you always hear people bouncing them and deflecting them off wood. Today, me and buddy hit water in a boat, all of my fish came off of just casting and reeling in. I thought this was a fluke but the pattern of the day played out that way, my partner landed all his the same way. We came through some knarly wood, no bass, but cast to shore and reel back. BOOM

You said it. Pattern of the day. On any day, anything can work. Bouncing cranks off wood and structure is a proven pattern.

I dont have a big confidence level in cranks. Iv caught some good fish on them, but personally Id rather throw something else. Iv tried deflecting cranks off of wood, and rocks like people say, but I always get hung up. I dont see how people do it.

Sounds like the bass were suspended in open water away from the structure.

My cranks are my number one lure. I mastered them right away.

ok, All you see is deflecting, deflecting, just wondered if this was a method, thanks, I threw them all day,  hung up 5 times, lure knocker saved them all. I finally figured out, reel slow, if you feel a bump, stop a sec, then RIP

That's probably why some people have such a hard time with cranks they don't always have to drag the bottom or deflect off of things

Yea I agree with above, we was using dt6 and bandits in 8 foot of water casting to shore.

I have consistently had more success with a steady retrieve than stop and go or bumping into things. The secret, as stated above, is to use a slow retrieve. At least, that has worked for me day in and day out.

Doug Hannon, in his book "Big Bass Magic" talks about lures' erratic action enticing bass to strike. This is why worms and jigs are such consistent producers, due to varying bottom composition/cover and natural human (angler) inconsistencies, the lure is actually always doing something a little different, like a bass' real prey would do. Relating this to crank baits, when you bounce them off wood, rocks or any cover you give them an erratic action. Think about it: if a bass is chasing a real minnow (or any living prey for that matter), more than likely the minnow will not just keep swimming in a straight line, but take some evasive action to avoid getting eaten. This evasive, erratic action can be mimicked by bouncing your crank bait off cover. That said, it sounds like the pattern for that day was cast and reel, but hopefully this helped explain the theory behind bouncing them off wood.

 

Brian

I have consistently had more success with a steady retrieve than stop and go or bumping into things. The secret, as stated above, is to use a slow retrieve. At least, that has worked for me day in and day out.

x2

I've always had more success with a Jerk bait rather than a crank. But whatever you have confidence in tends to be what you throw.

I also always have trouble imagining a shad or minnow swimming into a tree trunk.  If they do in nature they should stop drinking and swimming.

"I also always have trouble imagining a shad or minnow swimming into a tree trunk.  If they do in nature they should stop drinking and swimming."

Now that's funny!

even if a slow retrieve, it is good to stop, and pop rod up a bit to give some erratic action, that is what I did, and lol about shad hitting trees