One type Bait Only

[JoeM]

After viewing this thread in its entirety without a word from a Moderator has taught me a lesson.

It is "More words from the Pro Staff and the Board Members and less words from the Moderator"

With my alloted words Johnnie, save me a copy. I'm writing down the address. I'll send a money order.

Lastly, this is a great thread. Now, keep posting and I'll watch. JoeMo

[JT_BAGWELL]

Guys,

If I had only one bait I could take with me on a fishing trip although it would be a tough decision I think it would be a 3/8 oz. Black and Blue Lunker Lure Rattle Back Jig with a Blue Zoom Chunk. I have caught an abundance of fish on this lure. Running a close second was the CB-200 crankbait from Lucky Craft in chartreuse and blue. This also is a top producing bait for me in a variety of conditions.

Jeremiah T. Bagwell

[johnnie crain outdoors]

mofish, Conley, you asked for some tips on fishing crankbaits, since this is not an article yet, I will give short tips that I use. Thanks for asking.
I always use a crankbait designed to swim at least two feet deeper than the bottom depth. If the water is ten feet deep I'll use a twelve to fifteen foot diver. I want to crash the crankbait into the bottom and stir up siltation, turn over rocks and gravel and pretty much just wreck the bottom contour. This really excites bass. I also love to fish standing timber with crankbaits and crash themj into trees. No matter what the lake make-up, I want my cranks to being crashing into something, when the bark starts flying off the standing timber, bass will rise from great depths to take the bait. My favorite situation is a chunk rock bank with about ten to fifteen feet of water. Conley, I don't tell everyone this, but I always fish crankbaits parallel to the shoreline. This keeps my bait in the predetermined depth range where fish are showing on my electronics. I use deep diving, big lip crankbaits for two purposes, one they dive deep, two, they are really quite snagproof. The diving bill deflects the bait away from cover. Some experts say to quit crankin' when the bait strikes an object. Not me! I keep right on crankin', when baits are stopped when striking cover, the hooks that have been raised against the baits belly section and straightened out behind the bait by the water flow will fall and snag when stopped. The only time to stop a crankbait is when you are fishing very cold water, then use a controlled stop and go technique.
For shallow divers, four feet or less I use 14# test line, anything deeper, I use 12# line. Never larger, never smaller.
My color selections are a little different some guys choices, I decide which color bait by where the fish are located. Again, I'm casting parallel. If the bass are more apt to see the baits stomach, I use a bait which has the predominant color on the belly (ie) chartreuse. If the fish are looking at the fishes back or side, again I use that to determine bait colors. I'm way over simplifying this, for space sake. In cleaner water I use wooden baits that don't rattle, Poe's 300-400 series. For dingier water I use Wiggle Warts that do rattle. Conley, when an angler is very good with a crankbait, you can tell exactly when a fish is ready to strike. When the bass moves within range, flairs its gills and the suction begins, the crankbait will stop wobbling briefly, get ready to strike. I'll write more later. Hope this is of value. Any questions, you know hwere I live! Bassin' USA. Johnnie Crain, Iowa Pro Staff.

[mofish]

Excellent, Post Johnnie

Thanks a many times over. I will be sending you some E-mails on this some more I'm sure. I have a Winter Tournament Trail starting in two weeks and I been looking for some deep water tactics besides the Pig and Jig. Since there are not alot of tournaments held here in the winter I am looking forward to it to see how it goes.

If there is anyone else here in Texas that is looking for a tournament to carry them through the winter months it is the WalMart
Granbury Tournament Trail. All the Tournaments are on Lake Granbury and so is the Championship to be held in April. Check out www.fishingworld.com for details. If anyone is intrest let me know and I'll post some here. I also hope to give reports on this Tournament and how I do.

Thanks Johnnie
Conley

[JoeM]

Johnnie- Conley's right; that is one excellent post.

It is difficult to find guys who will deliver the level of detail that you Pro Staff guys seem to include in all your posts. Much obliged.

Conley, please do post results on those Granbury Lake tournaments. While your Winter tournaments won't be quite the frozen contests that some of us have up north, we can all relate to what you fish and catch with and learn something at the same time.
Thanks again.

Joe

[johnnie crain outdoors]

Mofish,
Sorry guys, I don't want to ride this horse to death, but I forgot to tell you that I always use a number 2 or 3 Arkie snap on my crankbaits, I never tie directly to a split ring, there is a point where the split ring begins and ends that WILL cut your knot. Also, the snap gives the bait so much more freedom of mobility. Use a snap, your brand of choice. I like the silver or black color, really no preference.
Conley, if you are marking fish in fifteen feet of water that are suspended, try finding cover with that same depth or close and fish a deep diver through that cover, fish suspend at certain depths for a reason, but will strike if found in cover at that same depth. Also Conley, don't be afraid to try the new shallow divers in very shallow water, I highly recommend the DC Series from Yakima, the Timber Tiger, nothing works better in shallow cover. Good luck on the circuit, wish I were there! Johnnie. :rolleyes:

[JT_BAGWELL]

Johnny,

That is a good point about the split rings. What I do is change all of my split rings on my crank baits. I switch them to the Rick Clunn Signature Series Performance split rings. They are oblong and prevent you from tying your knot on the split. The line will not slide on the split ring to the point where the ring begins and ends either. High quality baits like the ones made by Lucky Craft already come with performance split rings.

I know changing all the split rings on your crankbaits is a huge task but that is exactly what I do. I changed so many one night that it gave me a blood blister under my thumb nail.

Just thought I would share that will you guys.

Jeremiah T. Bagwell

[johnnie crain outdoors]

Jeremiah T. Bagwell,
Please send me your e-mail address so we can correspond. Good post on the split rings, I'm sure anything recommended by Rick Clunn has to be a winner. He now lives in my original home town of Ava, Mo. Get in touch, Johnnie Crain Iowa Pro Staff.

[JT_BAGWELL]

Johnnie,

I sent you my email address. I used the link on this board. (In case you were curious how I knew where to send it lol)

Thanks

Jeremiah T. Bagwell

[jeffohioteam1]

Johnnie,
I would have to pick a jig or tube as the bait that has a twelve month guarantee. These baits have produced time and time again and there is no arguing there effectiveness. The jig has won major tournaments from January to December, and the jig is also a bait you catch big fish with. The jig has everything you need in all seasons.