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Old 05-17-06, 02:18 PM   #1
kickinbass54
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Default Crankbaits!! I need help!!

I am going to a clear water lake to go fishing in about 2 weeks for a tourny. I want to buy some crankbaits and use them there but am not very good at them . I like in northern michigan and the water will probably be in the 60's. It has some pretty good drop offs along the shore and is some places has stumps and sticks laying on the ground. How do i fish crankbaits and what baits should i get? Need help!!!
thanks zack
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Old 05-17-06, 02:47 PM   #2
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Quote:
Originally Posted by kickinbass54
I am going to a clear water lake to go fishing in about 2 weeks for a tourny. I want to buy some crankbaits and use them there but am not very good at them . I like in northern michigan and the water will probably be in the 60's. It has some pretty good drop offs along the shore and is some places has stumps and sticks laying on the ground. How do i fish crankbaits and what baits should i get? Need help!!!
thanks zack
Just my opinion but if the water temps are still in the 60's Id throw a rattletrap. Also in those stump areas slow roll a single spin spinnerbait.
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Old 05-17-06, 05:03 PM   #3
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lipless baits for sure.. a few shad colored jointed shad raps would be a good idea.


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Old 05-17-06, 05:15 PM   #4
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i guess i stated it wrong. How can i use it on a lake like that. Where do i use it, i just want to learn how to use these things
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Old 05-17-06, 05:25 PM   #5
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Yup, for once I agree with them. Buy several different brands of lipless baits as well and change up periodically to see if they prefer one better than another.I hate to say it, but the lucky craft lipless bait has caught alot of fish for me in the last couple of weeks.The only reason I bought it was it was clearanced at $5.99 from $15.00.Its on the big side, but they smash it hard enough to almost pull the rod out of my hand.Fish over the sparse grassed flats. I use 30 lb braid with a 7"0 Medium crankin stick this year and it works well for me.Also either make feathered tailed trebles, or you can buy them pre made.I prefer the Owner pre made dressed trebles, or I use #4 Gamakatsu EWG trebles and various colors of White River (Bass pro shop brand)neck hackle strung is what the pack reads and tie my own, its not difficult at all to do.I hope this helps.P N J
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Old 05-17-06, 05:38 PM   #6
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You should be targeting spawning flats and surrounding area.I would have guessed 60's water temp is too early for Michigan, But I am just guessing, not being familiar with it. Water temp here in the smaller lakes is only 56 degrees,even if they aren't spawning, they will be staging up to , which will put them near the flats. I don't know why the lipless bait works so well in colder water temps, they will knock the fire out of it. P N J
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Old 05-17-06, 05:58 PM   #7
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The fish are still on the flats hitting well around here pnj, hope things are going well on your side of the lake
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Old 05-17-06, 06:21 PM   #8
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i would also recomend lipless baits ( rattlin rapalas) and to use them just cast them and reel them it you can pause it now and then but for me its ussally 50% that i will get them on the fall and the other 50 while i am just reeling them in
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Old 05-17-06, 11:11 PM   #9
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Another vote for lipless crankbaits. Throw them along weedlines, let them drop into the weeds and rip it free, yo-yo it-there really isn't a wrong way to fish them. Just vary your retrieve and let the fish tell you what they want. Chrome/blue back is a must have color.

Now, if you want to use lipped cranks think contact-you want the baits to be hitting something. One of my favorite ways to fish them is to get a deep runner and fish it shallow. For example, if I'm fishing water 6 feet deep I throw a crank that runs 10-12 feet. That way it digs into the bottom and resembles a crawfish.
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Old 05-18-06, 06:02 AM   #10
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One of my favorite prespawn techniques is to use a shad or baby bass colored crank that runs deep enough to just hit the tops of the grass. Use a slower retrieve reel and make sure that every time you tick the top of the grass rip it. At times they will murder it.
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Old 05-21-06, 01:37 AM   #11
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Cant go wronng with a rapala shad rap, also the rapala rattling supended shad rap chrom and blue. I won a tourney and this was all I threw.
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Old 05-21-06, 08:10 PM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by kickinbass54
I am going to a clear water lake to go fishing in about 2 weeks for a tourny. I want to buy some crankbaits and use them there but am not very good at them . I like in northern michigan and the water will probably be in the 60's. It has some pretty good drop offs along the shore and is some places has stumps and sticks laying on the ground. How do i fish crankbaits and what baits should i get? Need help!!!
thanks zack
First off WHY are you throwing cranks in a tourney if you aren't comfortable with them If you are the backseater I understand, but if you have the boat, I would fish to YOUR stengths not weakness's. Now as for which cranks, everyone already staed the Lipless, but I would reccomend a Mann's -1 in the color of whatever the local baitfish/crawdads are. Wide wobble and shallow diving can help in that water temp IMO. I would also consider a Fluke twitched instead of a crank if conditions allow. But above all else a tourney isn't a place to start learning how to crank, unless the other guy is beating you with one. Use a spinnerbait instead if you're more comfortable with it. Just bring some different weights to cover the water column. Tight lines in the tourney

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Old 05-21-06, 08:32 PM   #13
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Im going out to fish pre fish it and thats what the guy won it on last year. I fish the lake just about every week but i just needed some tips or pointers i should say to maybe give me more of an edge if i need to go to them. I am a big spinner bait fisher and i got shutout on spinnerbaits last year. It was all around a tough tourny for eveyone when i came in 3rd with a 3lbs bass. The guy who won had 5 nice smallies and he used crankbaits.
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Old 05-21-06, 09:06 PM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by kickinbass54
The guy who won had 5 nice smallies and he used crankbaits.
I bet if he used another bait, say a tube, or spinnerbait he could have very easily have caught those same fish. He just knew where they were Which is much more important than how to catch them IMO. Again tight lines, I sure can't give you any advice on a lake I've never fished, and you fish weekly

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Old 05-21-06, 09:18 PM   #15
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I wouldnt crank if the water is still that cold. 66 degrees is perfect if its 55 to low 60's there probaly staging for the spawn. maybe throw then if it gets a few degrees warmer in the afternoon. But cranking is pretty easy cast and reel. But look for those deep drop offs 10-15ft. near the swallows 2-4 ft. Like I said they should be staging there waiting in line for there turn on the beds. probally holding at 6-8ft off and around some kind of piont. Then Id move into the shallows with soft plastics.
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Old 05-22-06, 10:07 AM   #16
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If some of the fish have spawned, don't forget the bluegill pattern rattle trap, the bluegill will and do try to raid the spawning beds and the fish have a time guarding the nest.
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Old 05-29-06, 03:20 PM   #17
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Default Crankbait

I fish almost exclusively bandit crankbaits.
Here are two that work well for me.
One is the "taco salad"
the other is a series 100 Chart.
also known as mr. stinky lure (my daughter named it)
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Old 05-29-06, 03:21 PM   #18
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PS they can be ordered from http://www.banditlures.com
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