Bass Fishing Tip of the Week 08/08/09: Crankbait Selection, Skinny or Fat

Crankbaits are one of the most effective lures to use to catch a large limit of bass. The enticing wiggle and diving characteristics make this lure both enticing and versatile to scour different water depths. The treble hooks also aids in good hookups even with bass barely mouthing the bait.

A large variety of colors are available to match the hatch and can often be intimidating to the beginner and novice anglers. To simplify this I stick to proven colors such as silver/black back, chrome/blue back and small variations to true shad colors.

The size of the diving lip often dictates how deep the lure will travel. The larger the lip, the deeper the lure will go.

One thing that many fishermen overlook is the body style which is very important in attracting the bass to strike. A fat bodied crankbait often has a wide wobble while a thinner one will most likely have a tight wobble. Here's some key points to remember on when to choose one over the other.

1- When fishing 9 feet or less I prefer a skinny crankbait such as a shadrap or a rattling crankbait like the Rattletrap. The tight wiggling action is closer to the actual swimming motion of the shad when fleeing from a predator. This motion can provoke a strike from both active/inactive fish. These baits also tend to travel less deep and will not dig the bottom too aggressively or hang as bad in vegetation such as hydrilla.

2- For depths greater than 9 feet it is extremely difficult to get a skinny crankbait to dive to these depths, therefore a fat bodied one is preferred. These baits often have larger diving lips and produce a wide wobble.

3- In rivers/creeks the use of both styles are predicated upon both depth and primary forage. Use the fat deep divers for deep water or if crayfish is the food of choice. If shad is the primary forage and the water isn't too deep, go for the skinnier lures.

Try these crankbait tips and you're sure to do more catching with less fishing.

Tight Lines,

The Largemouth Herald