fresh ideas we could talk or discuss, or just plain o'l learn about.

I have learned quite abit my self in posting these threads and I hope you have as well.

Robby.

Out west we fish some high mountain lakes that have to roll over in late winter/early spring before they're fishable. We'll fish all of our favorite plastics on the first false springs and it's extremely hit and miss. Then just like clockwork, one of us will get disgusted and start cranking a deep diver like a Norman and the bass flat hammer it. It seems like they're coming out of hibernation and the two and half pound cookie cutter variety males go first along with the largest smallmouths. Then it transitions into the four and five pound females right up to pre-spawn and after that you couldn't catch a cold with a crankbait. It feels good to wear a five fish limit of 16 to 22 pounds for the day, but come tourney time, 10 to12 pounds wins every year. I wish I could find these fish when it counts. We never see this quality of fish until post-spawn up in the shallow grass beds at the lakes inlets and they'll only take a live, weightless worm in the late evening. I'd sure like to hear someones take on this and I'm glad I found this site with all of it's wealth of wisdom.

Thanks

Boldt

[Rob Mak]

i am not quite sure which question you are askin bolt.
are you wanting to know why ya can't catch fish in the summer with a crankbait?
first i belive you might be fishing to shallow with a crankbait -the weightless worm late in the day is a good clue- back off the bank a hundred yards and start casting at the spot you had your boat sitting.imo the bass move shallow in the eveing to avoid boat pressure. i would also c-rig the areas you are currantly catching them. only cast away from shore. think deep would be my best advice.
bout the only time i fish shallow in the summer is when i fish docks.
zooker

Zooker

Sorry for the confusion. We fish deep water almost exclusively except for jerkin grass beds in and around the spawn. My point was that the only fish caught that compare to the heavy winter fish that we "deep crank" are the late summer fish we find with llive bait in ankle deep water. I wish it was just me, but the lake is loaded with fisherman and these big fish are there and not being caught. We've tried what seems like everything, everywhere, in every condition without any major success. I used to think bass fishing was a joke and finally got hooked on it a few years ago. I love the wide open, gut wrenching stress of tournament fishing and we always finish in the top ten, but if I could figure out how to locate those bacon-backs, then we'd be right in the hunt. One of the tourneys is during the spawn and the the fish that the competitors drag off their beds simply do not compare to the fish we "deep crank" in late winter. Oh well, whatever.

Boldt

[Rob Mak]

well at least it makes more sense now.
although i live on the east coast there is a few lakes with both large and small mouth bass in them i don't fish them much. here is a question are you targeting one or the other species? in tourny's my guest would be large mouth. but that is just me.


zooker

Well obviously the top boats have a limt of largemouth, but I've seen a lot of boats turn in an all smallmouth limit and place well when conditions were tough. In fact a few years ago six and seven pound limits won a few tournaments. Hard to believe, but believe it. As far as targeting a species we don't when we're "deep cranking" in late winter. We're fishing areas (deep coves) that favor smallmouth and the largemouth seem to like these spots because they're out of the main flow of snow melt entering the shallow end of the lake. The one common denominator of the early season is we locate the best of the best regardless of the species. We're starting to travel more and hopefully I can bring home some summer-time secrets from other lakes and apply them at home. I'll finish by giving you something to think about. You know that feeling you get when you make a twenty foot deep stop and go retrieve with a big crank and it's working so hard that it's clear under the boat and right before you pull it out of the water a psycho six pounder nearly unexpectedly rips your rod right out of your hands? Now that's what I'm talking about. I can't wait.

Boldt