Working Crankbaits

Question
Dan,

How fast should I be working artificial lures? Sometimes, when I think I'm doing OK, the lure comes close and I realize that the thing was flying.

Any rules of thumb?

Paul

Answer
Paul,
Thanks for using All Experts.  Hopefully I'll be able to give you a satisfactory answer.

Crankbaits are a fairly simple lure to fish, but you are correct on speed being a key to the
lure's success.

The two basic styles of crankbaits are lipless and billed.

The lipless style are like the Rat-L-Trap, and are usually used with a faster retrieve.
However, try letting this style fall to different depths, and bringing it along with a medium
speed.  Also, pump the lure like swimming a jig.

Billed crankbatis can be used with several different types of retrieves.  The straight pull,
varied in speeds, is the most popular.   

One of my favorites is to crank the lure down fast to a desired depth, then keep the rod tip
level with the water surface, and rip and pause by sweeping the rod tip to the side about 3
feet each time.  The pause is the time it takes to wind up the slack as the rod is brought
back into position for another sweep.  The strike will often come as another sweep is
started, and will feel like a hang up.

In the same type of retrieve, instead of sweeping use the reel to pause.

Always keep the rod parallel to the surface, and set the hook with a sweeping motion.
Lifting the rod for a hook set will often lose the fish.

You asked for a rule of thumb.  There are a couple.  One is to retrieve the lure, especially
billed styles, just fast enough to bump and deflect off of structure, bottom and weed tops.
Of course this will be different with fish that are suspended over deep water, at which time
you must know the depth, cast past the area, and use the depth of crankbait along with the
speed needed to keep it at the depth of the fish, and in the strike zone for the longest
possible period.  The other rule of thumb is to let the fish tell you the speed, this is
normally slower in negative times, and faster when the fish are actively feeding, such as
when shad busts are observed.

Always be sure crankbaits are tuned so that they will run straight.  This is critical to the
action, and depth control.   Too fast of a retrieve used on a lure out of tune will have it
rolling and jumping to the surface.

If you have any further questions on this or anything else let me know.

I hope I've been able to help.

Best of fishing,
Dan