If you are new to bass fishing and you're intrigued by the wide variety of artificial lures available for use in the sport, crankbaits are a good place to start experimentation. Crankbait lures are one of the most effective lures for bass. Once you can distinguish a crankbait lure from other types of lures, learn how to deploy them properly.
Identification
Crankbaits are hard-bodied artificial lures that often resemble live baits such as minnows and crayfish. They come in various sizes and many designs and colors, with some crankbaits looking more realistic than others. Some crankbaits feature a plastic spoon-shaped lip on the front of the lure, while others are “lipless.” Still other crankbaits, called poppers, have a concave “face.” Some crankbaits have jointed bodies and special features like rattles. Most crankbaits have one or more sets of treble hooks dangling off the front and rear of the lure body. Purchase several crankbaits to try on your next outing. Nearly all of the various models are effective; perennial favorites include the Rapala Original Minnow.
Use a Baitcaster Reel
Crankbaits are heavy and require a reel that can throw the lure a decent distance. A spincasting reel would not be a good choice for crankbait casting. Use a baitcasting reel instead. A spinner reel is a reasonable alternative but beware of nasty line snags and “backlashes” when you throw the heavy crankbait.
Jerking
The attraction of a crankbait is the resemblance to the action of a wounded minnow or crayfish. Bass will key in on any minnow that appears to be in distress. You can make your crankbait look like it's wounded by jerking the lure through the water. Cast your crankbait lure into good bass territory. Let the lure drop in depth a few feet and then start reeling it back at medium speed. As you reel, jerk the tip of your rod rapidly from side to side. This will cause your crankbait to also jerk or “flash” from side to side. Minnows do this when they are hurt.
Popping
Another method of simulating a wounded minnow is to throw your crankbait lure out and then begin to reel it back in, this time “popping” the lure through the water by jerking the tip of the rod up and down. This causes the lure to lurch forward a little and then drift back in the water, another natural behavior of a wounded minnow.
Working the Covers
All largemouth and smallmouth bass seem to gravitate toward areas that provide cover, such as beds of lake grass, downed tree limbs and “stick-ups” like old tree stumps and old dock pylons. They also congregate to feed around rocky areas like riprap on dams and gravel at the end of a point. Throw a crankbait into any of these target zones and work the area thoroughly. If you do not get any strikes or “taps” on the lure, consider moving on or changing lures.
Double Weapons
Take two baitcasting rod and reel combinations on your next boat trip. Rig a larger crankbait, like a long jointed minnow, on one rod. Rig a smaller, more compact crankbait, like a squat shad, on the other rod. When you find a good target area, work it with the larger crankbait for a while and set the other rig aside. If the larger lure produces no strikes, change to the smaller crankbait. Having two rods prevents you from wasting time changing out lures on a single rod until you find the magic formula.
References
- The Ultimate Bass Fishing Resource Guide: Crankbait Fishing
- Bass Pro Shops: Crankbait Buyer's Guide
- "Roland Martin's 101 Bass-Catching Secrets"; Roland Martin; 2008
- "The Bass Angler's Almanac: More Than 650 Tips and Tactics"; John Weiss; 2002
- “Kevin VanDam's Bass Strategies Revised Edition”; Kevin VanDam, Louie Stout and Judy Purple; 2010
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