Conference wahoo::fishing

    
    Duh, what are crankbaits????
    
    Translation: Please give us a succinct definition of "crankbait"
    so that those of us who are still somewhat new at this will know
    exactly what we're talking about.
    
    I *think* I know what a crankbait is, but a good definition is always
    helpful!
    
   Thanks,
    
    Ed

    Well, a crankbait is any bait that is NOT a worm/grub, spinner
    or jig/spoon type bait....hows that for a negitive definition?????? ;^)
     I guess the normal way to define a crankbait is a bait that is
    made to resemble a bait fish. That could include things that are
    called 'stick baits' or other non-diving baits and 'propeller baits'
    such as the Mann's 'stick worm'.
    
    Does that help?
    
    Ranger Ron

    	A crankbait is what you use when you're cranky early in the
    morning and you don't want anyone getting close to you or speaking
    to you.   :-)))))
    
    	Seriously, a crankbait is any type bait which is one solid piece
    with a diving lip attached to the front of the bait.  These usually
    have 2 sets of treble hooks and look like a short, fat version of
    a fish.  Colors can be any of your choice.
    	There are 3 distinct types of crankbaits.  (1)The shallow runner.
    You can tell this one by a short narrow lip at the front of the
    bait with the attaching eye for the line either screwed into the
    front of the bait itself or right at the front of the bait.  These
    are used for shallow suspended fish. (<5 feet deep)
    (2) The medium runner.  This bait is distinguished by having a medium
    sized lip on the front of the bait and the line attachment eye about
    half way from the front edge of the lip to the bait.  These are
    for finding and catching suspended fish between about 5 and 15 feet
    below the surface.  (Shad-rap is a good example)
    (3) The DEEP diver.  This is characterized by a BIG lip on the front
    of the bait and sometimes has a split-shot type lead weight in the
    lip.  Line attachment ring is either near the outer edge of the
    lip or near the weight.  These are good for Walleye (so I'm told)
    and for fish that are REAL deep.  Usually has to be fished slow
    since fish at these depths are not usually too active.  If fished
    in a stop-and-go fashion so that the bait stays near the surface
    or at the surface, it can be good for larger Pike.
    	As for color, they will be in any color you can think of.  I
    use natural colors for clear water and a fluorescent orange and brown
    for dirty (most people call it stained) water.  If I am fishing
    in badly discolored water, I use a crankbait with a floating split-shot
    in the body for more vibration.
    	When fishing on top water or bottom is slow, I use the crankbaits.
    Start out with a shallow runner.  If that doesn't produce, move
    to a medium depth bait.  As a last resort (which I've never hit
    yet), go to a deep diver.  (Of course, Colorado fish might have
    different habits than Eastern fish. :-)  )  Just watch the extra
    treble hooks when you lip the fish.  (That's my biggest complaint
    with cranks.

It figures that Ranger Ron would approach the subject bass-ackwards!

To give you a better idea and some examples of lures I'm sure you can
associate with, here are some of the more popular CRANKBAITS:

Rebels
Rapalas
Mann's Shad Raps
Mann's 10/20/30+ Deep Hogs
Cotton Cordell Rattlin Spot
Heddon Zara Spook (topwater, but still a crankbait)
Lazy Ikes
Creek Chub Injured Minnow
Bagley's Smoo

and the list goes on!  Get the idea??


Joe

    OH.....
    
     	       	'Crankbait' must be freshwater talk for 'plug'!
    
    
    Rich
    

    Lets not forget my personal favorite maker of "crankers"..........
    
    B O M B E R   L U R E S  *
                                         NIGHTCRAWLER~~~~~~~~~~
    
    The best way to fish them is well put by Wayne.
                                                                   
                                                             
           

    Personally, I don't consider topwaters as crankbaits...         
                                                                    
    I break down lures like this:                                   
                                                                    
    bottom-bumpers 	- worms, grubs, jigs, etc...                   
    topwaters		- hula popper, jitterbig, zara spook, etc...
    crankbaits		- the 3 types mentioned earlier 
    	   	shallow - rebels, rappalas, etc...         
    	   	med     - shadraps, big o's, etc...       
    	   	deep    - 15+ divers                    
    spinnerbaits 	- normal skirted jobs                            
    spinners            - mepps, etc..                     
    spoons 
    misc...
           

    Crankbaits can be a very effective bait for Bass if properly used.
    I always have one of my rods rigged with a crankbait when Bass fishing
    and have caught my biggest largemouth on one.  I'll use a light
    to medium action rod with 6lb. test line and generally a shallow
    to medium depth crankbait.  This allows me to fish anywhere from
    one foot below the surface to 6 feet down depending on how fast
    the retrieve is.  There is nothing more exciting then hooking a
    7lb. bass on light/medium action rod and 6lb. test line and with
    a crankbait.  This was the way I caught my largest bass last year.
    I have found it worthwhile to buy good brandname crankbaits because
    they run true and provide the depth and action that necessary to
    fool the big ones.  There are alot of good crankbaits out there
    but you want to make sure you get the ones that will work the way
    you want them to for the type of fishing you'll be doing.  I have
    a few of deep divers but I rarely use them because when I fish for
    bass the water depth rarely exceeds ten feet.  Some of the names
    I've had good luck with include Bomber, Rebel, Cotton Cordel and
    the list goes on.  Using a crankbait properly should increase your
    chances of catching the big ones when nothing else seems to be working.
    
    
    JOE...
    

    
    
    Agree with Don Mac in .7
    
    Don, how about adding another catagory to CRANKBAIT and that would 
    be called "COUNTDOWN"
    
    I to always have a rod rigged with a crank bait.  Mostly a Repala that
    can be twithed on the surface to entice the Bass that is layin just
    below.

    BTW I BELIEVE that Repala is the VERY BEST all around crank bait
    you can buy...
    
    TBDW
    

    Has anyone heard of removing the front treble hook from a crank
    bait? It is suposed to make the crank bait less likely to hang up
    on stumps and the bottom, but at the same time the ablility to hook
    the Bass is not sacraficed too much. Has anyone tried it?
    
    Rich

    try replacing the trebles with long shank singles.
    
    pointed up of course.  you get a different bait for sure.
    
    
    

Rich,

There are pro's & cons to removing the middle hook, OR, alternatively, 
simply cutting the front-facing hook from the treble hook to make the front 
treble hook "glide" over obstacles.

Most bass will attack a bait from the side and NOT the back end.  If you 
think about the times you've caught bass on, for example, a Rebel or 
Rappala, the bass is usually hooked by the forward or middle hooks and the 
trailing hook usually hooks them around the gill or eye...outside of the 
mouth but not in the mouth.  If you remove the entire front hook, you may 
lose more fish and depending on the crankbait, it make upset the balance and 
action of the lure.  

If you want to do anything at all, I'd suggest just cutting the front-facing 
hook.  I haven't done this myself, but I've spoken to a couple of people who 
have tried the weedless Hula Popper which has the front-facing hooks removed 
which is supposed to glide over pads and they reported that they missed a 
lot more fish.

I'll put up with the aggrevation of getting hung up a little more often 
rather than take the chance of missing a fish. 

-HSJ-

   	 I'll bet there is as many ways to fish a CRANKBAIT as there are  
    CRANKBAITS to fish. I have found that these PLUGS work best for
    schooling fish. The bigger the plug, the bigger the fish. You will
    find that the color used today, won't work tomorrow::: BUT the style
    probably will. ALSO the retreive may change from day to day or hour
    to hour. 
    
    Personal favorites:::
    
    RAPALA FAT_RAP        colors... SHAD, YELLOW PERCH, CRAWDAD
    
    RAPALA SHAD_RAP          "                 """""
    
    BTW... The day after Christmas at Dell Valle res in Ca. I landed
    about 15 bass with a yellow perch SHAD_RAP... And GET THIS...
    a 2 1/2 lb and a 4+ lb RAINBOW........Believe it or not........
    
    
    
    
    
    				BUCKETMOUTH
    					"down south"
    

After starting this topic over the winter, I did as I had planned and 
spent more time fishing crankbaits this year - with a fair amount of 
success - especially in the smallmouth department.  Having to re-stock 
my tackle, I'd like hear about some comments on your favorite crankbaits.

The only ones that I have replaced so far are the Rapalas, all sizes 
(except 5) of the original floating, and all sizes of the Shadrap.
All in silver(/black) and a few in orange or gold.  I've caught close
to a hundred smallmouth (ok, most of them were under 10"!) this year,
and most of them were caught on various Rapalas - so the Rapalas were 
on the top of my first order to BassPro...

Another crankbait that I liked is Bill Norman's Deep Baby N, in a brown
and orange color pattern.  I caught a bunch of smallies on this, some crappie,
and a nice walleye.

Anyone to care to share some opinions on some of their favorite little 
fish-catchers?  

And how about fishERMAN-catchers?  I had a few things that I don't think
I'll replace... Like those Dance's eels...  great action, but I've never
caught a fish on them - of course like anything else, if you don't use it
you won't catch fish on it...

don mac (who's build just finished and can now go home on this Labor Day
         when he should be out fishing! 8^) 

    I agree with you don about the Dance's Eel.  They are fun as hell
    to watch but I have never caught anything on one.  I have seen
    everything from kivers to perch follow it but nothing big or bold
    enough to hit it.  My favorite crankbait is a Rebel "Deep Wee-R",
    Orange & Green.  Works best in fairly clear water.
    
    Tim
    
    P.S. The Rapala -- There is no replacement for this lure!
          nor for the 1/2 oz Yellow Rooster Tail (Warden's ONLY!)
    

               <<< MSEE::USER$1:[NOTES$LIBRARY]FISHING.NOTE;1 >>>
                        -< Fishing - The Leisure Sport >-
================================================================================
Note 594.16                 Crankbaits (for bassin')                    16 of 16
HPSCAD::BPUISHYS "Bob Puishys"                       18 lines   6-SEP-1988 10:13
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Don you might try the "lipless" crank baits!  I like the Rattle
    trap and the spot.  They seem to work well.  
    
    Also you said you like the shads  well invest in some of the very
    small ones.  Mister twister makes a balsa one that is very tiny.
    It came in very handy for me in a Federation tournament once.
    
    We were fishing in a river (conn)  We could observer lots off small
    shad along a week line.  The bass would not hit anything else. 
    This shad is about the size of a quarter.  We landed 3 very large
    bass over 3 lbs.  They were hook so deep I left the bait in the
    mouth of the third until it was weight in alive!
    
    Bassin Bob
    
    Ps.  They were very cheap  3 for $5.00 buy two packs!
    
    
    
    

    Don, 
    
    One that you might think about is Mann's Deep Pig (20 ft. +). I
    caught my biggest Smallmouth on one this a week + ago. It really
    gets down there to where the big ones are......
    
    I think that the Eel works...at least it has for me, but the conditions
    have to be right for it...like most other baits. I caught a 3#
    largemouth in the Conn. River with it last year in fall. Plus some
    small ones here and there.
    
    But the Pig does work and does find the fish for you. then you can
    go to something like worms or jig/pig once you have located them.
    
    Tight lines, Ranger Ron

    Ron, I had 3 Deep Pigs in my box, but only used them a few times,
    and never had any luck with them.  However, now that I'm starting
    to use other crankbaits effectively, maybe I should give the 20+
    jobs another chance... 
    
    Thanks for the input, and keep it coming. 
     
    Don Mac

    
    This months copy of "SOUTHERN OUTDOORS" features a very good article
    called "The Secrets of CRANKBAITS".  It talks at length about the
    deep divers.  Crank em REEEL SLOOOOWWWW (contary to what you would
    think). 
    
    TBDW
    

    These "new" deep divers have only been around for two years, so
    I don't think that all the 'methods' for using them have yet to
    be defined (or worked out). I have used them in 13 - 15 ft of water
    and bumbed them off the bottom with some success (not in woody or
    weedy water though).
    
    Garry's point on slow seems to be on target. They even have a new
    reel out, at 3:1, for them. WHAT??? Another reel?? ;^)
    
    Give them a try, especially now as the bass are coming up from the
    30-40 ft they have lived in for the summer.
    
    Tight lines, Ranger Ron

    
    	OK, I've heard it twice now...I figured I would ask the question
    now because I'll either forget it by next spring or there will be
    a tournament and no one will want to give up this kind of information.
    
    In reading and watching fishing shows...these good 'ol boys say
    that they use a crankbait to find the bass and then move to the
    other lures to entice the "lunker".  Is this a method that any of
    you have used in tournaments and how valid of a technique is it.
    
    Yeah, yeah...I know that it is ice fishing time...humor me on this
    one...any truth in what I've heard?
    
    Gitzit'
    

    	Gitzit has a good concern, Ask now becuase no one will tell
    later.
    
    I use this a lot when pre-fishing lakes before tournaments.  Not
    as much during a tournament.  If two of use fish together when 
    prefishing we will use a spinnerbait and a crankbait.   If we catch
    a lot of fish (keepers) we move on.  If we get shorts we will switch
    to a slower bait to see if there are bigger fish in the area.
    
    This lets you cover lots of ground fast.  Say you have one day to
    prefish a lake you have never been on.  This method lets you cover
    more shore line than if you were fishing every tree weed or stump.
    
    It also has it fall backs.  You can miss lots of fiah which are
    not active in the summer months or are just after slower baits like
    worms or jigs.
        
    Hope this helps
    
    Bassin Bob Puishys

    	Howdy,
    
    	I got hooked on crankers a few years back when I tried a Rebel
    Deep Wee R in the perch finish.  I just ran around the shore of
    the lake, dragging the plug behind the boat with about 40 or 50
    feet of line out.  It runs about 8-10 feet deep with 10lb. line
    and a fairly quick troll.  Also this lure has a low pitch rattle
    in it and attracts fish from a pretty good distance.  It has taken
    both species of bass, walleye, pike and perch for me over the years
    and I now use the crawfish pattern and the baby bass as well.
    	Crankbaits were called that because you are just supposed to
    cast and reel them to get all the built-in action you need.  In
    that respect a topwater like the spook doesn't really qualify to
    be called a crankbait.  Of course you can retrieve in any manner
    you want and a good crankbait will catch fish no matter how you
    fish it.  I've had smallies bust a deep diver as it sat quietly
    on the surface before I even had a chance to crank 'er.
    
    	Chow 4 now 
    
    Larry  Bass
    

    Hey Folks
    
    As I read this note I noticed a missing set of crankbaits; The Bill
    Lewis types of Rat L Traps.  I have bought three of these babies and
    have only caught one bass about 1.5 lb.  I have the silver shad, the
    bleeding shiner and a Leroy Brown, green bass baby.  These are fairly
    heavy crankbaits have an outlet on the top of the back right in the
    middle.  They are fish shaped and have rattles inside.  Two sets of
    treble hooks too.
    
    I have fished them slow, fast, jerky etc.  Are these fisherMEN lures or
    what?  Anyone have any success with these?  Techniques to use with
    them?  They look sooo good its a shame they are taking up space in my
    tackle box.
    
    For my favorite crankbait is the rebel wee crawfish.  I have 6 of these
    and very rarely get skunked with them.
    
    the Bassassassin

    	I fish the Rat-L-Traps over weedbeds.  If the weeds don't grow
    clear up to the surface, the Rat-L-Traps will pull fish up.  In my
    favorite lake, there are lots of weed covered flats.  I have seen 3
    feet of moss explode toward the Traps in the spring pre-spawn when the
    fish are aggressive.
    	My other favorite crankbait for weed fishing is the Mann's 1-Minus. 
    These things work great since you can slow them down if the fish aren't
    active and STILL fish the heavy weeds.
    	Favorite color for crankbaits for me is chrome with blue back. 
    Might have something to do with Trout and shad in the lakes I fish.  
    	The biggest problem I have found with using either of these lures
    is trying to unhook hammer-handle pike from 2 sets of treble hooks.  I
    prefer just ONE hook to try to dig out of those toothy critters mouths.

    
    
    	When not throwing the namesake....I too like to run a Rat-L-trap
    	around the weeds.  I have my best success ripping it, nothing
    	fancy, just bringing it in fast.  I don't see the lure as one
    	of those that fall into the category of being used at a lot
    	of different times and conditions.  But there have been times
    	when that was the only lure that I could conjure up a strike
    	on.  I've see it as a good lure to have for use in the fall.
    
    	Gitzit'	
    
    
    

    Wayne and Gizit
    
    Let me see if I get this straight.  You both use these Rat L Traps just
    below surface at a very fast retrieve?  I found with the double set of
    trebles if its in weedy water you snag alot if you countdown or
    retrieve slow.
    
    Brian

    	Typically, I try to retrieve JUST OVER the tops of the moss.  IF
    you aren't snagging a little moss every once in a while, you are too
    high with the bait.  If it snags a little moss, just pop it with the
    rod tip to clear the hooks and KEEP SMOKIN' it.  DON'T try to retrieve
    this bait through timber or rocks, though, unless you are RICH and
    don't care about losing LOTS of them.  (AKA Roland Martin, Rich Klunn,
    ETC.)  The Trap seems to work best at a high retrieve rate for me. 
    (Maybe because I'm an IMPATIENT fisherman and like to cover water. :-)

    Wayne,
        I was just going to say the same thing, about snagging alittle 
    weeds no and then with the trap.  I have had a lot of luck in the fall
    ripping it through the weed lines.  My favorite patterns are Fire
    Tiger, Crayfish, and the bleeding shiner.  I have tried the Rattlin Rap
    on the same areas and days that the Rattl' trap produce but havent 
    had any luck at all.  I guess I will stick to the rattle trap
    
    
                   FOR SALE
    
             3 Rappala Rattlin' Raps   CHEAP
          

    
    Just a note on TREBLES......
    
    If you cut off the leading hook on a set of trebles it will help to
    minimize gettin snagged.
    
    This tactic is particularly good in rocky areas.  Probably not all that
    helpfull in heavy weeds.
    
    TBDW

    re. -.1
    	Hey TBDW.  I've yet to figure out how to fish them crankers over
    floating hydrilla and millfoil.  When you figure this one out, let me
    know.  WOULD YOU????  :-)  I'm always looking for new TOTALLY weedless
    baits for this purpose.

    
    The best WEEDLESS stuff is of course Texas rigged worms or spinnerbaits
    or any number of "WEEDLESS" baits.......
    
    I suppose if you really wanted to use a crank bait you could exchange
    the factory installed hooks (usually trebles) for the "WEEDLESS" type
    hooks.  You know, the ones with the wire stays...I'm still not sure you
    could make em weedless.
    
    I read an article some time ago in BASSMASTER mag that says "JUST TOSS
    THAT CRANK BAIT INTO THE WEEDS AND DON'T BE AFRAID TO LOOSE IT!"
    Of course that article was written by a pro who gets em handed to him
    from the mfg.
    
    TBDW
    

    	The only problem with just tossing them into the goop and not
    worrying about losing them is that the goop is too thick.  Have you
    seen the BASS MASTERS TV show where they were MOUSING for Bass in
    Georgia.  Well, the kind of garbage they were fishing was my entire
    lake after about mid June last year.  If you tossed a treble hook into
    that stuff, it would load up so badly that you could use it for an
    anchor.  I even tried the Moss-Master crankbaits.  They were useless,
    too.  About the only thing I found that could work the lake (~10% had
    OPEN water that you could see and not moss on the surface) without
    bringing most of the lake to you was the Mann's 1-Minus Crankbaits. 
    These seemed to work fairly well.  I just saw where they had a STRETCH
    version of the 1-Minus out.  Will have to try that version this summer
    since Pike seem to prefer a longer bait (catfish and bullhead minnows). 
    All I know is that Rapalas were useless since there was so much
    floating goop.  Will see how something with a little larger bill and
    body works.

    Anyone had any success yet with Rattlin' Raps? I have two, a gold/black
    and crawfish, but have yet to catch anything on either of them.
    
    They're such pretty lures I find it hard to believe that they don't
    work well. It must be that I just don't know how to fish them right!
    
    Someone please tell me they caught something on one!!
    
    Ed
    

    I HAVE!!!
    
    My favorite are crawfish and fire tiger patterns.  Believe it or not
    I use them on a 6.2:1 reel and Rip them real fast.  I try to put them
    over weed beds and just tip the top of the weeds.  They work great
    especially in the fall.
    
    Les

    	Maybe it's just my confidence level in the lure.  However, I have
    fished the RAP right next to my son who had Rattle-Traps on his line. 
    Usually, I can out-fish him fairly easily.  However, that day, he
    probably caught 2 to my 1 for a couple hours.  Swapped rigs and had
    about the opposite results.  We were fishing the same color lures to
    try to rule lure color out.  Don't know what it was or whether on
    another given day the sound of the Raps would out-fish the Trap.  But, I
    bought more Rattle-Traps for this year and left the Raps on the shelf.

    My partners and I have been arguing the use of snaps on crankbaits and
    spinnerbaits.  I say don't use them, because they just add one more
    thing between you and your lure.  My brother says that the ability to
    shift lures easier far outweighs my arguments.  I don't know, do you
    feel that the snap gives crankbaits better action?  I connect mine to
    my line using a bowline hitch so the knots not directly on the eye but
    raised well above it.
    
    What do you think?
    
    Brian

I always tie right to the lure.  I use a palomar (sp?) not for almost
everything.  The only other knot I use is the Rapala not on Rapalas and
occasionally on a light grub (1/16 oz) to give a slightly more natural fall.
Snaps help when you change lures, but I usually have 4 rods rigged with the
lures I plan to use, so I don't change very often, except to replace a beat-up
worm or grub, which doesn't require a re-tie.


Tim

    If it has a split ring attached to the eye, tie direct. If it doesn't
    and it's a rapala type - use a snap. If it's a tight vibrator like a
    Ratt-L-Trap and doesn't have a split ring, use a snap.
     I used to fish with a guy who used snaps on spinnerbaits, and he was
    GOOD ! Actually, a lot of southern guys put split rings on all their
    plugs and tie direct, because they think split rings won't pull open on
    a big fish like a snap might.
    
    --The Skoal Bandit

    I follow a combination of the previous two.
    
    If it has a splitring, I tie direct with a palomar.  If it has just
    an eye (like a rapala) then I use a rapala knot.
    
    The bit about changing lures fast doesn't cut with me - I think you
    (or me or anyone) should be checking the line contantly and retying 
    often.
    
    On occasion I have used snaps in place of rapala knots, but 90% of
    the time I use knots.
    
    I have always tied direct with a palomar to spinnerbaits. 
    
    I use bent arm spinnerbaits.  I prefer not to use twisted arm
    spinnerbaits because occasionally the bait will do a flip during the
    cast and the line will wind up between the twisted arms.  (Unless this
    has happened to you you probably cannot picture what I'm referring to)
    
    Anyway, when this happens and a hawg nails your spinnerbait, the line,
    the fish, and the spinnerbait are history.
    
    However, occasionally I have wanted to use a particular spinnerbait 
    and have not been able to find a bent arm model on short notice and 
    have to resort to the twisted arm models.
    
    In order to prevent the flip-flop-snap syndrome, towards the end of
    last year I started experimenting with using snapswivles with twisted 
    arm spinnerbaits.
    
    (I know, I know, I have given alot of folks a hard time about snap 
    swivels)
    
    By doing so,  when the bait does a flip, the metal snapswivel wil work
    between the twisted arms - making the bait loose all of its action,
    making ot apparent to you that it needs to be corrected.  
    
    Seems to work for me, donmac

    
     Brian,
    
     Say no more...
    
     Being Christmas and all... I'm starting to have a heart! Consider
    yourself lucky. This spring give me a call and bring your notebook.
    The Legend will videotape and I will instruct you on the proper way's
    to do the following:
    
     Proper line to use for specific baits
     Typical note tying ie. improved clinch, palomar
     How to cast into and around structure
     How to sharpen hooks ie.hook-honer files etc...
     Type of hooks to use ie. arbadine,gamatzu,tru-turn etc...
     And many more... for just $79.95
    
    Just give me a call! and in the mean-time, keep wearing those knee-pads
    
    "Bassmaster"

Tim, its knot not not !  I hope its clear now ...  :-)

I use snaps when trolling, when using an inline spinner like a Meps or if its 
too cold to tie a knot.  I fish with a guy who always uses a snap (and a big 
one at that) when fishing with a rubber worm.

I actually think it doesn't matter, especially when fishing for bass.  Bass
would probably hit a rubber worm that was on the end of a kitchen spoon.

Phil

>>> Bass will hit it even if it is attached to a kitchen spoon.

That is where the name spoon came from.  This kid was out fishing.  His
mom had packed him a lunch witch has a bowl of pudding in it.  While he
was eating it and watching his reflection in the water he dropped the silver
spoon.  well as he watched it flutter down a big dark shadow eat it.

So he went home and took his mothers silver spoons and started to cut and bend
them until he found a form that worked best!!  AND CALLED IT S FISHING SPOON.

Boy this kids mom was pissed until the idea caught on and he sold lots of them.

I read this in some mag once..

Bassin Bob

    Well my view, distorted -- but mine.
    
    If a Bass will eat a duck. Feet, feather, etc. He will eat anything.
    
    Lavender Jack-who-is-depressed-about-not-being-in-Pualaki-cause-
    the-rivers-are-flooded... Will be in 2 weeks tho...

    I have pretty much only used rapallas and rat-l-traps for crankbaits. 
    For christmas I got one of those crates of RC-3's and RC-2's.  These
    look really different having a five sided bill rather than than the
    smooth bill the rapallas have.  Anyone out there use these?  Do you
    fish them like rapallas or crank them in differently
    
    Brian who can't wait for spring
    

    
    Brian:
     
    Schools in session
    
    Crankbait - pro. krank-bate
                from the english to retrive a swimming type fishing lure at
                varying depths with various means of retrieval.
    
    Poes      - pro. Po's
                A spicific brand name type of crankbait
    
    Summary:
    
     A crankbait is a type fishing lure that can be casted and retrived 
    at very intervals depending upon the action and speed. These lures
    are designed to goto varying depths. The depth are indicated either
    on the box or on the bill of the lure. I personally inscribe each 
    crankbait I own with the depth on the head of the lure with an 
    indullable marker. This is so long after the lure's been out of the
    box you'll know what type of diver it is.
     Poes crankbaits tend to have larger bodies than the standard rapala's
    and rebels. This is irrelvent in the retrive. You still need to retrive
    the lure with the propper action to induce a strike. This take alot
    of pratice.
     Now that we've had our little session here please save the rest of
    the questions till the spring when I take you out on my boat for the
    day. This will allow me to personally toss you overboard if you ask
    another question like this one.
    
     -"Bassmaster" 
      
    

    Brian, while talking about crankbaits, when you say 'rapalas' I assume
    you are referring the shadrap (SR) line of rapalas.  With that 
    assumption, I would say, yeap, looks like just another crankbait to me.  
    
    (If your talking about S series of rapalas, then that's another story.)
    
    I think your basic question is: are there different techniques to be 
    used with wide billed crankbaits vs. narrow billed crankbaits.
    
    Here are some 'non-expert' thoughts 8^)
    
    Besides effecting the action of the bait it, it just might help the 
    lure be more useful under different circumstances.
    
    Besides fishing a crankbait at a certain depth, either burning fast, 
    fishing it slow, or some combination with a stop and go technique - 
    some people like to fish their crankbaits right on the bottom or in and
    around structure.
    
    On a soft bottom the narrow 'cutting' bill of some crankbaits, such as
    the bomber A series, may 'dig up' the bottom better than a wide
    billed bait. Stirring up the bottom like this with crawfish patterned 
    crankbaits is supposedly real effective.
    
    Other people like to cast right into wooden structure with crankbaits.
    It would make sense that the wider bills, like found on the Poes RCs, 
    would be less likely to get hung up in the wood, as opposed to the 
    narrow billed baits.
     
    And if I recall correctly, Ruck Clunn (the "RC" in the RC line of baits 
    as you know) is into bumping crankbaits into structure.  As a matter of
    fact wasn't his pattern for winning this years classic fishing his RCs 
    in and around wood - cypress trees.
    
    donmac
    
    

    I believe Clunn used these in two types of cover, heavy weeds and wood. 
    I understand the wood, but going through heavy weed with two sets of
    trebles always gets 8lbs of weed for me.
    
    I also heard that these all cedar Poes tend to float better than the
    plastics so you do a bump and stop retrieve and the lure will literally
    hang right there like a stunnded bait fish.
    
    Brian

    
    
    
       I've read a few articles about going through weeds with a big-lipped
    crankbait.  Basically they say that the bill shields the trebles from
    the weeds, and when you do feel the pull of weeds you can stop the
    retreive and it will back itself out of the stuff.  Sounds good, but I
    still bring back lots of vegetation.
       There's also alot of talk regarding the Poe's as to their being flat
    sided.  I think it was Bassmaster that was talking about these flat
    sided cranks as opposed to the "fat" rounder versions.  What ever wins
    the Classic is what's hot for the year, ie: Hank Parkers spinnerbait
    last year.
    
    
    Bear ( who'll probably end up buying one )