Cranks4fun

Often, fishermen are casting well but the bass are not biting at all or they are not biting what you are throwing. Bass get into moods: 1) chasing and eating; 2) chasing but rarely biting; 3) biting but refusing to move more that 3-4 inches; 4) not moving and not biting; 5) Swimming in full view of your boat on a sunny day but refusing to look at a lure; Etc. I have watched largemouth and smallmouth in clear water ignore baits they were chasing and biting an hour earlier. Sometimes you are casting right in the face of bass that will not cooperate. For whatever reason, they are not feeding actively. There are debates regarding whether bass can be angered into biting. I do believe that modifying your presentation helps sometimes. Casting the same way and hitting the same spots or within the same proximity can bring different results sometimes by just slowing WAY down or going finesse. Going MEGA helps too sometimes. I actually fished a large (10 acre) pond in Missouri where the bass we caught averaged 3 lbs.with several over 5. They would not respond to a 6-7 inch worm but hit 10 inch worms with some degree of regularity. We fished that pond several times with that same response. 10 inch worms were not the ONLY thing they bit though. They liked Stanley Ribbits too!

Dorado, I have not used the "Rapala Ultralight crankbait" but I love the way they look! I do have some of the old Rapala Rattlin' fat Raps in 3 sizes and the smallest size is an ultralight size (not the tiny sinking balsa fat rap). I have caught bass on that small Rattlin' Fat Rap but I have not given them much time on the water, to be honest. I should probably use them more. I'll throw a picture in below. I just saw Iceintheveins mention the Rattlin' Fat Rap #4. I believe that is the smallest one. Dmainor, I have some Yozuri Snap beans (gold and silver ones) but I have never caught anything on them. I have not given them much time on the water either. I have read on some forum that lots of guys love them though.

I am about 45 days late on this topic, but "finesse" cranks or ultralight cranks are a favorite of mine unless I am fishing exclusively for BIG LM bass. Those H2O Xpress (Academy brand) ultralight cranks (box item description "crul" and "cruld") are great for LM bass, SM bass, white bass, spawning crappie, and large bluegill. White bass and smallies really love them when they are feeding actively. Those rebel teeny R's are pretty good too for spawning crappie and schoolie bass. The small #5 Shad Raps can be real productive too, but I usually do much better when I'm trolling with them as opposed to casting and I am not really sure why. The teeny rebel craw (smallest size) can be killer too, especially in clear water like creeks and streams. I have even had good trout fishing days with those Rebel craws but the hooks bend out very easily and larger hooks seem to change the action. The SK Bitsy minnow is great for bluegills and occasionally crappie. And then there is the one ultralight crank that has been a BIG fish as well as a numbers bait in years past: The Norman deep Tiny N. I caught 16 smallies in about an hour on one last year before my line broke. I have Shimano, Daiwa, and Quantum baitcast reels but I cannot cast any of these reels well with true UL cranks. I use spinning gear with 4-10 test line (based on conditions). Sometimes the light-line battles are unbelievable. I LOVE fishing these little cranks. If you and a buddy are having a bass numbers contest, using a tiny crank with two sticky trebles and just the right speed or cadence can mean game over - unless your buddy also keeps a stash of these skunk killers! I have a few UL cranks in every tackle box but I have one box dedicated to UL fishing (shown below).

I believe I had an old Walmart knock-off just like that years back. Walmart actually marketed some good generic baits (FLW, Dance's brands, Mister Twister stuff, BASS, etc.) that were other company's stuff made just for Wally World distribution. They even had their own balsa shad rap knock-off made by Mister Twister (says so on the bill- I still have one). I am pretty sure that Bandit 100 knock-off is a Wally world special, but I could be wrong. I was wrong once before back in '83.

Yeah, I guess that confidence element is a big part of "what works" too. I definitely have confidence in the plain 1/2 oz Chrome/ blue trap. I would love to have confidence in those Red Eyed Shads but I haven't had any good days with them yet.

While digging through my hoarded baits hoping to find some "glued-up" RES lures, I found two really awesome-looking Rat-L-Trap colors. The one that is red craw/chrome on the bottom looks like a stab at blending the two favorite colors together. Both main forage types (shad & craw) in one bait. I need to get that one in the water. I also found that I have some silent RES. I have never chunked them either.

Regarding those RES with "stuck" weights: Somewhere on these forums in the past someone shared that they complained to Strike KIng about the QC and frequent stuck weights in RES baits. The Strike King rep suggested wrapping them in a towel and smacking them on a table to jar the weights loose. In fishing situations, how often do these baits with "stuck" weights have their weights jarred loose after rattling through water, banging on rocks/ wood, and being shaken in a bass' mouth? Are they relatively stable in their flawed condition?

I have Rat-L-Traps, CC Spots, Red-Eye Shads, Booyah lipless, Rapala Rattlin' Raps, and one H2O lipless bait. I have personally caught more on the Rat-L-Traps, but in all honesty, I have used them more. Oddly enough, I just rescued myself (sort of) from a bad day fishing with a Chrome/ Blue Rat-l-Trap. I was fishing in NE Oklahoma for white bass and could hardly buy a bite. Talked to guys in 5 other boats they were striking out too. No one was doing well. I usually slay them on #5 shad raps in a shad color. In frustration, I just started experimenting with different lures: jigs, grubs, various crankbaits, and then... I chunked this 1/2 oz, chrome/blue Rat-L-Trap and it happened. My rod bent over and started pulsating. I giggled, yelled, nodded my head up and down, and smiled with a Mr. Bean grin at fellow fisherman in nearby boats as I pulled in a 12-inch white bass. I cast a few more times and caught another... then another... and another...five total. I felt like the pro among amateurs. Then these finicky fish just shut down or moved away or something. It was not a great day, but I do have a renewed affection for Bill Lewis' noisy, plastic, football-shaped contraption! I grabbed some more of those in chrome and stuck them in that box when I got home.

I never heard a word back from them.

Years ago I lived in Indiana and I was "boatless". I discovered that a good pair of neoprene waders gave me all kinds of opportunities and got me far enough away from the shore that my casting options were greater. I still do some wading for smallmouth bass in these Ozark streams, but I caught lots of crappie and LM bass with waders on lakes years ago. Even cheap, knee-high rubber boots can get you out into the winter waters a little. Good luck!

As most of the Shad Rap (#5 & #7) fishermen will tell you, there are some awesome set-ups for casting small cranks on spinning gear. You get great distance, decent cast control if you feather the line, and excellent line-lure performance (some small cranks perform much better on light line). You may know all of this already and still not like spinning gear. I hope you will experiment without dismissing the idea though. I love my bait casters but I have some AWESOME Daiwa and Shimano spinning reels that I use with small cranks and I would never put those lures back on bait casters. I have tried Shimano Curados, Citicas, high-end Quantums, Abu's, and even my awesome Daiwa Zillion, but none handle those little cranks like a good quality spinning reel. You can even use light braid (15-20 lb.) on those spinning reels for cranks and they perform very well. If you are a fluoro-only guy, that Seaguar InvizX is incredible on spinning gear. Everyone has their own preferences and that's cool, but I do hope you will give the spinning option a try. Best of luck to you. By the way, I caught my PB (9 lb3oz LM bass on 6lb. test Trilene XL mono on a Shimano Symetre Spinning reel. Just a bit of anecdotal evidence. God bless!

early AM fishing always starts with about 20 oz. of COFFEE (the nectar of life) but I eat Jerky, Chips, trail mix, salted almonds, Crackers with Peanut Butter, sandwiches, whatever my buddy has in his box and occasionally sardines to gross out the guy fishing with me! I like bottled sweet tea and water too!

Know the seasonal trends (Cold- S. jerkbaits, jigs, lipless, dropshot, shaky; pre-spawn-Sq. bills, lipless, t-rigged worms/ lizards,... you know) and experiment based on those trends. Find the fish and find what works and stay with what works until it stops working and then you change up. There is another method I've used called the MEWES method. MEWES stands for Make Excuses While Eating Snacks. You just sit in the boat (or on shore) and say things like "When the Wind's out of the East the fish bite Least- That's our problem. Hand me some more chips!"

Welcome! I lived in SE Virginia growing up and again as an adult. I was a pastor in Carrollton for 10 years (Just outside of Smithfield). I also taught school in Va. Beach for 7 years. I went to school as a kid in Suffolk and Chesapeake. Lots of great fishing there. My parents and my oldest son are still living in "Tidewater". There are many awesome fishing opportunities there (Chesapeake Bay, James River, The 6 Suffolk Lakes**, Newport News Reservoir, North Landing River, Blackwater River, etc.). I live in SW Missouri now but I go back to VA once a year to see the family. I sure miss fishing some great waters there, but I guess there are great waters in every state...if you really want to fish!

I like fishing bodies of water that are 20 acres or less in the winter. It is much easier to locate bass because there are only so many places they can be. I've had some awesome fishing experiences on small bodies of water on cold days. My experience on big lakes in the winter probably reflects the truth that the author was sharing. They are hard to find (for me anyway) until there is a 4-5 day warming trend. Sometimes bass will move into very shallow water in the winter if the surface temps climb 3 or 4 degrees over several days. I am longing for those conditions now!

Update on previous comments above. I said I would give the Lucky Craft pointer more time... I did. I went out to the Elk River (in SW Mo) and fished a 20-25 stretch of rock over gin-clear water about 14 ft deep moving very slowly. I fished for two hours. I saw several smallies under 12 inches and caught just one fish about 14 inches long on that Lucky craft pointer in the ghost shad color. Tried a little drop shot fishing and running some flat cranks but the water was cold and the fish were just not in the mood. I actually put a 2-inch swim bait just inches in front of two different 12 inch bass and jiggled it and they gave no reaction at all. SOOO. A good day with the Lucky Craft I guess. I'm still not selling my other jerkbaits off though. They may have accomplished the same thing. Gonna work with the LC some more though.

I wish I had accepted the advice from Bill Dance years ago about plastic worms. He said something like, "If you think you are fishing slow enough, you need to fish just a little bit slower (paraphrased)." While that is not always the case, oftentimes it is. I also wish I would have known to occasionally put my favorite crankbaits and topwaters down, regardless of how fun they were to fish, and to use jigs and weedless soft stuff to go into the heart of nasty cover. I've read that biggest mistake that tournament fisherman make (pros and amateurs) is to ruin their winning chances by getting "stuck" on their favorite methods when circumstances are screaming for change.

Both have performed well for me but I like 832 better on a bait caster. I still have 30 Lb. power pro on three rods and 40Lb. test 832 on my frog/ toad rod. Both are good but Power Pro runs cheaper here ($13 a spool Wally World) and 832 is about $19 a spool? I think. Anyway, the 832 looses its color over time but it casts and performs wonderfully. I've fished Ribbit Frogs on 832 through some of the nastiest weed beds and that Sufix stuff hauls the big girls right out. I have 30 lb. Power Pro on a 4000 series Shimano Sedona spinning rod for fishing light worms in coontail weed mats. I also have it on two bait casters. It works fine but it is just a little noisy. I also have a new 30lb. test spool of Sufix Performance Braid that I got on sale ($7.00) but I haven't put it on anything yet.

I'll be the weird guy here. I rarely throw my Lucky Craft baits and I can't really remember ever having a stellar day with a LC square bill or pointer or their over-priced, poor performing spinnerbait. I love the looks of the pointer 78 in the ghost shad but I am not sure I ever caught a big fish with it. Going to try again this year with my Lucky Crafts. I have had awesome days with the following: 1. Bomber 14 AP -Pro Suspending Model Long A (shorter one, Blue flash/ orange belly) 2. Cultiva (Owner's hardbaits) Ripping minnow - a translucent, shiner color? 3. Smithwith Pro Suspending Rogue (Mark Menendez signature-white/green back)

Reason, I've noticed that too. I'd love to see that DT4. You may already know that Bandit popularized one of their mistakes (a different color on each side) and they call it "mistake". I read a few years back the Rootbeer and "Mistake" were their best sellers. 2 years ago they added and new half bass, half bluegill "mistake" but not sure if it has sold as well as the original. Sometimes colors make a difference sometimes not. I believe it is usually more of a dark or light, bright or subdued thing that draws the response from bucket mouths. I cannot imagine the bass looking and thinking, "Man! look at the gill and scale detail and coloration. That looks real!" I think, not really sure, it is just moving color that draws a feed reaction or a fear reaction. The translucent "ghost" colors DO seem to make a BIG difference in clear, cold water situations for me. Chartreuse and Firetigers also seem to work well in dark stained or lightly muddied waters. Dark colors, I am told, work better in chocolate-milk muddy water. Regardless, I enjoy having and chunking baits with cool color schemes. I am still playing with toys I guess. Mumbly, I just saw that number. Thanks! Heavyduty, were those you found all blue like the ones we want?

Mumbly, I sent Luck-E-Strike an email with pictures today. I could not find a phone number on their website. I will let you know what the response is. Cheesfrank, THat looks exactly like mine. Was that the only one they had in that color?

OK, Smalljaw, thanks for finding that. I did see it and it is a lot closer to what I have, though not quite as blue. I wonder if a phone call to LES and text with a picture would get them to match it from their stock and send me more. Bluebasser might want to get some too. I think I will try. Thanks again. By the way, I really love the normal green copper shad too. I haven't fished with it much, but it just looks cool to me. I am afraid that may be what the bait monkey wants..."Yeeesss! Buy the lures that look cool! It doesn't matter if they catch bass. They look COOOOL in your tackle tray.... (followed by devilish snicker)"

Thanks for checking, SmallJaw67. However, I think Bluebasser86 is correct. It may be that the color is not be coming through very clearly on your computer. I checked TW too and did not see anything close. You may have been looking at the blue/ chartreuse which is blue-ish but different. Let me post another picture of a regular Luck-E-Strike RC copper shad with this mistake version so the contrast is obvious. The smaller one on top is a regular Green Copper Shad and it is a Luck-E-Strike RC Square, though smaller. I have a Lucky Craft one too and its color is like that upper one. All of mine are silent (non-rattling). Let us know if you find something closer though.

Some baits are still available but just different now (Wiggle Warts, Old Rogues, Rebel Wee-R's, CC Big O's). I just bought a late '70's 3 inch Cordell Big O. It is plastic, not wooden like the originals, but it has that original bulbous shape and a decent perch paint job. I put Eagle Claw Lazers on it (only new #4 trebles I had) and put it in one of my summer boxes for a test run in 2017. Last year, a cheapo Pradco CC Big O in the medium size (craw color) was the most productive smallmouth crank I threw. I also like some of the old discontinued Poe's and Xcallibur and Natural Ike cranks.

I went to wally world to look for a few things in the tackle section this morning and found this cool mistake among the Rick Clunn cranks. It is number coded to be a "Green copper shad", but it is not. I have the Lucky Craft version of the green copper shad and have looked at the Luck-E-Strike version many times and there is a huge difference. It is just a mistake or a bad mix on the factory paint sprayer or something. It is mostly blue-ish...really awesome looking! Maybe it will become a secret weapon. Haha! I'll paste a picture.