Aside from the usual answer of 'Practice, practice, practice' which is certainly true, how do you become adept at using these lures?

I feel that I am very capable of using a soft plastic.  I know when I am throwing them that I WILL get bites and I have confidence in using them.

Whenever I fish hard baits, especially cranks, I feel like I'm just randomly throwing them and hoping for a bite.  I've read the articles on here, and all about bumping cover and different retreives.  But whenever I use them I don't have any kind of 'warm fuzzy' feeling.  I know just practicing it will probably eliminate this, but does anyone have any advice?  At the moment, I am thinking that I might start taking ONLY the bait I want to learn with me when I go.  That way, if I have nothing but different cranks or spinners tied onto the rods on the boat, I have no option to slink back to my vile worm-chuckin' ways!  :

Just keep using them. If you go out, only bring spinnerbaits or cranks. If you keep using them, eventually you will catch fish on them. That in time eventually builds confidence in them. Which will make you fish it more catching you more fish.

How do you become a certified crankbaiter or spinnerbaiter?

It's simple

i'll send you a genuine certification for being the ultimate crankbait and spinnerbait pro in the mail which will guaruntee you success and fame.

all you need to do is send me 3 easy payments of $19.95

-honestly, just keep throwing it. Spinnerbaits baffled me until one windy day i decided to just throw spinnerbaits. After catchin a few fish i started to figure it out, and now they are one of my favorite baits

Sounds like your'e on the right track to me, but you don't have to throw them if you don't want to. Don't torture yourself!

Start posting on internet message boards.  :-X

It starts if you can match what you're feeling with what you're seeing.  Fish some shallow, clear water for a while and watch what your crank is doing while feeling what it is doing... You'll quickly learn the diff btwn a rock, a muddy bottom, weeds, etc.  

A lot of people will tell you to use a soft action fiberglass rod, but I don't agree with that, I use a fast action graphite rod and do better than I did with the flimsy rod.  I use 8 10 or 12 lb mono (Cajun red or low vis green) most of the time, sometimes 14... I try to have VMC hooks, or better on my cranks.  I just got some VMC Barbarian hooks from Ebay that I can't wait to try out...

Cast your cranks into cover like you would your plastics.  After learning the subtle differences btwn wood, weeds, etc, you'll more easily work the crank thru cover... If this makes you nervous, then get a pair of waders or learn to swim to retrieve a snagged lure... Seriously, I have stripped down to next to nothing in late autumn and early spring to retrieve a snagged Megabass lure...

Start posting on internet message boards. :-X

Or have more than 3000 posts ;D

Aside from the usual answer of 'Practice, practice, practice' which is certainly true, how do you become adept at using these lures?

I feel that I am very capable of using a soft plastic. I know when I am throwing them that I WILL get bites and I have confidence in using them.

Whenever I fish hard baits, especially cranks, I feel like I'm just randomly throwing them and hoping for a bite. I've read the articles on here, and all about bumping cover and different retreives. But whenever I use them I don't have any kind of 'warm fuzzy' feeling. I know just practicing it will probably eliminate this, but does anyone have any advice? At the moment, I am thinking that I might start taking ONLY the bait I want to learn with me when I go. That way, if I have nothing but different cranks or spinners tied onto the rods on the boat, I have no option to slink back to my vile worm-chuckin' ways! :

Good idea.

The plan to take just one lure per trip is an excellent way to learn it. If you decide to learn/practice that way, its good to try to do it during the times of year that each bait should be most effective. You obviously dont want to take a jerkbait to the lake when the water is 90 degrees and the fish are 25' deep and glued to the bottom.

It takes time to get it all done but once you start catching fish with each bait your confidence will start going up and all the different baits will get easier and easier to fish.

The plan to take just one lure per trip is an excellent way to learn it. If you decide to learn/practice that way, its good to try to do it during the times of year that each bait should be most effective. You obviously dont want to take a jerkbait to the lake when the water is 90 degrees and the fish are 25' deep and glued to the bottom.

It takes time to get it all done but once you start catching fish with each bait your confidence will start going up and all the different baits will get easier and easier to fish.

There it is