tryin to learn more on crankbaiting

[randerson52]

i need some serious help with crankbaiting. I dont know anything about throwing one, Ill sit there and throw them constantly but i wont produce. Any tips would be greatly appreciated

[basstech]

IT depends on the depth your fishing and like always...the weather conditions. I like to use jointed rapala's....i think they're the fat shad raps or something. They dive probably 5 ft....give or take a few feet....but they work well. If it's cloudy or just murky water go w/ the firetiger color cuz that one works good. I also have a natural colored one for clear water or just overall good conditions but it doesn't produce as much as the firetiger color. find out how deep u wanna go then find the right crankbait for it. Hope u catch a lot of huge bass!

[macgyver]

Dang Powerbass, you've got 417 posts here, and you still don't know where to look ???

http://www.basresource.com/cgi-bin/w...maxchars=10000

Lizards

[Rich]

Working on that myself. The key is contact. For example, if I'm fishing a clay bank I throw a crankbait that will dig into the bottom and stir up a mud trail. You want the bait to be making sontact with something-the bottom, a stump, flooded trees, etc.

Lipless crankbaits like a Rat-L-Trap are great grass baits. I throw them over grass and let them settle periodically and rip them free. You can get some powerful strikes doing this.

For fishing flooded timber I like a bait with a square bill-the shape of the bill allows it to deflect of whatever it hits keeping the hooks from snagging.

[basstech]

I haven't had much luck w/ rattletraps. they only reason bass bite them is cuz they're soooo damn annoying. i don't blame them. lol. I was using one casting in the same spot forever and my friend was like...let me try. So i gave him my pole...he casts in the same spot and catches one @ least 4 lbs....maybe 5. So i was kinda pissed.

[bassfisher14]

That just goes to show that you never let your friend use your rod. Especially after casting something in the same spot for a few minutes. Bass can be pretty curious and if they are anywhere around, they are going to swim over to see what is making all the racket in the water. Sometimes, you got to draw them in.

[mblk181]

If you find a crankbait that catches fish, place a small dot on the bottom of the lure with a marker for each fish caught. You can take several lures that are identical, and for some unknown reason, maybe only one will catch fish well. I'd suggest adding a red dot for each one caught and start underneath near the lip. Rebbasser is right on with his advice and observations....the dot marks is an idea PnJ shared with me sometime back.

[Infisherman1]

All my cranks are spot-free... lol

[randerson52]

[quote author=lizardsrule link=board=news;num=1111107150;start=0#2 date=03/17/05 at 19:57:48]Dang Powerbass, you've got 417 posts here, and you still don't know where to look ???

http://www.basresource.com/cgi-bin/w...maxchars=10000

Lizards[/quote]

actually, i read it and tried what it said, but i still cant catch anything on them.

[reddscott]

Oddly I love throwing crankbaits in brush... reel slowly up to the brush when it starts hitting it and feels like its about to get snagged just stop reeling and let it come up over the brush/branch whatever WORKS AWESOME!

[IL.bassin36]

That dot idea sounds like a good one. I've got a few that would look like they got the chicken pocks, but then again- I got some that would be clear as a bell ;D One suggestion I'd give is to pick just a couple of brands, it'll help with keeping track of diving depth, action and cut down on confusion. Another would be to change the front hook to a red treble Good luck!

[BaSsFiShEr20]

[quote author=RatLTrap link=board=news;num=1111107150;start=0#9 date=03/18/05 at 07:48:09]Oddly I love throwing crankbaits in brush... reel slowly up to the brush when it starts hitting it and feels like its about to get snagged just stop reeling and let it come up over the brush/branch whatever WORKS AWESOME![/quote]


Square billed baits work best for this.

Charles

[BaSsFiShEr20]

Crankbaiting 101 By Charles Graves



I would like to take a few minutes to try and help out fellow anglers who are either new to fishing, or are just haveing trouble catching fish on crankbaits. There are several important factors which must come into play for one to be successful with crankbaits.

The 2 most important factors when crankbaiting are the depth at which the fish are holding, and their location in relation to structure.. You must know the depth in order to choose one that achieves that depth and remains there during the majority of the retrieve, and the location so you will be able to make the proper presentation.

Referring to depth, a suspended bass will be VERY difficult to get to bite a crankbait because in order to be effective, one must"Bounce" a crankbait off of some form of object.
I.E.Tick the tops of weeds, bump the stump, dig bottom, etc.

You must bring the lure either above the fish, or on the same level of the fish, because they can not see directly below or behind themselves.

When fishing a particular piece of structure or cover, make a long cast past it, and bring it back so that your lure is in the strike zone at the moment it reaches the potential bass ambush point.When it bumps the cover, pause it or give it a sudden burst of speed. This will trigger a strike.

You can fish a crankbait effectivly on almost any form of structure.Points, flats, ledges,dropoffs,roadbeds,riprap,sandbars,Etc.

One of my favorite techniques when fishing flats or the backs of creeks is to take a crawdad colored crank that runs about a foot deeper than the bottom, and reel it steadily causing it to churn bottom and stir up a commotion. I have caught some really large bass doing this.

If you have been catching bass on a certain size and color of crankbait, and they stop hitting or slow down, try simply changing colors.
Trust me, it works.

Let the fish tell you what they want. Listen to them. Don't be afraid to try different sizes, styles, colors and retrieves untill you find what the fish want.

Try this sometime. Take 3 lures of the same color, but in three different sizes, and try the following retrieves. 1.Slow and steady. 2.Slow and steady, pausing when bumping cover. 3.slow and steady, then "rip" the lure when contacting cover. Then try a medium retrieve with each above technique.

See which one catches you the fish.

Color is also a factor, but mainly lies in what you have confidence in and what the primary forage fish/bait is in your area.

Wood vs. plastic. Plastic cranks are pretty much uniform. One Excaliber wiggles pretty much like the others, as does Bomber,Rebel, ect.
Wood, because of the difference in densities in different pieces of wood, no two wooden cranks will have exactly the same action. I prefer wooden because it does produce a more erratic action.

Cranking Equipment: This is another area that is important.
Reel:I prefer a slow retrieve reel, like the Pflueger Trion LP Cranking reel. It has a 4.3:1 Gear ratio which is absolutly ideal for dragging a big, deep running, hard pulling crankbait through the water. The slower ratio makes it easier on the angler, and presents the bait in a more lifelike manner.It also will not bind up as easy as a fast reel.
Rod:An E-Glass or all Glass rod is an absolute must for a serious crankbaiter. I like the Falcon Crankbait rod, which is A graphite composite. You need the limber tip and flex these rods have in order to help land the fish.Many fish are lost due to too stiff a rod.
Line:A good line is a must. You want one with minimul stretch in order to achieve a good hookset. You also need the right # test. 10# test is what is recommended by most manufacturers, and their depth ratings are based on it. However, you can expect that for each lb test you increase, you loose 2 feet of depth. Adversly, if you drop below 8 lb test, you also begin to loose depth. I use 12 myself.
Use sharp hooks: This can NOT be overemphasized. Sharp hooks catch more fish.
Tuning A Crankbait: Fortunatly, most of the premium baits available today usually do not need to be tuned before use. However, if your bait should begin to run off to on side, tune it as follows.
Hold the bait in your hand facing the bill. If the bait runs to the right, bend the eye SLIGHTLY to the LEFT. If to left, bend to RIGHT.Repeat until bait runs true.

[BaSsFiShEr20]

Continued from above:



Crankbait Types: There are three basic body types which I will talk about.

1.Potbellied: (Mann's depth series, Bomber Fat A, Bagleys B Series, Bandit, Etc.). My personal favorite style. These lures are built bulky, and produce a wide, hard wobble.As much as 6 inches, based on lure size and retrieve speed. They are designed to resemble bluegill and pearch.

2.Flat, or Slim baits: (Excaliber Fat Free Series, Bomber Flat A, Shad Rap, Ect.). These baits are slim, trim, and sleek, and are designed to best immitate shad.They produce a tight, fast wooble/wiggle, and are better when fish are not as agressive.

3.Lipless Cranks: (Rat-L-Trap, Ect.): These have a very tight wiggle, and rattles, and are designed to imitate baitfish in general.They work well anytime the water is above 55 degrees.


Crankbait Depths.:
Here are the basic catagories of depth for most cranks.

Super Shallow: 0-2feet
Shallow:2-4 feet
Medium:4 -6 feet
Deep:6-10 feet
Extra Deep:10-18 Feet.

You can generally tell the average running depth of a crankbait by the shape and position ot the lip in relation to the body.

Example. A Bait with a short narrow bill at a hard angle down from the body will tell you it is a SS or S runner. A moderate angle down from body, a medium/deep runner. A long wide bill straight out from the nose is a XD runner.

Types of wooden crankbaits:
Cedar: Not very common.Ony Poe's makes these. A heavy, almost neutral Bouyancy.

Balsa: The most Common.A lightweight wood used by Bagley, Rapala, and most makers. It is Extremly Bouyant.

Jelutong:My favorite. Bouyant, Lightweight and Produces a good action.Not as common as Balsa, but more so than cedar.
Bouyancy of Balsa, Strength of Cedar.




TIP:

When Fishing submerged weeds within 3 feet of the surface, try fishing a Lipless crankbait on a fast retrieve reel and heavy line(17-20#).The heavy line will help slow the fall of the lure and keep it out of the weeds, and the reel will burn it back. A Super shallow running crank will also work with this tip.



Good Fishing,
Charles

[BaSsFiShEr20]

The Allure Of Wooden Crankbaits By Charles Graves

For many years, one of the secret baits of the pros have been wooden crankbaits.Sure, we have all seen
pictures of them slinging the plastic plugs, but when it comes cruch time, and the money is one the line, many
will reach for thier wooden ones.The reason is as simple as this.

They catch more fish.

Wooden crankbaits produce an action you simply cannot duplicate with a plastic bait. Wood gives the baits a rolling, injured minnow action the bass find extremly difficult to turn down.They have a more random "Searching", or "hunting" track during the retrieve.I feel this type of random, confused track triggers more strikes due to imitating a dazed or disoriented baitfish.
Also, due to the density differances in wood (no two having the same density), no two wooden crankbaits will have the exact same action. Again, and advantage when fishing pressured waters, and one of the reasons wood is so popular with those that know this.

Are there differances in the different wooden Baits?
Absolutly. I am a firm believer in hand carved wooden plugs over the mass produced wood baits any day. They do cost more, but they simply produce a better action and catch more bass.My favorite baits are those made by Carolina Chips Lure Company. These baits are unbeatable.

Now to discuss the differances in wood:
The most common wood for crankbaits is Balsa. This wood is incredibly lightweight, with very high floatation, and a very lifelike action.The drawback to Balsa is that it is not particularly strong. It is a fairly weak wood that will not withstand alot of abuse. A consideration if you are going to fish aggressive species.

For those who want a crankbait that can withstand more abuse, Cedar is the popular choice, though still not the best. Cedar lures are very dense and therefore heavier than Balsa baits,therefore they can be fished a little slower, but they are much stronger.Cedar is not as bouyant as Balsa, and has a more subdued action.

Then there is Jelutong wood. Jelutong gives anglers the best of both worlds. It has the Action and Bouyancy of Balsa, but it is as strong and tough as Cedar. I have all my baits made for me out of Jelutong. It is simply the best in my opinion.

Again, the biggest reason to chose hand carved wooden baits above any other type of cranks is the action.
ACTION = BASS.

Good Fishing,

Charles

[BaSsFiShEr20]

[quote author=HoosierAngler link=board=news;num=1111107150;start=0#10 date=03/18/05 at 08:11:42]One suggestion I'd give is to pick just a couple of brands, it'll help with keeping track of diving depth, Another would be to change the front hook to a red treble Good luck![/quote]


Take a permanent sharpie and write the depth on the bottom of the bill. the fish wont be able to read it, but youll know what it runs. and I completly agree with the front red hook. All mjy baits have aquired this feature.

Charles

[randerson52]

wow thanks for all the great info im going to print it, and put it with my other notes.

[Rob Mak]

well well well if it aint BASS-and this is my point-BOSS... good read for a novel. next time add some pictures they is a few here that read none to good..





jk


zooker

[bearpaw]

The dot on the bottum is a good idea. Just try and not use that particular bait while practicing for a tournament.

[Rich]

Take a permanent sharpie and write the depth on the bottom of the bill.

That is a great idea, Charles-thanks!

Same with the dot when you catch one-thanks PnJ!

[profishermenkid16]

I was not aware of the share, but since now it is out, I will tell you the system.Sharpie pens come in many colors.Choose a color code for instance red color dot=1-25 fish caught green=25- 50 fish caught. Then there are blue dots = if a bait catches 5 or 6 bigger sized fish say 3-5 lb bass or however big size is for your area.Black number= max depth under normal casting & cranking. If you want to remove a color mark over the dot and wipe clean before the new ink dries. The old spot will be removed with the fresh ink that was applied. I always take a calm day and tune the lure to run absolutely straight. Once it does, I mark a ok under the bill.I also marked the tail section for bigger than normal fish.Here in NY state a fish over 4lbs is above average.It may have been a coincidence but if it happens more than once with the same lure.Its my go to bait when tournament fishing.I hope this helps someone else as much as it has me in the past to keep track of your baits. P N J

[largemouth76]

I've had good luck pausing the bait. It doesn't matter if I'm ticking bottom or not. It gives the bait a more natural action than just cranking away.

Kevin

[profishermenkid16]

KK,is right I also have better luck pausing the cranks alot. I use suspend dots alot ,but you have to have time to make sure it doesn't kill the action of the bait, but I like the Bomber flat A cranks for passing fronts and colder water temps.Very seldom do I use a fat bodied crank here in NY state, unless I am fishing tree tops that fell in the lake from ice storms.We do not have man made reservoirs here, everything is glacier made, so I crank infront of sea walls and inside corners on points and outside weed edges on flats in 10 ft. of water or less.I hope this helps. P N J

[NCfisherman]

Great tips bassboss, thanks! ;D

[bearpaw]

Rattle-trap type baits can be effective on bass that are chasing active shad. You'll most likely see the shad beaking the water. When this happens, throw your rattle-trap in the middle of the school of shad. I've personally caught some big bass while doing this. Bass can also be caught where shad are present but not on top.. Just fan casting can catch quality fish .