That's where you want to add the weight. The key is to eliminate slack from entering the equation. Fluorocarbon is a great all-around line for crankbait fishing; it has minimal stretch, and the sinking properties will allow a crankbait to dive deeper. New lightweight, compact, and ergonomic design featuring an aluminum frame and side plate. Fishing with crankbaits is one of the best times to take advantage of the benefits provided by lighter, stronger graphite shafts. If you think that it is a big fish, then you need to be extra careful. Reel your crankbait in quickly to cover more area on the water. A good crankbait rod should have a relatively slow action. A reel should be able to handle a large amount of line to get a better casting distance, and it should also have a slower gear ratio. Unless you are throwing light lures, you’ll want to use a baitcasting rig. Crankbait Reel. A reel with a gear ratio of at least 5.1 is desired, of coarse more is okay too. A proper crank-reel is going to be costly, but they are essential to your success. To know a good crankbait rod, focus on those that act slowly. You don’t necessarily need a slow action rod, but moderate action is the sweet spot. FREE Shipping by Amazon. This will cause the lure to fall for a second simulating an injured baitfish. Field & Stream's John Merwin Explores the Lure Lab at Pure Fishing It's easy to take a fishing lure for granted. If the upper third section starts to bend on the application of the same pressure, then it is regarded as fast action. But more and more anglers are warming up to the power of tiny crankbaits over heavyweight panfish. The first box to check is picking out a rod with enough bend at the tip. These reels have the highest amount of torque, allowing you to put less effort into retrieving the bait and more energy towards finding the fish. Square-billed crankbaits are best used in the shallows, from 2’ to 6’ deep. If your rod is too stiff, you can easily pull a crankbait out of the bass’s mouth as he’s inhaling it. The vibration of a crankbait is determined by the placement of the bill that runs off the chin of the lure. Best Crankbait Reels - FAQ's What makes a good crankbait rod? From Quantum Tour KVD E-Glass Crankin Rods and 5.3:1 Quantum Smoke Reels to the Strike King 10XD Crankbait, fishing line, treble hooks, and electronics. The rod action is another key factor, as having a rod with some give is best to allow the bait to dive deep without being held back or impeded by the rod. Tyler Brinks is a tournament bass angler, originally from Las Vegas, NV. With that in mind, it is best to change out hooks for similar sizes, styles, and even the same brand to avoid affecting your bait’s action. it forces anglers to fish the baits slower, and it allows for more power during the retrieve. These reels are also great for slow rolling big, heavy baits such as spinnerbaits and swimbaits. Any fish that routinely eats smaller fish can be targeted with crankbaits. Amazon's Choice for crankbait reel. You want a reel that is easy to manage, and one that is a little bit slower. Another situational pattern is a crawfish crankbait, which is perfect in the spring when crawdads are breakfast, lunch and dinner for a hungry bass. In addition to the line diameter, the type of line will affect the diving depths of your crankbaits. The faster gear ratio is ideal for crankbaiting, as it allows you to cover large areas of water. In general, for crankbaits, the lighter the line the better. What is a […] A crankbait that dives 10 feet, for example, will be excellent in shallower water, as it will dig into the bottom and cause a disturbance. Line - I use green line for all my cranking. You can use Storm SuspenDots by just sticking them to the bait in that area. Crankbait rods, like the 9 1/2-foot Rainshadow Revelation REVCBT98XH-SB, maximize casting distance while having a soft and parabolic action that keeps big fish from pulling hooks. When you reel in a crankbait, slow or fast, stop the reel every 3 or 4 cranks of the reel handle. Especially if you’re fishing with crankbaits in colder water, you’ll want a slower retrieve with more lethargic fish in the water. Your rod is the most important piece of gear when fishing with crankbaits. As with a lot of lures, it’s hard to define exactly what separates crankbait … A crankbait is essentially just a lure with a small flat lip that causes it to dive underwater and stay there while you fish. By following these steps, you will be sure to get the most out of your crankbaits. Berkley has a new Trilene Sensation monofilament line made with a multi-polymer formula to add strength without adding diameter. You will want to avoid a reel with a 7.0:1 or higher gear ratio. The best way to achieve this action is with a light, thin line. A reel should be able to handle a large amount of line to get a better casting distance, and it should also have a slower gear ratio. One of the great joys of fishing can be mindlessly casting and reeling. Crankbaits need rods and reels specifically designed for the technique to get the most out of your lures. Copyright © 2020 Luremefish. Fishing with crankbaits on casting gear can be one of the most relaxing and rewarding experiences on the water. Make sure to use baitcasting gear if possible. An improved catch ratio is another benefit of an excellent crankbait rod. Medium-diving crankbaits work well in water that is shallower than 10 feet, even when they dive deeper than the water’s depth. Slowly reel the bait in and keep it steady. Once you locate your fish, you'll want to fish that area pretty hard. Daiwa TACT100P TATULA CT Baitcast Reel, Black. $39.99 $ 39. The best crankbait reel for the money, in my opinion, is the Daiwa Tatula CT. You can get this reel for under $130 from Amazon and never need to buy another crankbait reel in your life. Your rod is the most important piece of gear when fishing with crankbaits. Get expert articles delivered straight to your inbox! Abu Garcia REVO S Low Profile. Even the best baitcasting rod and reel will have a hard time on windy days when using really light bass lures. The slower moving reel will allow you to fish at drastically different speeds. Having a GPS depth finder on hand is extremely helpful when using crankbaits. If my go-to crankbaits aren’t working, throwing on the citrus shad can sometimes work wonders. The lack of stretch will tend to pull hooks out of the mouth of a fish, resulting in more lost fish. It takes more effort to get these crankbaits down deep and to make them stay there. How to fish square-bill crankbaits There are several ways to fish a square-bill, but the most common way is to simply cast and reel with a steady retrieve. Once you have your rod, reel, and a light mono line, it’s time to go pick out some crankbaits. You need to reel the crankbait 2 times in a second that is my normal strategy. Crankbait tips Whether or not you have the ideal rod for crankbaits, here’s some tips to increase your chances catching fish with crankbaits. You can always reel in faster to take in more line or you can reel in slower in colder water with a reel like this. Winter is time to use a flat-sided crankbait that produces a tight wobbling action. Crankbaits are some of the most effective lures you can use to catch bass. There are square-billed crankbaits, round-billed crankbaits, and some without a bill at all. Time of the year probably has more to do with lure selection … If that’s how you want to fish, more power to you. Crankbaits are among the top-producing lures for any species that eats smaller baitfish and crayfish. A good medium-heavy rod with a moderate action has a perfect balance of backbone and flexibility. Typically, the 25 is the favored size of spinning reel, but for casting crankbaits, you can go up to a 30 or 40 for a little extra power. The depth ranges vary from just below the surface down to 20 feet or even deeper. If your … As the name suggests, lipless crankbaits are just that – lipless. He now resides in Spokane, WA and spends his days fishing for bass, writing, making videos, and ice fishing. When a lure deflects off a hard object, it is often the best time to catch a fish, as it causes a reaction from the fish as the lure changes direction. Lastly, the citrus shad color isn’t usually in my starting lineup but is an excellent choice coming off the bench. Something in the 5.0-6.0:1 category will work best. Modern crankbait rods have been created to make crankbait fishing more convenient. While this may seem crazy for a lure that has two treble hooks attached, shallow-divers actually do not hang up often if you reel them in fast enough. If not, it could be due to a defective lure, damage from an errant cast, or simply catching too many fish! Every action you make will flow to the lure at a slower rate with a slower action rod. If you ask bass pro David Fritts, he’ll tell you there are two things that matter most with crankbaits that are directly affected by your choice in line: the action of the lure, and casting distance. If it's winter out, you'll want to send in some deep divers that are flat-sided crankbait because they work better in colder weather. A medium action rod has a soft tip that will allow a fish to eat the crankbait before you feel pressure, ensuring that you don’t set the hook to soon and rip the squarebill from the mouth of the fish. Cranking on your strong side means positioning your rod to your dominant hand side. In lakes that have shad, a white or shad-pattern crankbait with a fast retrieve is the best lure to use to cover water until you locate a concentration of fish. Like shallow-diving crankbaits, a deflection also triggers strikes, and a short pause after a deflection often results in a strike. The body and lip of the crankbait will absorb the impact, causing the deflection, and the hooks will rarely penetrate the cover at high speeds. This means that if you add a good level of pressure the rod may begin to sway from the half part. Fishing in the winter means more bounty as fair-weather anglers retreat to the warm i…, Lure color changes drastically as you fish deeper underwater. Crankbaits are tried and true when it comes to bass fishing. Below are 7 tips and tricks to help you master the art of cranking. Selecting a Style of Crankbait Use a lipless crankbait for a variety of fishing depths. Deeper-diving crankbaits are 3” to 5” long. They allow an angler to quickly cover water and will be appealing to any fish that is in a feeding mood. I like a 6’5”-6’9’ rod to help make accurate casts, once you get much over 6’9” and above the accuracy goes down and snagging structure goes up. Retrieve & Presentation Tips and Techniques According to target fish, water conditions, weather conditions and chosen crankbait, picking the right retrieve and presentation method is the key to success. The slower action means that the rod reacts slower to you setting the hook. A good quality one is also for the win. You want to give that lure a chance to slowly dive, and give that big old bass following your lure every opportunity to take the bait before you reel it back in. If you live in a northern state or territory that frequently sees blue gills, try a blue gill imitating crank. When you catch a fish, think about what you were doing before the strike so that you can replicate that on the next cast. Monofilament and braid will float, and fluorocarbon will sink. Keep your retrieve slow, vary your speed, pause the lure mid-retrieve, and try to bounce it off structure. A 5.4:1 or similar gear ratio works well for all crankbaits because of two major factors: Fast action means that just the top third will bend with the same pressure. Ill stick with Skeet Reese Victory 2 baitcaster reel. Your email address will not be published. This is referred to as the “action” on a rod. A higher gear ratio means that you’re reeling in more line for every handle turn, which is not ideal for crankbaits. One area of your crankbait rod that should not be up for debate is making sure it has a graphite shaft. I started luremefish.com to share my extensive knowledge of all things fishing. This helps ensure that the bass has every opportunity to swallow the bait. If the bill comes off the chin at a sharp downward angle, the bait will be a wobbler. As we know crankbaits wobble and dredge deeper and deeper applying some pretty good torque. Also, try not to point your rod at the bait. However, if you want to be effective with your crankbaits, don’t simply toss your line and mindlessly crank back. On your rod, make sure the action is moderate to slow, and not fast. Shallow crankbaits are perfect for springtime, as many of the largest fish in the lake will begin to enter shallow water in preparation for spawning. Of course I have lost some fish on a crankbait, but I don’t … VanDam shares how to successfully fish various types of plugs all day, catching more bass, without fatigue. Rod, reel and line setup for squarebill crankbait finesse fishing. To improve my bass fishing game, I decided to do in-depth research into the ultimate system for crankbaits. Reel choice really depends on the situation and angler’s preference. A long cast is important for crankbaits because they are meant to cover both depth and length in the water. In most cases, the warmer the water is, the faster you want to crank your reel handle. A red crankbait used with a fast retrieve will dive into the bottom and will look like a scurrying crawfish. There is perhaps no lure more versatile than a crankbait. Selecting fishing line is one of the most overlooked aspects of crankbait fishing. This is when the baitfish become most active and the predatory fish begin to chase them. It doesn’t matter if you’re a beginner or an experienced angler who’s primarily used to a spinning reel. The reels I choose are the Team Daiwa Millionaire with a 5.1 to 1 ratio for long cast situations and the TDS (5.1 to 1) for up close target casting. Paired with a proper cranking reel and a crankbait according to the water depths, you will be a rock star of fishing or whatever they call it. that's the one with the horizontal reel of line. Crankbaits lose more fish than other lures. This color scheme will vary slightly from brand to brand, but that just means more varieties of sexy shads to toss out when things dry up. But if you don’t have the right setup, even the best-looking crankbaits can be worthless in the water. "The balance point on a crankbait is right by the throat or just forward of the front hook hanger. This will include a smaller baitcasting reel and a crankbait casting rod. The drastic change could also negatively affect how the crankbait was designed to run, giving it little or no action. Get it as soon as Wed, Dec 30. Get a wide variety of cranks depending on the depth you’re targeting, and the color of the water. On your reel, a lower gear ratio will help with a slower retrieve. The key with shallow-diving crankbaits is to fish them with no regard to getting them hung up. I use Berkley line sizes ranging from 8 to 20 pound test. This is a time of year when you can crank as fast as you want to and fish deeper than you would in other seasons. most people don't really know what a baitcast reel is. Monofilament is ideal for shallow crankbaits, especially when you are fishing around grass, as it will not hang up as often as the sinking fluorocarbon. … Making sure that your crankbait is always running straight is a priority. A crankbait with a wider wobble does not work as well in colder temperatures, For most anglers crankbaits rods will always be a baitcasting rod, but if you are prepared to think out side of the box a little you may be surprised just how good a spinning rod for crankbaits can be. This style of lure will catch fish of all species in all seasons, whether you're casting or trolling. Piscifun Torrent Baitcasting Reel 18LB Carbon Fiber Drag Baitcasters Unequaled Affordable High-tech Innovation Baitcast Fishing Reels. Sexy shad is probably best used in water that’s moderately clear. A lure with a plastic lip that causes a bait to dive underwater can be classified as a crankbait. A fast action rod will have a stiffer tip, and a slow action rod will feel more like a noodle. Medium-diving crankbaits are 2” to 3” long and go as deep as 12 feet. Abu Garcia REVO S low profile came in the market a few years ago. Monofilament and fluorocarbon are the top choices for crankbaits. Having enough power in the rod blank and the correct rod action is paramount to getting the best out of your crankbait fishing. When it comes down to “the best reel for crankbaits” what you’re really looking for, beyond basic quality, is a lower gear ratio. Line size and diameter greatly affect how deep your baits will dive and what action they will have. By cranking on your strong side at an angle, with your rod securely in place under your non-dominant arm, you can set the hook with ease. Simply put, the thinner the diameter is, the deeper a bait will dive. You can experiment with this technique by changing up the rhythm of your pause. Swept handle – a Daiwa exclusive feature creating less rod and reel wobble while you crank. Not every rod in your rod locker is going to be good for catching fish with the crankbait. Crankbaits need rods and reels specifically designed for the technique to get the most out of your lures. We recommend a gear ratio of 6.3:1. Like the shallower styles, bottom contact is important, and any deflection or change in the retrieve will trigger a bite. You want to keep your rod at a 45-degree angle when fishing crankbaits. 99. One of my favorite colors to use is the Sexy Shad. When you reel in … A deep-diving crankbait is the top choice when fishing off shore structures. Learn which types of lu…, A guide to bass fishing baits, and the optimal conditions to cast them. The Trilene Sensation is one of the more expensive lines, but you get what you pay for. The practice of swapping treble hooks is important as hooks become dull, but changing a hook style or size can have a big impact on a crankbait’s action and dive. Lipless crankbaits can be used at any depth, but do not cover as much ground as lipped cranks and are more prone to snags. If you crank on your weak side, it’s easier for a bit of slack to form on the line when you first set the hook. Most clock in less than an inch-and-a-half long and weigh in anywhere from 1/10th of an ounce to 3/32nd of an ounce. At the same, you do need enough power to pull up a big bass, so a medium or medium-lite powered rod are preferred. While many colors will work effectively no matter the conditions, other colors are best left on the shelf. If it’s straight or has only a slight angle down the lure is a wiggler. To simplify things, crankbaits can be grouped into four major categories: The shallowest-diving crankbaits – including the popular squarebill crankbaits – work best around shallow cover. Crankbaits are so popular that manufacturers never stop pumping out new colors and patterns. Trolling crankbaits for crappie requires some commitment on the angler’s part. A baitcast reel is a lot easier to use when cranking in large crankbaits. Required fields are marked *. You can get away with fishing crankbaits on a medium-heavy rod, but that powerful of a rod is not necessary. Your email address will not be published. Although you can use a spinning rod the majority of fishermen will choose to use a baitcasting rod. A lower gear ratio reel is ideal for big baits that pull a lot, such as deep crankbaits. There have been way too many fish lost this way, so picking out the right rod is paramount. Crankbait methods: Reel in and pause: Whether you’re fishing floating or sinking crankbaits, pausing for a … As the water temperature heats up, so does the metabolism of predatory fish. 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Get your fix of expert articles delivered straight to your dominant hand side Pure fishing it easy! It little or no action, slow or fast, stop the reel.... Begin to sway from the half part will choose to use a flat-sided crankbait produces! But you ’ re targeting, and a slow, and a slow and... Is important, and try to bounce it off structure made with a plastic lip that it! Without a bill at all without adding diameter to achieve this action is moderate to,! Upper third section starts to bend down about half way down when moderate pressure is applied to the is... Good medium-heavy rod, make sure the action is the most effective lures you can use catch! To run them stay there rods are popular, as they provide the balance point on a medium-heavy rod a... As Wed, Dec 30 fish for bass – all Season Explained to reduce risk. Various types of lu…, a lower gear ratio will help with a moderate action is the sweet.! At least 5.1 is desired, of coarse more is okay too started luremefish.com to share my extensive of... Crankbaits can be fished at varying depths with a slower action means that you re! Knowledge of all species in all seasons, whether you 're casting or..