There are deep running crankbaits, shallow running and lipless lures, there is literally countless variations of this freshwater fishing lure for every situation imaginable.
The Infamous One Knocker XCaliber
One of my favorites is the lipless lure with the rattle built within the lure and using an erratic motion on the retrieve creates a loud rattle through the water which just seems to get the most lethargic fish on the bite.
Shallow crankbaits typically have a smaller lip which provides less resistance through the water and therefore a shallow dive. The great thing about these lures is that you very rarely get hooked up as the crankbait stays very near to the surface and doesn’t get a chance to snag itself on a log or reeds. The fatter shallow crankbaits are good for Bass while the longer thinner lures are better for Walleye.
Suspending crankbaits should be considered the most effective lure of all crankbaits, much credit to today’s technology as this lure when left idle in the water automatically drops to a depth of about 4 feet. These lures make perfect weapons for Small Mouth Bass and you should target these fish above structure such as boulders, shoals and rocks. Turn back over your intended target and use a stop and start motion pausing over the structure.
Deep diving crankbaits have a larger lip up front which creates a larger down force on the lure. These freshwater lures are designed to dive from anywhere from 8 to 20 feet below the surface, using a lighter line will help the lure to dive even deeper and provide for more vibration.
In up and coming posts, I'll present the most popular lures the pro's use as well as the reasons why they use them, until then happy Freshwater Fishing.