CRANKBAITS CATCH FISH
By Bob Jensen

Some lures were created to catch a specific species of fish. For instance, spinnerbaits were designed to catch bass, although they have been found to be effective on northern pike as well.

Plastic worms are mostly designed to fool bass, but they are also effective on a variety of species.

Crankbaits are a lure type that will trick a variety of fish, but for maximum effectiveness, there are a few things we should keep in mind if we are to be successful with crankbaits.

First we need to select a crankbait that is appropriate for the specie we are after. Keep in mind that much of the time, gamefish feed on smaller fish that are similar in body shape. Therefore, short fat crankbaits tend to be best for largemouth bass and smallmouth. Largemouth and smallmouth eat shad, bluegills, and other shorter fatter minnows. Smallmouth are often more opportunistic and will eat a minnow regardless of shape, but largemouth, especially in the summer, seem to prefer fatter minnows and baits. A good example of a short fat crankbait is a Frenzy Diver.

Long, thin crankbaits are usually more effective when walleyes, pike, and muskies are the quarry. Those species of gamefish eat lots of perch, shiners, smelt, whitefish, and long, thin, baits resemble those baitfish. A Frenzy Minnow would be representative of a long, thin crankbait.

Color is another consideration. Sometimes the fish don’t care what color the lure is, but much of the time there will be one or two colors that will produce more fish. A rule of thumb that many anglers use to select a lure color is bright colors in stained water, natural colors in clear water. Firetiger is usually a good walleye color, while there are a lot of good starting points for bass. Crawfish, bluegill, shad, and perch are popular colors to start with in the Midwest when bass are the goal. 

In stained or dirty water, select a crankbait that will make noise and bump into things on the bottom. A noisy crankbait will attract more fish in stained water because the fish will be able to find it easier. If your bait is bumping into rocks and objects on the bottom, it will make more noise and the fish will be able to find it easier.

In clear water, some anglers feel that crankbaits that are quiet are better. The fish can see farther in clear water, so noise isn’t necessary to attract the fish. However, there are times when a noisy crankbait seems to be beneficial in clear water. 

There are always exceptions to any guideline when it comes to fishing. In the summer walleyes can be taken on short fat baits, and in the spring many largemouth have fallen to long, thin baits. And there have been times when noisy crankbaits triggered fish in clear water and others where the weirdest colors imaginable were all the fish wanted. However, if you keep the above ideas in mind, you’ll see just how effective crankbaits can be for a wide variety of fish.