The Staying-Power of Deep-Diving Crankbaits

At one time, deep-water crankbait fishing was practiced only occasionally by anglers, but ever since Lexington, North Carolina's David Fritts cranked his way to the BASS Masters Classic championship in 1993 and a number of FLW Tour wins shortly thereafter, the crankbait has become a highly specialized bass fishing tool.

Before the development of these highly proficient bottom-bumpers, the only recourse fishermen had to probe depths of 10 feet or more was to painstakingly drag a plastic worm or heavy jig along the lake bottom or vertically fish with spoons and jigs. These methods were productive, but time-consuming.

But once crankbaits were designed to run deeper than 10 feet, fishermen were able to explore underwater structure more quickly and efficiently than ever before.

Deep-diving crankbaits are deadly for probing lake bottoms. (Photo by Tony Garitta)

Not that crankbaits were infallible. Some lure manufacturers promised more than they could deliver.

Breaking the 20-Foot Barrier

Claims that crankbaits had broken the 20-foot barrier have been proven largely exaggerated by independent researchers. Most deep-diving crankbaits designed for bass fishing consistently reach depths of 14 feet to 17 feet, but very few transcend the 20-foot mark. That is unless the angler uses 8-pound-test line and makes casts of 100 feet, or doctors the bait by adding weights to the forefront. And, of course, the bait must track true. Also, yeoman strength is required to crank many of these big-lipped divers back to the boat hour upon hour.

Despite their flaws, deep-diving crankbaits have been consistent big sellers since the early 1990s, so they're more than a fad.

Of course, once these basin-huggers became popular, specialized cranking rods had to be constructed to accommodate them. The rods had to be capable of propelling the baits long distances across open water and of withstanding considerable water pressure from the diving bait. At the same time, they had to remain sensitive to strikes and formidable enough to let the angler drive the hooks home.

Lexington crankbait artist David Wright shows off the rewards of deep-water cranking. (Photo by Tony Garitta)

Two schools of thought prevail on the ideal rod for crankbait fishing.

One school argues that a soft rod made of fiberglass is superior to a strong rod made of graphite. The fiberglass rod allows for a better hookset since the forgiving action delays the reaction of the angler. A low-stretch line should be used with this rod because of the tolerance already built into the rod. This rod-and-line combination also prevents the hooks from being torn out of the mouth of the fish.

The Feel of Graphite

The other school argues that the early feel of a strike through the more sensitive graphite rod gives the angler a quicker response to set the hook and enables him to control the fish better. Conversely, a line with stretch should be used because of the unforgiving nature of the rod. This too will reduce the odds of a fish tossing the bait.

Whatever the composition of the rod, most crankbait fishermen prefer a 7-foot model with a straight handle design for two-handed casting. They're also conscious of rod positioning. To drive the bait deeper, they'll hold the rod down or submerse it while kneeling and reeling.

Standard baitcasting reels underwent an overhaul, too. The high gear ratios of many reels often prevented deep-diving baits from running true by forcing the baits up. Worse yet, the inner workings of many reels couldn't take the punishment of retrieving baits under so much water pressure and would burn out. To counter these problems, manufacturers built cranking reels with lower gear ratios and heavy-duty gears.

Deep-water cranking is definitely here to stay. If it's not already part of your fishing strategy then it should be. Used in conjunction with a depth finder, it's the most effective way to get down to the fish on their own level.