Crankbaits may get a bad rep for being susceptible to snagging more easily than other lures, but they remain one of the most versatile bass fishing lures out there if used effectively.
Crankbaiting effectively involves producing irregular motion that attracts aggressive bass to strike at it, here are three signs it might be time to whip out your crankbait.
How to Reel a Crankbait
Crankbaits are one of the most versatile baits available to bass anglers. They can be used throughout the year and in any cover or structure type imaginable, saving time in boat trips while increasing productivity on each one. When used properly, crankbaits can catch more fish faster. When properly fished they become an indispensable weapon against fish! Understanding how to fish a crankbait effectively is vital; not only will you save yourself precious fishing time but it will also make each trip out more productive than before!
There are various methods for using a crankbait, but one of the easiest and most popular ways is reeling it at an ever-increasing pace. This method is great for covering plenty of water quickly – particularly effective early spring when bass are spawning along shallow shorelines.
Pausing your crankbait periodically while retrieving is another effective technique for fishing around brush piles or other forms of cover, and can often trigger strikes by banging against the bottom or other structure – also perfect if fish are being finicky! This tactic may also work if they seem shy to strike.
Finally, crankbait fishing on rocky ledges or roadbeds requires longer casts and larger reels in order to safely retrieve the bait out of its strike zone without snagging. When targeting these structures it is also important to remember that crankbaits are contact lures; thus bouncing against surfaces such as bottom cover, rock ledges, or any other structures while you retrieve may trigger strikes as it appears as though an aggressive bass is trying to escape an instinctive bite of baitfish from them as you retrieve.
Another key consideration when fishing a crankbait is choosing colors and styles suitable to the water clarity and temperature. In clear waters, go for natural hues that mimic baitfish; when fishing in murky or murky water use brighter hues that stand out more. You should also think carefully about its shape and ability to travel through cover; for instance if fishing in heavy cover choose one with a lip that won’t get caught easily like other models would.
How to Retrieve a Crankbait
Crankbaits are great lures to use when covering water and searching out areas where fish may be present, as their wiggling action mimicking that of baitfish or fry can trigger strikes and cause strikes from strikes to trigger fish to strike. But their effectiveness depends on how you retrieve it – the shorter its retrieval, the greater its effectiveness will be.
Most anglers opt for a straight retrieve when fishing crankbaits, as this approach is usually the most efficient way to locate fish quickly and locate areas quickly. However, some anglers have discovered that varying their retrieve can improve effectiveness of their bait.
Speed of retrieval will have an enormous effect on a crankbait’s action and depth of dive, so it is crucial that you experiment with different speeds and winding styles when retrieving it. A slower retrieve will allow the bait to dive deeper while faster retrieve will cause it to rise higher in the water column.
As it relates to reeling your crankbait, its speed also has an effect on how far and fast it can travel, keeping up with bass as they chase after it. Bait that cannot run at full speed may get caught on structures or become stuck which will be off-putting to bass.
One way to avoid this situation is by selecting a crankbait with a floating design. These lures are intended to float until they come in contact with anything that might snag them, such as logs or pieces of timber; then they pause briefly until freed of obstruction and continue their retrieval without getting stuck.
Yo-Yoing your crankbait into maximum depth is another effective strategy to ensure its maximum depth reach. This involves allowing it to sink to its desired depth before lifting it a few feet before letting it sink back again, repeating this cycle until your desired amount of water has been covered. Though this might seem complex, using Yo-Yo techniques in shallow waters is an efficient and proven approach that can maximize the potential of any bait you cast out there.
How to Present a Crankbait
Crankbaits are lures that imitate the body shape of baitfish to stimulate game fish’s natural prey instinct and induce strikes from game fish. Crankbaits can be retrieved at various speeds; for optimal performance they should be slowly with frequent pauses to replicate how live baitfish move while attracing gamefish nearer to cover or near the bottom.
Crankbaits can be described by their bill type. A wide, round bill produces wider wobbling action while thin flat sides create tighter action. Furthermore, body style plays an integral part in how well a crankbait moves through water currents as well as deflecting structures or cover.
Lipless crankbaits tend to float higher than their lipped counterparts while still deflecting off structures and vegetation, making it the better choice when fishing thick grassy areas with densely packed weeds that tangle together. A lipless crankbait also has the added advantage of being easily pulled from dense vegetation without getting stuck whereas its counterpart may dig into it and get caught.
Selecting the appropriate line size is key to positioning a crankbait at its optimal depth and increasing catch rates. Monofilament and braided lines float, decreasing dive depth while fluorocarbon lines sink and increase it; lure weight can also play a factor here with lighter lures diving deeper than heavier ones.
Finding the appropriate color palette for your crankbait success is also key to its success, from natural colors that match current forage sizes in clear water to more eye-catching or accent colors when fishing stained waters. Selecting lures that move through the water column at an appropriate pace is equally critical – slow moving crankbaits tend to work best with colder waters and lethargic bass while faster retrievals appeal more actively aggressive bass species. Interchanging squarebill and lipless crankbaits allows you to target bass at all depth levels with one bait!
How to Hook a Crankbait
Crankbaits are reliable bass fishing lures that can be used year round. But many factors determine whether or not you experience success using this lure; weather, temperature and depth being three of them. Crankbait fishing should only be attempted under optimal circumstances, so let Mother Nature be your guide when making this decision!
Bass tend to respond favorably when reeling back crankbaits with their unpredictable action, as they feed on small baitfish such as shad or alewives that move with an irregular pattern such as crustaceans and crustacean shells that shift randomly. Therefore, it is crucial that crankbait retrievals mimic this action by including quick jerks and twitches into your retrieve, slowing or speeding up reeling action or altering it altogether.
An easy way to improve the action of your crankbait is to match its color and style with that of its natural prey in the area where you are fishing. For instance, if the area contains many crawfish populations then opt for a lure with browns and beiges to represent its look.
Bill shape can have a significant effect on crankbait action. Lipless models tend to produce tighter wiggle than their conventional counterparts and square bills dive deeper than round lips.
Rattle add-ons can make your crankbait more appealing to bass. Available in various shapes and sizes to fit your particular model, rattles make an audible rattle as the bait is pulled through the water – an excellent strategy when fishing murky or stained waters where bass require additional attention being drawn towards their target.
Make sure that your crankbaits are hooked properly for maximum effectiveness. Dull hooks are one of the main causes of lost fish when using crankbaits, so regularly inspect and replace as necessary.
