So it's May and we've been enjoying our thunderstick bite as many do this time of year. It's just a blast to fish this way. While we do catch fish when the shad come up we aren't doing much before this happens. Sometimes it's midnight lately with the weather being so up and down temperature wise.

My question is, is it too early to get out the deep cranks to try to find fish in the same general areas where we're throwing the thunderstick ? Points, flats, rip rap banks,etc.... Is the deep crank effective this time of year at all? I like to grind that deep crank into the rocks and the bottom even if it's shallow.

Any other advice for fishing before the shad bite gets hot at night?

Most definitly, especially if you are after the big ones, me I preferibly like to fish a lot of structure during the post-spawn, a fluke is a most or your favorite swim bait....if they are not in the trees I fish deeper like 8-10ft most all summer,extremely good fishing and oxygen levels at this depth. Humps or ledges that are close to the channel are also great places. Morning and evening are your best bets.

Thanks, I appreciate it. I have tried to fish a fluke and have the hardest time staying with it. How do you rig yours and how do you fish it? Color preference? I fish in Va in Smith Mountain Lake.....I do love swimbaits but haven't thrown one enough on Smith to get confident with it.....

Flukes are one of my favorites especially for skipping with spinning tackle. I fish them weightless, t-rigged on a 3-0 EWG hook or if the cover allows nise hooked with an octopus hook. Often the strike comes on the initial fall or first movement just like a senko. If not I twitch it back pausing often letting it fall again.

I will definitely try this, thanks. It's just not a bait that I ever got into so that explains my lack of confidence. I know it works well for sure. I'll try to dedicate some time to it without changing up. Will this be good in open water sitautions like on points and rip rap banks?

The way I fish the, I use a barrel swivel this helps the bait from rapping around the line and a leader of about 2 feet. Color, baitfish and white ice.

Awesome, I'll give it a whirl...