Six to Ten Foot Crank Baits

Every year as the fall approaches, I start to remember the falls of the past where we could catch 100 fish a day on small medium running crank baits. I recall the endless numbers of fish we could catch just by working that bait off the edges of the grass beds. The key was just hanging your bait slightly on the grass as it thins down the water line off the edges. Hanging that bait caused the crank bait to pull, deflect and make a quick movement that created a bite.

It was an unbelievable fish catcher; it appeared to me that every other cast someone in the boat would catch a fish; sure many of those bites were small fish but also a big bite was part of the catch and it just continued all fall long. I contend those days haven’t gone that we can still find the fish that will react to small crank baits we just have to move continually during a fishing trip until you finally find that group of fish that are competitive enough to react to these crank baits.

Today’s preferred crank bait for me is the SPRO Baby Little John, the tight wobble has always been the key to this presentation and this bait certainly moves and wobbles tightly as it is retrieved through the water. I think the tight wobble makes a sound that becomes an attractant for fish and they seek it out as your working the bait. The biggest advantage of this fall presentation is that anyone and everyone in the boat catches fish, you just have to keep your bait in the water, be persistent and believe in it and no matter your age, or fishing experience you can have a successful day in the fall working these small crank baits. I think the biggest difference for today’s success is that there is just not as many fish as there use to be so a good day may not reach the limits and numbers of the past. I do believe that having the staying power to spend a day working small crank baits will yield you some fun and good times; you just have to stick with it.