Bass Angler Magazine

Everything You Need To Know About Crankbait Fishing

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In this day and age, it is not necessary to fish for food. Nevertheless, fishing is still a hobby that millions of people share. There is a good chance that you are no different. You might enjoy fishing from time to time and you may like eating the fish that you catch. If this is the case, you’ll definitely want to learn a great deal more about crankbait fishing. What is it? When should you be using this type of bait? Below, you’re going to learn a great deal more about crankbait fishing.

What Is A Crankbait?

While there are several types of bait on the market, many of them cannot possibly compare to crankbait, also known as “plugs.” This type of bait has a hard, rounded body with a bill, also known as a lip. This bill allows the lure to wiggle and dive rapidly like the baitfish. These lures are very popular among professional bass fishermen. When combining crankbait with a thin line, you will get a very deep dive every time, resulting in a potentially larger yield.

When fishing in shallow water, it is best to utilize crankbait with a heavy 14 to 17-pound test line. Crankbait is extremely easy to utilize. In fact, it is one of the few types of lure that can easily be cast out and reeled back in with fish.

Importance Of Crankbait Colors

Crankbait lures are available in a variety of colors and multi-colors. While professional fishermen pay little attention to the color of the crankbait, bright and bold colors can be valuable in muddy, dingy water. These colors will be more vivid to fish than smoke, dark green, navy blue and smoke.

Knowing The Water

When it comes down to it, every single body of water is unique in one way or another. You just never know what is sitting beneath the water’s surface. There is a possibility that you’re sitting above large rocks, sunken forests and possibly even abandoned automobiles. It is absolutely pertinent to learn more about the body of water before attempting to choose your crankbait. You can generally do this by obtaining survey maps. Analyze these maps and determine what depth is going to be best for your day out on the lake.

Then, you’ll need to choose a crankbait that is going to meet your depth requirements. Remember that a bait with a much larger plastic bill will almost always dip deeper than those with a smaller bill. You should try marking your lure so you can easily tell how well they’re going to perform at certain depths.

In Shallow Conditions

Sometimes, you’re going to be required to fish in shallow conditions. This isn’t a problem, but it does create a little more uncertainty. Your lure is going to be more visible in shallow conditions. Therefore, you have to make sure that your color choices are adequate. It is in your best interest to make sure that the size and color of your lure are similar to the same characteristics of the baitfish. After that, you’ll need to start experimenting. Throw the bait into the water and move the lure quickly. If the fish does not take the bait, you should try slowing down.

With a little experimentation, you’ll be able to find out what the fish want. Once you’ve done that, you’ll be able to cater to their needs and catch them without too much trouble.

Keep Tip Near The Water

Once you’ve managed to equip yourself with the best crankbait rod, you’ll need to find out how to use it properly. The truth of the matter is that there are some basic tips that can make you far more successful. First and foremost, you should always keep the rod’s tip near the surface of the water. This is the best way to ensure that your bait is going to be driven into the fish’s mouth. If you keep the tip up away from the water, you’re going to have to work harder to hook the fish. Keeping the tip near the water’s surface is going to make a notable difference in the long run.

Never Snatch

Some people make the mistake of snatching their rod when using crankbait. This is a bad mistake. It is always best to pull on the hookset. If you’re snatching, you’ll be pulling the bait from the fish before they can actually take it. Pulling will ensure that the fish is able to take the bait and get hooked. Once you’ve got a bite, you should go ahead and reel a few times. Then, you should pull the crankbait rod to the side swiftly. This will increase your accuracy and ensure that you’re able to hook far more fish in the long run.

Be Aware Of Robot Mode

When you venture out on a fishing trip you probably want to experience heavy action right away. Unfortunately, this is not practical. In fact, there will probably be times when you sit for hours without getting a single bite. This lack of action can really cause crankbait fishermen to develop a bad habit. Crankbait fishing is really all about making the fish react. This means that your lure needs to be in motion, making erratic and different motions. You have to be sure to keep an eye out for those schools of shallow baitfish. Also, remember that they rarely travel in straight lines and they are extremely fidgety.

Make sure that you are incorporating sudden jerks and erratic motions with the tip of the rod to draw attention to your lure.

Don’t Fish Too Fast

It is true that crankbait fishing gives fishermen the ability to cover large expanses of water in a short amount of time. You can easily cast out to a spot make a quick retrieval and move onto another spot. However, just because you are afforded this benefit it doesn’t mean that you should be taking advantage of it. Most crankbait fishermen find that most of their catches come after several identical casts to the same area. The thinking behind this is that the biggest bass are both smart and lazy. It isn’t about finding the perfect spot, but it’s more about making the fish mad enough to strike the lure.

Next time you are in a spot that might hold a large sized bass, you should at least make five different casts to that same spot before moving on. At first, the bass will just sit there and watch your lure swim by, but after several repeated casts it will get mad enough to take a swipe.

Practice Makes Perfect

At the end of the day, practice makes perfect. This is true whether you’re using crankbait or not. Do not mistakenly believe that you’re going to master fishing overnight. Instead, you’ll need to practice with the crankbait as much as possible. Along the way, you’ll learn the tricks of the trade on your own. You’ll also discover techniques that you prefer the most.  For reviews and information check out sotafishing.com

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