Well, i want to start getting really into throwing cranks. I have all the right gear for it, and often try to do it as much as possible. BUT, i've never caught or hooked a fish on a crank. Can you guys tell me how to fish it?

I know somebodies gonna say read the articles, I already have. But when I try it out i'm always skunked on cranks.

Please help!

Thanks,

Collin.

I don't know how the grass is where you live, but in Toledo Bend and Rayburn where I fish it is thick. I use cranks around grass lines and grass bottoms. If it's 14' deep, I'm going to throw a Bandit 300 (dives around 12'). I like to crank it just on the top of the grass. When I feel it starting to bury, I simply stop and let it rise for a few seconds then continue my retrieve. I use two different retrieves, 1. steady, just reel until I feel the grass then stop as mentioned above. 2. I do what I call the carolina rig retrieve, after the cast crank it down to it's max depth. Then just give it some long slow pulls and reel up the slack at the end of the pull. Wait a few seconds and repeat. Just like draggin a big c rig with a lizard on it. Both ways seem to work for me in water from 4'-12'. I can't seem to get any in deeper water though. Maybe I'm doing something wrong, hell I don't know.

Chunk and crank with occasional stops until the first bite. That should tell you what they want at that time. Crash it into anything you can, pause it, as well as bouncing it off the bottom. It's an idiot bait at times. Just get it in the water and cover as much as you can.

I'm not really into deep cranking, but I love to throw a shallow crank.  Just keep changing baits until you get bit.  It can be anything from depth, bill shape, color, temp, etc. that is preventing you from catching them.  Keep on keepin on and it will come together

Most of my fishing is done with crankbaits (although i am trying to change that), and what I try to do is select a crankbait that will swim to just about the tops of the weeds.  If fishing gravel or rock bottom, I will pick a bait that will contact either cover or structure.  If it is rocky, the crankbait should be bouncing of the rocks.  Otherwise, the bait selected will dive deep enough to run along teh bottom and stir up some ruckus. 

Once I cast it out, I will try to swim it down to the weed tops so that it is just ticking the weeds.  When it gets hung up, I stop reeling.  Sometimes I just firmly apply pressure until the lure slides over the weeds, sometimes I let some slack into the line and allow the bait to float back and up.  Sometimes I rip it through the weeds, depending on how thick the weeds are. 

I find the crankbait deflecting and changing directions when it contacts the cover or structure often triggers fish into striking. 

Good Luck

Most of my fishing is done with crankbaits (although i am trying to change that), and what I try to do is select a crankbait that will swim to just about the tops of the weeds. If fishing gravel or rock bottom, I will pick a bait that will contact either cover or structure. If it is rocky, the crankbait should be bouncing of the rocks. Otherwise, the bait selected will dive deep enough to run along teh bottom and stir up some ruckus.

Once I cast it out, I will try to swim it down to the weed tops so that it is just ticking the weeds. When it gets hung up, I stop reeling. Sometimes I just firmly apply pressure until the lure slides over the weeds, sometimes I let some slack into the line and allow the bait to float back and up. Sometimes I rip it through the weeds, depending on how thick the weeds are.

I find the crankbait deflecting and changing directions when it contacts the cover or structure often triggers fish into striking.

Good Luck

Could not have said it any better. Also work on your retrieves. Focus more on your technique then the colors/brands that you are throwing.

Most of my fishing is done with crankbaits (although i am trying to change that), and what I try to do is select a crankbait that will swim to just about the tops of the weeds. If fishing gravel or rock bottom, I will pick a bait that will contact either cover or structure. If it is rocky, the crankbait should be bouncing of the rocks. Otherwise, the bait selected will dive deep enough to run along teh bottom and stir up some ruckus.

Once I cast it out, I will try to swim it down to the weed tops so that it is just ticking the weeds. When it gets hung up, I stop reeling. Sometimes I just firmly apply pressure until the lure slides over the weeds, sometimes I let some slack into the line and allow the bait to float back and up. Sometimes I rip it through the weeds, depending on how thick the weeds are.

I find the crankbait deflecting and changing directions when it contacts the cover or structure often triggers fish into striking.

Good Luck

This is exactly how I have been fishing my shallow to medium runner crankbaits. I look for patches of grass or vegetation in the water and try to run either a Strike King 1XS (down to 2 ft) or some other crank that will run just over the weeds. This will usually pull them up outta the weeds. I usually use a Gizzard shad but color really depends on water clarity as well.

Yesterday I was using the Bass Pro Shops XPS SSC in Texas Shad fishing from the shore. The Lure works through cover pretty well without snagging and soon as I would get it to the weedline a fish would hit it. I caught a total of 6 in a row just fishing the weeds along the shore.  Most were in the 1-2lb range with one being a little bigger. Like someone else said change up colors and the retrieve and you will get a bite...Good Luck

There is a sticky at the top of the forums that entitled "The Best Of BassResource.com". Read the treads on Crankbaits. These are awesome.