FTM Blaukat Blog/Small Late Summer Crankbaits
Now that we are entering the middle of August, many veteran anglers consider the next month or so to be some of the most challenging times of the year to catch bass.
Fish that were living in deeper schools in June and early July have began to scatter out, suspend, and move to different locations around the lake.
In many situations in both man-made lakes and river systems, this involves a greater population of bass moving to shallow cover, despite the warm water temperatures.
While the exact reason this occurs is a theory to a large degree, the fact remains that many times, oxygen levels area better, baitfish are more plentiful, and the right mix of cover exists for bass to set up on shallow targets.
In this situation, one of the most effective tools for catching bass is a small crankbait.
Crankbaits like the Megabass Z-crank, the Megabass S-crank 1.2 are two examples of this lure category. While both crankbaits are small, the difference in these and similar crankbaits like the 200 series Bandits or the Strike King 1.5 squarebills, is the lip angle.
Cranks like the Z-crank or the Bandit have small diving lips that get the bait down quick, into the 3-5-foot range.
During August and September, this lure category is perfect for cranking rocky banks, riprap and even wood cover.
On the other hand, cranks like the S-Crank or the Strike King squarebills have the squarebill lip design.
This lip design gives the bait more of a horizontal trajectory, and the ability to deflect off shallow targets better than the diving lip on the other baits.
Both bill categories play a big role in late summer bass fishing, and many times, bass will prefer one lip or bait profile over the other.
Given this, when committing to a shallow water summer approach, anglers would do well to have each of these baits tied on, with a couple different color options.
Here are a few key points to remember…
1. Look for water visibility of less than 18 inches. Ideally, when fishing around shallow targets in warm water with small crankbaits, water visibility of 8 to 12 inches is ideal.
2. Color is another key factor. Shad and perch patterns are the two most effective color choices on small crankbaits. Try using a brighter chartreuse/ yellow sided bait early in the morning, or on cloudy windy days. Also, in very dirty water (less than 8 inches visibility) this color scheme will be more productive. Shad patterns with a metallic/ flat or clear finish, produce well up in the brighter daytime hours, or in cleaner water. Remember, much of the keys to hitting on the right colors is through experimentation.
3. Retrieve speed is also a critical element in small crankbaits. When fishing them around thicker cover like laydowns, shake the rod tip while reeling the bait. This will keep the bait from getting hung up. Once free, speed the bait up quickly and begin a fast stop and go retrieve. When fishing rocky banks, be sure to keep your speed up and use an erratic retrieve.
4. Line size is dependent on the cover you are fishing and the depth you need to attain. Match your line size accordingly to this. Also, when fishing on rocky or riprap banks, go lighter on line size. This will allow for longer casts and allow you to cover a wider range of depths. Most of the time, I’m using 6-12lb. Seaguar Invizx line for all my small cranks.
5. And finally, the rod and reel setup is crucial. For me, the best setup with small crankbaits is a medium action rod around 7 feet long. I use the Megabass Orochi Whipsnake rod. Not only will a spinning rod allow you to make longer casts, it increases your distance and accuracy on windy days. Once you get comfortable with using the spinning outfit, it is rare to see anyone go back to a baitcaster.
There is no better time to fish small crankbaits than now until the end of September. Just grab a small selection of these baits and head to the most stained water your favorite lake has. I’m confident it will be one of the best ways you can put fish in the boat during one of the toughest times of the year!