Freshwater Lures

Knowing which type of Crank bait to use can sometimes be a confusing proposition; as with many diving lures there many characteristics to consider and deciding the best crank bait for your immediate situation is vital more so for crank bait than probably any other type of fresh water lure, so it’s essential for an angler to be familiar with the target species behavior and habits in order to choose the best crank bait.

The size, shape and placement of a crank baits bib and its towing point will determine the action of the lure; a long wide bib will make more noise and generate more vibrations which will more than likely attract less active fish. A large angled bib will enable a crank bait to dive sharply and remain deeper in the water as opposed to a crank bait with a shorter and less angled bib which will exhibit a tighter action and produce less noise.

An added feature too many crank baits is the inclusion of a rattle, which can come in handy when fishing in unclear murky water. Fish which are have made themselves cosy in a nestling spot may feel reluctant to move so the noise of a rattle may be all that is needed to entice a fish out from its comfortable hiding spot and take a swipe at your crank bait.

Also there are a number of actions you could use and experiment with ranging from a small twitch, a stop and go or simply a straight line retrieve. All have methods have their place in successfully snaring yourself a prize fish.

• Twitching a lure causes it to make a sub-surface dive, which is productive with shallow water feeders or those that are feeding high in the water column.
• A stop and go works by using a pause in a straight retrieve which will either cause the lure to suspend or float upward giving the impression of a startled or wounded food item.
• A more deliberate straight line retrieve will cause the crank bait to dive to its maximum depth and therefore tempt deep lying fish.

Most crank baits these days like the Halco “Poltergeist”, Custom Craft “Fish Stick”, Legend Lures “Outback”, Bennet’s “Merlin” and Lively Lures “Mini Mullet” are buoyant, which allows an angler the ability of floating lures up off structure whenever they make contact.