Shallow
Divers run just under the surface. They are ideal around wood cover, where you might find a tree laying in the
water. Work both sides and then switch back to the medium diver to make sure that bass hog is not hiding under
the log.
Lipless
Crank baits flat sided without a diving bill. Most of them that I use are made by Rat-N-Trap. They are loaded
with the noise making rattles; making them an easy target for MR. Hog. He can locate the bait with ease and can
be fished in shallow, medium, and deep water.
Choosing the Crank Bait Colors:
If
I was choosing the colors I would try a "Match The Hatch" but what I
think would be the first three to buy would be the Shad pattern, Crawfish pattern, and the Firetiger.
The
Shad work well in clear to stain water where there are plenty of gizzard shad and threadfin. Look for the
silver/white as they work well in spring and fall; that is usually when the shad are plentiful.
The
Crawfish Pattern is best around rocks seeing that is where crawfish live and the Spring Time is a very deadly
time to be throwing this type of crank bait. They can come in different colors stick with Red/Brown, Red/Black,
Orange/Brown, Orange/Black and even a dull Yellow/Black.
Ideas on Crank Bait Retrieves:
Bump
some cover that you might be around; remember I said “Bump”. Don't throw in the middle of a brush pile and
expect to get your Crank bait back.
Stop
and go retrieve works great if the Bass is interested a little but can't make up his mind; the stop and go
drives him crazy.
The
last way would be get the Crank bait to the bottom and make it look like a crawfish trying to get
away.
Rod, Reel and Line Preference
The
rod I would use would be either a 6 1/2 to 7 foot with a soft action. They make Cranking rods just for Crank baits; ask your
sporting goods department.
The
reel I like is the 5-2-1 gear ratio meaning the reel picks up 5 feet of line every 2 turns. This is what I call
a slow speed reel and will leave the bait in the strike zone a little longer.
The
line used for deep cranking should have a small diameter this will allow the line to go deeper. If you go with
20 pound test to keep Crank bait from going to deep, this will allow you to fish brush tops without
getting hung up in the cover.
I
can tell you once you get hung remember there are six hooks and it does not take too much shaking to scare
all the fish off.
Try
this out and see if it does not improve your chances of landing one of my Hogs.
Keep
the Hooks Wet!
Steve
McGoldrick
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