Tiny bass aside, I find myself tossing a crankbait more and more. It’s just so easy to look at something and think “yeah a crankbait should go there.” It’s getting to the point where I probably toss a crankbait more than a spinnerbait. This is problematic for many reasons. The crankbait monkey may be worse than the spinnerbait monkey. Changing hardware on the baits, tuning them, getting 2-3 different rods to throw the variety of crankbaits. This is entirely problematic. 

I just started using them last season and they worked better than I expected.  In my opinion they are just a blast to fish, bomb them out there, grind them into the bottom and ricochet them off shallow cover. The bad news is that I’m limited on where and when I can fish them as a bank angler.  Once the weeds top out its game over.

I buy them all the time, but then hate fishing them, I don’t understand myself sometimes.

1 hour ago, LrgmouthShad said:

Tiny bass aside, I find myself tossing a crankbait more and more. It’s just so easy to look at something and think “yeah a crankbait should go there.” It’s getting to the point where I probably toss a crankbait more than a spinnerbait. This is problematic for many reasons. The crankbait monkey may be worse than the spinnerbait monkey. Changing hardware on the baits, tuning them, getting 2-3 different rods to throw the variety of crankbaits. This is entirely problematic. 

 

I would like to use them more, but I really struggle to find enough open water to retrieve more than weeds. 

I never really liked or threw crankbaits, so i bought a bunch of squarebills, mid divers, and deep divers to try them out more. Got an actual cranking rod to, i tried it for a bit and still didnt like them.

 

Now that ive been buying the remaining stock of 13 Fishing cranks, Spro RkCrawlers, 6th Sense my minds been changed, i bought several cranking rods and want another or 2 as well.

However i dont think ive once been able to grind bottom with any of them except for when it gets near the bank in 1' of water, but its a really fun way to fish now that ive found which cranks i actually like.

3 hours ago, Swamp Girl said:

I would like to use them more, but I really struggle to find enough open water to retrieve more than weeds. 

I think you and i fish similar waters, even though PA and ME are a world apart most of the places i fish are smaller pond sized lakes filled with weeds everywhere during and after spring. half the places i fish i cant throw a crank anywhere because the weeds vary from bottom, middle, or even on top of the water colum, the only thing it would catch is a 10lb bag of swamp. Until i discovered the Strike King Hybrid Hunter and Hunter Jr. I can fish these right through the weeds, may be worth checking one out.

1 hour ago, LrgmouthShad said:

crankbait monkey may be worse than the spinnerbait monkey.

If the Spinnerbait Monkey is a Chimpanzee, and the Soft Plastic Monkey is a Gorilla, the Crankbait Monkey is King Kong.  Stay away from this monkey, he is more dangerous than all the other Bait Monkeys combined.

5 minutes ago, king fisher said:

If the Spinnerbait Monkey is a Chimpanzee, and the Soft Plastic Monkey is a Gorilla, the Crankbait Monkey is King Kong.  Stay away from this monkey, he is more dangerous than all the other Bait Monkeys combined.

I like throwing them into wood cover too 

"Crankbait Monkey is King Kong" - the truth has been spoken by @king fisher

22 minutes ago, MediumMouthBass said:

the only thing it would catch is a 10lb bag of swamp

 

I've caught the same catch!

 

23 minutes ago, MediumMouthBass said:

Until i discovered the Strike King Hybrid Hunter and Hunter Jr. I can fish these right through the weeds, may be worth checking one out.

 

You better be getting a cut from the Bait Monkey!

27 minutes ago, MediumMouthBass said:

Strike King Hybrid Hunter and Hunter Jr.

Started playing around with those recently. My only question is: what is it doing? It looks like like a barrel-chested chicken rocking back and forth trying to swim

I use to throw crankbaits a lot. More than any lure other than Texas rigs. Now, every single small lake I fish is infested with Chara, algae, moss....places where cranks are impossible to throw. I still fish them off shore and on the big lakes.

30 minutes ago, MediumMouthBass said:

Until i discovered the Strike King Hybrid Hunter and Hunter Jr. I can fish these right through the weeds, may be worth checking one out.

 

The monkey won. I just bought three.

I live where the wiggle wart and Rk crawler are a religion.As long as the water is warm enough for them to chase something they are a player. I've found that a less than a 45 degree cast to the bank is best and many times just keep the boat 10 feet or so off the bank and just grind it parallel.

I like the hybrid hunter as well although it runs more like a squarebill than a diving bait.

The ol' plug knocker comes in handy

 

 

54 minutes ago, Swamp Girl said:

 

The monkey won. I just bought three.

Three!  The monkey hasn't won, he hasn't even walked on the field yet.  You can consider yourself ahead at halftime, if you only have 300 crankbaits.  When you have absolutely no idea how many crankbaits you own, the Monkey may have won, but he will then attempt to run the score up.

21 minutes ago, rangerjockey said:

The ol' plug knocker comes in handy

Sho does!! Paid for themselves many times over

1 hour ago, king fisher said:

Stay away from this monkey, he is more dangerous than all the other Bait Monkeys combined.

 

Uhh I think swimbaits got ya beat 😉

 

Been down this road once or twice before!

 

 

54 minutes ago, LrgmouthShad said:

I like throwing them into wood cover too 

yeah but the only ones that get snagged are the ones that get bit.

44 minutes ago, king fisher said:

Three!  The monkey hasn't won, he hasn't even walked on the field yet.  You can consider yourself ahead at halftime, if you only have 300 crankbaits.  When you have absolutely no idea how many crankbaits you own, the Monkey may have won, but he will then attempt to run the score up.

Exactly right, the monkey is only rumored to be signing a contract! 
 

Btw, @Swamp Girl the monkey has never ever lost a game, no ties either just straight up victories! 😂🤣😂

I throw Crankbaits every time I go fishing. I have 4 Crankbait setups with me at all times on the boat. 

55 minutes ago, F14A-B said:

Btw, @Swamp Girl the monkey has never ever lost a game, no ties either just straight up victories! 😂🤣😂

 

The Monkey and Father Time have identical records: Infinity and 0.

I love crankbaits but rarely have an opportunity to fish anything past about 12 ft. Over the past several years I’ve really simplified my baits to cut down on choices and costs. I have 2-3 different square bills, 4-6 ft divers, 8-12 ft divers that I throw. Couple of colors in each mainly shad pattern and chartreuse with a couple red squarebills for early spring. When baits are $10-15 each you really have to just find something you have confidence in and go with it. 
 

The Frabil pole is the best $35 you’ll ever spend 

Cranks are a cheap, beginner addiction.

 

Wait until you get on Jerk Baits.  I took 129 out of the Skeeter when I brought tackle in for winter work.  Have no idea how many more in the basement.

 

Swimmers even worse.  So far, I ain't started on this one yet.

 

Where did you fin a Frabill pole for $35?

8 hours ago, LrgmouthShad said:

Tiny bass aside, I find myself tossing a crankbait more and more. It’s just so easy to look at something and think “yeah a crankbait should go there.” It’s getting to the point where I probably toss a crankbait more than a spinnerbait. This is problematic for many reasons. The crankbait monkey may be worse than the spinnerbait monkey. Changing hardware on the baits, tuning them, getting 2-3 different rods to throw the variety of crankbaits. This is entirely problematic. 

 

3 hours ago, Swamp Girl said:

The Monkey and Father Time have identical records: Infinity and 0.

^^^^  This is profound and hilarious. ^^^^^

Rapala DT-6 and 8 are responsible for a couple of my most memorable days on the water.