clearly, this is often the result. As a general rule you don’t want the fish to be able to scrutinize your offering.
In such cases, there are several things you can do to improve your odds of success. First of all, look for areas with wind. A breeze will put a ripple on the surface and reduce light penetration, effectively masking your bait’s imperfections, thus not allowing the fish to find fault with its movement or coloration. Another option is to seek out locations with increased water color. In the spring, the upper ends of clear water impoundments often have stained water where creeks and rivers muddied by run off enter the lake.
ARMED AND READY
As with any activity, having the right tools certainly makes the task at hand easier. Tackle for cranking has become extremely specialized especially when it comes to rod choice. A longer rod with a parabolic action is the gold standard. I have always been a big fan of glass rods when it comes to fishing reaction baits and in particular crankbaits. Glass does
an excellent job maintaining constant pressure and keeping lightly hooked fish pegged.
I rely on a Cousins Tackle Glass Reaction Bait Rod FRB 733PT Reaction Bait and Cranking Rod. I match the rod to a 6:3:1 casting reel spooled with 10 lb Sunline Reaction FC Fluorocarbon. When I need to get a bit more depth out of my crank plug I will downsize to 8-pound-test, which also provides the added benefit of letting the bait move more freely.
During this time of year, I have had success with small bodied deep divers like the Little John DD 60 and the RKCrawler 55 by SPRO. Both these baits run in that magical 8- to 12-ft depth range that bass frequent during their spring movement.
I like to keep my color choices basic. Browns, greens, and reds are excellent crawdad imitators. Another very good color is anything with a chartreuse body. This is especially true when smallmouth and spotted bass are present.
So, the next time you find yourself in full on pre spawn search mode, grab your cranking rod and a handful of your favorite crank plugs. Good times can be just a cast away.
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