I was wondering about crankbaits for bass fishing. Southern bass fishing that is. So are crankbaits a good lure, and should I get the lip ones or the lipless ones, and how do I fish them? Thanks for anyone who helps

crankbaits are a must have. how you use a crankbait is simple for the most part, toss it out, and bang it off every rock, log, stick you can find. i stink at lipless cranks so others will have to fill you in on how they are best used.

So just TRY to find things to hit it into?

that or try to have the bait dragging the bottom.

p.s. this can get costly fishing from the bank.

My lakes are kinda open, like not much stuff at the bottom, no fallen trees, I don't think rocks. Brush and stuff but where i fish its all open, would Cranks be good for this? I usually use zoom hornytoads (jerkbait) and catch alot of fish but I would like more variety.

I fish a lake similar to what you describe and I busted them up on a lipless crank last weekend.  If I was you I would buy a couple of lipless cranks (Strike King Red Eye shad) and a couple fo Bandit cranks. That way you can try both.

Thank you guys i just joined this forum and the community is great and very helpful. So liplesss cranks, fish them by like kinda jerking the rod left to right and up and down to simulate an erratic kind of motion?

You can try that technique if you want, most of the time i just reel them in, and other times i will reel in and then kill them right near some cover or a point. here aresome articles that might help you out.

http://www.bassresource.com/fish/crankbaits.html

http://www.bassresource.com/fishing/Rat-L-Traps.html

http://www.bassresource.com/fishing/rattle_trap.html

http://www.bassresource.com/fishing/lipless_crankbaits.html

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Good Luck and Glad to have you!

Hawg Fan

Crankbaits are must haves. I fish them with a stop and go retrieve, and banging them off a rock or log is really a good tactic, as is having them hit the bottom and dredge up a rucuss. With lipless cranks, I count them down to the depth I want to fish, then begin a moderately paced retrieve. Every 5 seconds or so, I will let the crank sink for a second or two, then rip it forward with the rodtip. I add the occasional rip - twitch with my rod while bringing a lipless crank in.

Don't you guys get snagged on weeds alot. Here in New Hampshire I get snagged too much!

If you want some good looking cranks, check out BIG M in the tackle making section. He can make anything that you could want. Deep divers, shallow runners med. divers,etc., etc.

               -searoach

A fairly  successful technique with some lipless crankbaits is let it get stuck in the weeds and rip it out for the reaction strike.So getting stuck in those NH weeds could be a good thing.

I would like everyone to know that last night I bought a Rat-L-Trap Crankbait (lipless) and today at about 10:30 am I just landed a 3 lb 16 incher largemouth bass on my 5TH cast no lie. My grandpa witnessed it. Thanks for the help guys I caught it today on 4/26/08 It was a SWEET fight. I put my fist in his mouth to so he was a bigg'n

I would like everyone to know that last night I bought a Rat-L-Trap Crankbait (lipless) and today at about 10:30 am I just landed a 3 lb 16 incher largemouth bass on my 5TH cast no lie. My grandpa witnessed it. Thanks for the help guys I caught it today on 4/26/08 It was a SWEET fight. I put my fist in his mouth to so he was a bigg'n

Very nice!

good job