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carl
Posts: 436
Joined: Fri Sep 12, 2003 4:00 pm

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Post by carl »

First Q. Hows that Cajun line working out? Does it have much memory, and would you use it as a leader? Do you have any rules of thumb on what kind of crankbait you use. For instance, one with a tight wobble vs. one with a wide? Any advice will be appreciated. As I've mentioned in other posts I plan to work on the two lures which I'm not very good at, cranks @ spinnerbaits this year. Jigs and plastics are my go to baits, so this year I plan to open up more options. I'm also going smaller this year with my jigs, hoping they well do better on our highly pressured lakes. Thanks Carl
johnnie crain outdoors
Posts: 1504
Joined: Sat Apr 06, 2002 5:00 pm

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Post by johnnie crain outdoors »

Hi Carl,
The Cajun Red Line is working out okay. It is a little stiff and does have some memory problems, but I still like it fine. It just looks good on my spool :).
For crankbait choices in the spring I like tight wobbles, My thinking is fish aren't moving all that fast and exert a lot less effort toward fleeing so a tight wobbler works best for me. I like the Storm Wiggle Wart and any Rapala. Spring crawfish or brown colors for now. In clear water, no rattle, dingy water-rattle. As the waters warm I switch to wooden fast wobbling baits, especially the Poe's 300/400 series. These have a lot of movement, no rattle and swim deeper than plastic baits because there is no added air bubble for buoyancy. Shad and baby bass colors.
Don't know if I'd switch to lighter jigs, I think I would just look for much heavier cover to pitch conventional jigs into. There are better tools for finesse fishing than jigs. You might try changing some colors also to maybe brown/orange-green pumpkin or blue/chartreuse.
Carl, I hope you can master the crankbait, it's a deadly tool 90 % of the time. Fish them slow/fast/deep/shallow. The main thing is fish them and use the deeper divers, they don't snag as often, the diving bill protects the hooks. Eventyually when you get very good with cranks you'll be able to tell a strike is imminent-when a bass swims up behind the bait and opens its mouth it creates a vacuum-your bait will stop wiggling for a split second and you'll know to be ready to set the hook. This takes some experience. Good luck and I hope you hear from some more pro staff on these subjects, I don't know everything, but what I do know is always passed along. Johnnie
Johnnie Crain
carl
Posts: 436
Joined: Fri Sep 12, 2003 4:00 pm

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Post by carl »

Thanks for the advice; do you ever use snap swivels on your baits? I'll be pestering you with more q's after I get back on the water. Once again, thanks, Carl
RW-reeler
Posts: 79
Joined: Sat Aug 16, 2003 4:00 pm

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Post by RW-reeler »

Now this the kind of stuff I keep waiting for!!!
I love to hear about someone testing new ways and good sound advice with little pieces that are like gold. (ie you will feel your bait stop it's wiggle because of the vacum) Johnnie thanks for the work you put in on this site.

RW-reeler
johnnie crain outdoors
Posts: 1504
Joined: Sat Apr 06, 2002 5:00 pm

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Post by johnnie crain outdoors »

Thanks RW, glad I can help.
I use bass snaps on all my crankbaits, not snap swivels-bass snaps. The swivels will break or come open, the snaps won't. I use them on every bait I use including jigs. Not on soft plastics though.
I have had anglers I thought to be experts tell me that bass shy away from baits with snaps because they see the snap.
HOG WASH!! If a bass is going to enhale a big ole piece of plastic with a three inch diving lip and two large trebles, he ain't gonna see my little snap. Same thing with a spinnerbait.
Guys, I try my very best to give advice and only say what I myself have found to be true and when I'm not sure of an answer, I'll call for help here at Bassin' USA. I really appreciate the opportunity to assist anglers in any way I can.
I'm doing a seminar in a huge church Friday night, there are no limits to where we all can help. Johnnie
Johnnie Crain
carl
Posts: 436
Joined: Fri Sep 12, 2003 4:00 pm

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Post by carl »

RE. I consider myself to be pretty good at the techniques I use, but I'm not shy about asking questions of anglers who are better than me. There are tons of fishermen in this area, but they're not that forthcoming with tips and info. That's why I like this site so much, the guys are just great about sharing info. I have to smile at the response I got one day by suggesting a small peace of foam cut out of an old lifepreserver could be inserted into a tube to make it float, esp on carolina rigs. Now Gene Larew has come out with floating tubes. Got that one from an old timer in my bass club. The one thing that seems kind of hard, is to describe the nuances some of the members use. That's what seperates an average joe, like me, from the good, and the great. Don't think Johnnie would have mentioned bass snaps had I not asked, so keep the Q's coming. Carl
johnnie crain outdoors
Posts: 1504
Joined: Sat Apr 06, 2002 5:00 pm

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Post by johnnie crain outdoors »

Good idea about the foam Carl, I use tapered ear plugs, they work very well also. We do have some great advice on this site and with all the newcomers it works out great. Johnnie
Johnnie Crain
mofish
Posts: 570
Joined: Thu Nov 29, 2001 5:00 pm

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Post by mofish »

Foam ear plugs!! That is one of the ways that I fish my tubes on a C-rig. Lucky I work at a plant that supplies them for us, after I use them at work they go into the tackle box. I like the Norman speed clips on my cranks. They are fast a easy to use and so far I have not lost a fish on these. If you can tie a loop knot they work too. But taking the time to tie one in a tournament is pretty time consuming when you consider how fast a speed clip is.

Jonnie is a wealth of information I have learned so much about cranks and jigs just listening to him talk here on the site.
Carl and RW yall have alot of great info to pass on too so keep it coming this is the only reason I make sure I try to check every day if possible.. Some of the questions I don't have answers too because they are things that I struggle with also so I love to read what everyone has to say about it.. If a day passes that you don't learn something its a waisted day..

Tight lines and many bass's to ya.
Thanks,
Conley Staley
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