Ozark Angler, Japanese Crankbaits - Part II
by Chuck Bailey
In Part I, veteran tournament pro, Randy Blaukat, discussed his theory that bass get 'conditioned' to traditional crankbaits over time. He strongly believes that modern anglers should take advantage of the new crankbait technology from Japan because it presents highly pressured fish with something slightly different which triggers strikes. He continues now to share his experience and knowledge with us as we take a look at...
Crankbait Size
According to our pro, Randy Blaukat, there is strong seasonal connection to color, however, the seasonal connection is much weaker when it comes to selecting crankbait size. “As a general rule I like to use a larger crankbait in the shad pattern during the prespawn. That’s when the gizzard shad and threadfin shad in the lake are mature and haven’t hatched out any small ones. So I like to use those bigger shad patterns at that time of the year.”
“But even that,” cautions Randy, “is changing because of fishing pressure. Fishing pressure has caused the majority of bass to evolve, even in terms of the size of baits they want to hit. Take a crankbait like the old B3 square lip Bagley - it used to be a really productive bait in the 90’s, but it hasn’t produced much in the 2000’s (the last 10 years). Why? Because it is a bait that really telegraphed itself. It really puts out a lot of information to the fish that they could key in on, and… learn to shy away from. This ‘conditioning’ over time has changed the bait's effectiveness.”
“Ten years ago you might catch a large bag of fish on a big square lip Bagley, whereas now the bass want a more diminutive approach. That’s why a lot of the baits like the Megabass Z Crank, and the 1.5 Lucky Craft have been so successful - basically they are smaller versions of the B-3.”
“So to address the topic of size in relationship to seasonal patterns; the size of the crankbait has a lot to do with the personality of the fish. The fish have to be fairly aggressive, and you have to have a rising barometric pressure, and a little bit of wind (particularly a south wind ) to get a fish to hit a larger crankbait. Unless those specific conditions exist, I think medium and smaller crankbaits are better most of the year.”
“In general, I think size selection is more conditional on the weather conditions and the type of lake you are fishing rather than seasonal conditions. (Understand, I tend to reference everything to the tournament world so you have to sort through that).”
“But for example; I may be throwing a larger crankbait during practice, and catching a few fish on it, and the fish may be hooked well. But as the practice goes on, and as the tournament unfolds, it’s very rare to see a large crankbait continue to produce the entire event. So a lot of times that’s when you have to downsize during that period.”
“So again, crankbait selection still has to a lot to do with fish being conditioned to a certain size in a particular body of water. But over all, larger crankbaits are not as effective as the smaller ones. It seems to me that the crankbaits that are 1 ½ inch or smaller are the most consistent producers year round for both numbers and size of fish. That’s why the smaller half ounce Rat-L-Trap still catches the biggest fish in the lake and numbers too. And that represents the size that bass prefer to hit in terms of most crankbait makes and styles.”
To Rattle Or Not To Rattle…
Randy has watched the majority of newer baits in the market place manufactured with internal rattles to increase the bait’s presence under water, (particularly plastic crankbaits). But our pro is not convinced this latest trend necessarily leads to greater numbers of fish being caught.
“Myself, I like silent baits,” he explains. “It’s one of the differences I have had with Megabass over the years, because a lot of their baits have rattles in them. But I understand that in Megabass’s situation the larger rattles are a major part of their “balancer system” –those rattles are necessary for the way the internal bait works and how it casts. But over all, I prefer a quiet bait. I believe a crankbait’s natural wobble is plenty noisy enough to attract the strike.”
Does Megabass produce quiet baits? “Well, their wood cranks, Z-Cranks, and their Flap-Slaps are all quiet baits. With some of their other plastic rattling baits… if I happen to be getting poor hook ups or I’m not getting as many bites as I think I should, I’ve been known to drill a hole and put a little super glue in it to neutralize the rattles. But most of the time it’s more efficient to go to a very different bait that’s completely silent – especially if the fish are not hitting well.”
Manufacturers and Options
Then Randy makes a blunt statement that is easily recognized as being both honest and a sign of personal integrity. “See, …when you talk about creating baits that are either quiet or noisy – it points out just how impossibly hard it is for a single manufacturer to produce every possible crankbait option. A lot of times, what the pros want and what the average consumer or even the manufacturer wants, is completely different. And that’s why it is impossible for a pro to use just one company’s baits. There is no one company out there that produces every type of crankbait to meet every situation. As much as any sponsored pro claims it, it just can’t be done.”
The Effects of Crankbait Profiles
One of the other design factors that often prevents weekend anglers from investing in Japanese crankbaits has to do with some of the unusual "profiles" produced. American anglers who are accustomed to tradition contours are often uncomfortable buying some of the "odd-shaped" baits that are coming from overseas. Many feel the designs do not imitate the natural contours of our American forage species. And yet, the escalating success of tournament anglers who use these odd-shaped Japanese crankbaits is making it increasingly and convincingly clear that they work in our home waters.
Why do they work? Randy explains, “Well, first all – almost any crankbait will works at some time or another. I don’t care what it is. If a bait wobbles and it gets down to where the fish are, you are going to catch some fish on them. But, having said that, there are some profiles that are undeniably more successful than others.” It is Randy's belief that many of the odd-shaped Japanese crankbaits are just different enough to make them 'attractive' to bass conditioned to traditional shapes. But even he admits that extreme differences in crankbait profiles will work against the angler.
“It’s always been my contention that it would be wise if a lot more crankbait manufacturers took those basic profiles and modified them slightly while staying within those basic profiles. But a lot of companies won’t do that because they want to separate their product from everyone else’s in a big way. As a result many are not nearly as effective as they could be. Naturally this means that every company out there has crankbaits in their line ups that are just not that great.”
The Basic Profiles
What’s a good basic profile design? “Take for instance the Bandit crankbait,” says Randy, “It is one of the cheapest, poorest quality crankbaits on the market, but there is something about the profile that makes it a fish-catching bait. And it is a simple profile; there is nothing fancy about it. But there’s something unique and basic about it that triggers fish into biting. And a lot of manufacturers can’t see past that simplicity, which I find odd.”
Crawfish Imitators
So what are the basic profiles? “I think the basic profile for any bait depends on the category of forage that you are trying to imitate. The profile that you want to create for a crawfish imitating bait has to be fairly short and round for some reason. Obviously crayfish aren’t short and round, and yet a crawfish imitating bait needs to be short and round to be effective.”
“Do you remember the Bagley Small Fry Series?” asks Randy, “and the realistic Rebel that looked just like crawfish? You would think the fish would have devoured those baits - but I could never get a bite on them. For some reason the fish did not react to that particular profile. But you take a shorter, rounder Wiggle Wart or a MR-X Griffin (Megabass ) in the crawfish pattern and the fish eat it up. So round and short profiles are desirable for the crawfish.”
Perch and Shad Profiles
“And as you get into the perch or shad patterns it seems like the more elongated, flatter sided profiles attract more strikes. Profile shape is an interesting study,” confesses Randy, “because we think we know what bass like to bite, but apparently that’s not always the case as far as what attracts them to a lure in terms of profile.”
Metallic Finishes
One of the unique traits of Japanese lures is that many of them are offered in a wide variety of bright, flashy, metallic finishes. When asked if he used any of them, Blaukat answered, “That depends on the situation. The ‘GG’ finishes are the brighter chrome stand-out finishes – those baits are a lot better in murky water. Very seldom will those baits be effective in clean water. Once in a while - in fairly clean water, (say visibility is between 18 inches to 3 foot), and if the water is extremely cold - it will work.”
“But most of the time those baits with metallic finishes are the most affective in water clarities of 15 inches or less. Once I get water clarity greater than 15 inches, I want more of a flat finish. The flat finishes on the Megabass are called the ‘TM’ finishes and I just get a lot more bites on those in clear water.”
Gotta-Have Crankbaits
When asked to point out a few crankbaits that a beginning angler should have in their arsenal Randy replies, “There would probably be 4 or 5. I would have a Megabass Flap-Slap, which is a flat-sided shad imitating crankbait. I would have the Megabass MR Griffin, which has a stubby short round profile. I would have the Bandit 300 – which we talked about earlier. And probably a Wiggle Wart. And of course, a large crankbait like the Megabass Deep-X 300 or the DD 22 Norman. And that selection of crankbaits is going to cover a lot of the fishing situations around the country."
As to each of their strengths, Randy explains, “Ok, let’s start with the Megabass. The Flap-Slap is going to be really good in clear water or with a little bit of stain to the water, (like 12 inches of visibility or better). In the pre-spawn it’s a killer bait in those conditions. It’s also good in the middle of the summer when it is really hot, especially if you’re fishing lakes that have stained water and they contain shallow rocks or rip-rap. That’s when the Flap-Slap is really deadly.”
“The MR Griffin (Megabass) is going to be really good cranking rocks, and in off colored water with 15 inches of visibility or less. When fishing rocky banks, rip-rap banks, or any kind of rock, the MR Griffin is going to be my number one choice.”
(When Randy won the Bassmaster Alabama Top 150 in Mobile in 2000, he used the regular Griffin which runs a little shallower. The MR Griffin uses the same body profile but has a bigger lip and runs a little deeper.)
“The third bait,” says our pro, “would be the Bandit 300 which is real good on shallow drops, (like if you’re fishing sand bars, or little channel drops or channel lips that go from 4 to 8 foot). In those situations it’s a killer bait. It’s also good around boat docks and particularly effective in stained water. But my preference is to use the Bandit around flatter drops, main lakes points. (So it's a really good bait if you’re casting up to main lake points, reeling it down into 8 foot water, and you think the strike zone is between 5 and 6 feet.)”
“Next comes the Wiggle Wart; a stand-by for prespawn, clear water. It’s good for just chunkin’ and winding and covering water - whether it be on gravel banks, bluff banks, or rocky banks – it’s just really good cold water prespawn crankbait.”
“And the others ones,” says Randy, indicating the deep-divers, “are either the Megabass Deep-X 300 or the Norman DD22. They are going to be your work horse for the summer time, (from actually the post spawn to the early fall deep-cranking main lake points, river ledges, and humps), when you need to get that bait down to 8 to 15 feet.”
A Last Minute Entry
“And another bait I probably should throw in there,” says Randy thoughtfully, “would be some kind of square-lipped wood crankbait – something for fishing muddy shallow water around wood objects, (logs, pilings, brush piles). A good choice would either be the Megabass wood crank. Or... David Ryan from Levasy, Missouri, also makes a great crank he calls the Black Market “B” which is almost like a Bagley B3. (http://www.davescustombaits.com/) I use those two baits around shallow wood.”
Line
As to line, “Those baits can be thrown with 6 to 20 pound test fluorocarbon depending on the conditions. For instance, if I am fishing real clear water with that Wiggle Wart, I may want to get it down as deep as I can in the clear water and I may throw it on 6 pound test fluorocarbon. If I’m fishing the Megabass Flap-Slap on real shallow rocks I may put it on 20 pound test line because I don’t want it to get but a couple of feet deep as I bounce it off the rocks. So the line size is dependent on the conditions you are fishing.”
Rods
“I use three different rods when I’m crankbait fishing – all of them are the Megabass rods. I use the 610 spinning rod, (Aaron Martens model), for the smaller crankbaits like the MR Griffin or the Wiggle Wart, (or sometimes the Flap-Slap). I really want to make a long cast on lighter line with the spinning rod.”
“And for the bigger crankbaits I’ll use the Megabass 711, which is a 7 1/2 foot baitcasting rod that lets me launch those big crankbaits a long way. (Probably 25% further than with a normal rod). And the third rod is the 7 foot Tomahawk fiber glass rod which I use for most of my crankbait fishing.”
The Controversy of “Give” in Crankbait Rods
There has been a long standing theory concerning crankbait rods that suggests they should have a little more “give” so as to allow the fish more time to get the bait down in the mouth cavity before the hookset occurs. Many professionals believe that today’s graphite rods are just too sensitive and at the first indication of a strike the angler tends to rip the bait out of the fish’s mouth before the hooks have a chance to penetrate.
Many of the proponents of this theory use graphite rods for almost all other techniques, but switch back to fiberglass rods when fishing crankbaits. Anglers in this camp believe that these softer, slower, and less sensitive fiberglass rods permit the fish more time to get the bait deeper in the mouth cavity before the hook set. Randy disagrees.
“I don’t agree with the whole theory that you want a soft rod that ‘gives’ when the fish bites. (The only reason I want a soft tip on a crankbait rod is when a strong fighting fish finally gets near the boat).”
“When I’m crankbait fishing, I point my rod at the bait 90% of the time – and I’ve learned this from a lot of the expert crankers from North Carolina, (Gerald Beck, David Fritz, Jeff Coble). By pointing the rod at the crankbait, 1) you have a lot better feel on the bait, and 2) when the fish bites it you can get a lot better hookup, because you don’t have any bend – the only give you have is the stretch of the line.”
Controlling The Fish With The Rod
“My goal, (once the fish is hooked), is to reel aggressively with that fish. I want to penetrate the hook and get control of the fish until I get it to the boat. And once the fish is to the boat, that’s when I like a softer tip that will allow me to play that fish out, especially if the fish is not hooked very well.”
When a stiffer rod is used, the most nervous time for a tournament pro is when a lunker is at the boat and lunges to the bottom. Obviously something has to give or the hooks are torn free. So does Randy rely on his drag during those harrowing moments when a trophy fish dives for deeper water? Hardly.
Back-reeling and Thumbing the Spool
“That’s when I thumb the spool,” explains Randy. “I never use a drag on any of my reels. When a fish takes off, I always back-reel (a spinning reel) or thumb the spool (of a baitcaster).”
“With back-reeling or thumbing you can control the pressure much better. Understand, until you can see how that fish is hooked, you don’t know how much pressure you’re allowed to put on the fish. If the fish is not hooked very well, you can lightly thumb the spool and not put any pressure on the fish at all. Then again, if the fish is hooked a lot better, you can be a lot more aggressive with it.”
Down With Drags
“So I tighten my drags down on every reel. I don’t trust drags. I think most fisherman would be better off not using them and learning to back reel and thumb. You can’t trust a drag. Even the smoothest drags are not going to be as forgiving as back-reeling as far as taking the pressure off the fish.”
If this sound like a difficult skill to master for beginners, Randy assures us it is not. “Back-reeling and thumb spooling is actually easy to learn. Most of the amateur fisherman I take fishing want to use the drag. I tell them ‘Tighten the drag down, and just practice by not using it’. When they hook a fish, I say ‘OK, reel the fish and when it starts to run, just start back-reeling, (or thumb the spool).’ And it’s really easy for them to learn that; it’s just a matter of giving them the confidence to try it.”
To summarize his opinion on the “rod-give” controversy, Randy says, “The whole thing about the fish inhaling the bait with the flex of the rod – I think that’s a myth. I think a fish will inhale, bite, or swipe at a lure and it is your hook size or the type of hooks you’re using that are far more important than any type of flex that can come with the rod tip.”
Hook Modifications?
Many professionals are never satisfied with the hook sharpness of new lures and will expend time and money to change them out, replacing the factory hooks with premium hooks. Randy often modifies his crankbaits through hook replacements, but says “It depends on the species I’m fishing for, whether it’s Kentucky’s, largemouth, or smallmouth. And it depends on the type of cover I’m fishing. So there’s a couple of different variables.”
“But most of the time I do modify my hooks. Sometimes I’ll either up-size or down-size, or put a different style of hook on, based upon what I’m fishing for, or the type of cover I’m fishing. If I’m fishing for larger fish, (that is, I know there are larger fish in the area, and either I’m short lining them, and the water is a little more stained), I’ll go with bigger or heavier hooks.”
“On the other hand, if I’m fishing for smallmouth or Kentucky’s in clearer water - I will actually downsize my hooks. And that's because I’m more concerned about hooking the fish in a soft area or around the hinged part of the jaw, (because their mouths are smaller). If you can get them in the hinge, in the softer part of the jaw with a small hook, you don’t lose them nearly as many. That's because it is hard to penetrate a larger diameter hook with a larger barb. This is especially true if you are fishing smaller baits with lighter line.”
The Line To Crankbait Connection
As to attaching his line to his crankbaits? “Split-ring - all the time.” When Randy was asked why, he shared, “Well, I don’t like snaps, because they often come unsnapped. A lot of times you can hit a dock, rock, or a limb and the snap will come undone and you won’t know it. So I never use snaps. And I don’t like to tie directly to the eye because it kills the action. So I use a small o-ring most of the time.”
Adjustments When Losing Fish
When an angler is losing too many bass while cranking, Randy recognizes that there are times when adjustments can be made to remedy the problem. But not always. “Most of the time, if you are using good equipment and have good hooks and you’re doing everything right, you might simply be losing fish because of the way the fish strike the lure. Often it’s just the way the fish is taking the bait. So for someone with the right equipment and approach – if you’re losing fish you shouldn't over analyze it too much because its often just the way the fish hit that particular lure.”
“Other times, you can reduce lost fish when crankbait fishing, if you’re not overly timid with the fish. A lot of people are a little too soft with fish in terms of how they handle and fight them, and they’ll lose a lot of bass as a result.”
“I also see a lot of people losing fish by sticking their rods under water. They try to stop the fish from jumping – that’s the worse thing you can do. That’s not going to stop a fish from jumping. If a fish wants to jump, sticking the rod under the water is not going to keep that bass from breaking the surface. And when you submerge your rod, you actually create more opportunities for slack to form in your line, and that is the greatest cause for fish to be lost.”
“So if the fish indicates it wants to jump, I have my rod tip at least stomach level high, because I want to make sure I have control over the line so as not to have any slack. And naturally your hooks have to be sharp, and you have to have the right style of hooks. But being too timid in fighting a fish, sticking the rod in the water, and dull hooks are some of the common reasons why people lose fish.”
Toss The Gloss
Perhaps one of the most eyebrow raising modifications Randy makes to his crankbaits has to do with the bait’s finish. “One of the first things I’ll do is take some light sandpaper and sand the entire lure to knock the new shiny finish off of it. I want the gloss gone.”
“So I’ll take some kind of abrasive material and scuff it up a little bit. Once you scuff it up it doesn’t really make it look scuffed up when it is in the water, but it does take that shine off, - which I don’t like to have.”
If you’re curious as to why the gloss must go, Randy says “Well, I’m always looking for something that looks good in the water. The test for me, is if I put a bait in the water and it looks good to me, that gives me confidence in the crankbait. But if I have a bait in the water and I don’t like the way it looks in terms of the color or shine – then I try to make it look fishy or edible. And so I take the shine off it.”
Ironically, most fisherman are actually attracted to a crankbait’s shiny or slick finish, (a fact not lost on manufacturers). But Randy believes the gloss detracts from a crankbait’s effectiveness.
“I have people who fish with me all the time who can’t believe it when I take a file, or sandpaper, or a knife and scratch up the brand new crankbait. They just can’t believe it. But I catch more fish off a junky old looking crankbait than I do a new one. So I try to create that look right off the bat.”
“Now I don’t like to have chunks of paint missing, (you’ve seen people throw a Rat-L-Trap with half the chrome missing on it. I don’t like that). I like the paint intact, but I just like it to look really worn.”
As to other modifications? “Often I’ll paint gills with finger nail polish on my crankbaits, and as I said, I will make some hook modifications - but that’s basically all I do. I don’t really tweak my crankbaits that much.”
Improving Crankbait Skills
If you are one of those anglers who have set a goal to dramatically improve their crankbait skills in the next year, then Randy has a few tips to share: “First of all, you need to go to a lake where a crankbait bite is going on. And that depends on where you are in the country. But it really doesn’t mater whether you are fishing in Florida, Texas, or Missouri – there are always lakes in every state where the fish are hitting crankbaits. So try to go to a body of water where you know the crankbait bite is on.”
“Then take nothing but crankbaits with you. Don’t take anything else; and this forces you to fish them all day long.”
“And experiment!”, insists Randy. “Tie a crankbait on, and if you don’t catch a fish, go to a different color or a different profile. But keep experimenting until you find the bait the fish want.”
“And once you start getting a few bites, then start working on upgrading the quality of the fish that you are catching. Usually that comes from adjusting your speed of retrieve, your casting angle, the length of your cast, … there are a lot of different variables.”
“Whatever you do, don’t get keyed on finding ‘just the right greenish-orange hue’, or something like that. Pay a lot of attention to the other things that are surrounding that bite; such as the speed of retrieve, and the action that you put on the crankbait.”
Retrieve and Line Modifications
“Unfortunately, many beginners cast a crankbait out and bring it back at a medium-slow retrieve. And sure, there are times when you can do that and generate a strike or two. But your best bet is to speed it up, slow it down, and mix it up. An erratic retrieve is best.”
"Experiment with different line sizes too. (Have a variation between 8 and 15 pound tests)."
"The main thing is to find out where the fish are first. Once you get into an area where you are getting a few bites, and you are confident that the fish are there – that’s when you can experiment and learn a great deal.”
Location, Location, Location
“Say, for example, that I am fishing points in the early morning hours, and I’m not doing any good. So I move to the back ends of the pockets, and yet, I’m still not doing any good. When I move out to a main lake bluff, I suddenly start to pick up a couple of fish. (Perhaps I’m getting bit every 15 minutes or so). Now you’re in an area where you know there’s a group of fish; that’s when you can go back through that area and experiment. You can make those modifications with colors and retrieves to find out what the fish want.”
The Importance of Experimentation ...and Rip-Rap
“And experimentation is really important. That’s probably the most important thing I can tell beginners; once you get around some fish, take the time to experiment. (And that’s especially important in terms of your speed of retrieve and the action you put on that crankbait).”
“One of the best places to learn how to crankbait fish, is on rip-rap. Because rip-rap holds fish on about any lake you go to. If it is the time of year when the fish are using rip-rap, that’s when you can really expand your crankbait confidence. Rip-rap allows you to try many different types of crankbaits, retrieves, and so forth. And it helps you to learn what the fish want. Having figured that out, you can expand and perfect that pattern on similar parts of the lake, continuing to adapt as conditions change throughout the day.”
Last Words of Advice
Randy has helped countless beginning anglers improve their skills over the years and his parting advice is worth serious reflection. “I cannot stress ‘experimentation’ enough. The whole key to crankbait fishing is trying things until you find out what is working.”
“When you discover what is working, you can improve on that by making further refinements pertaining to casting angles, retrieves, line size, color variations - that’s when you get the most out of crankbait fishing. Just because you are catching a few fish with a crankbait don’t mean you can’t catch more or bigger ones through constant adjustments.”
The Qualities of Japanese Crankbaits
“And finally I would highly suggest trying the Japanese crankbaits. The quality of the Megabass crankbaits is far superior to the majority of products we have had available in the United States. The attention to detail is just unmatched by any of the more well known American brands. I think that’s a big plus.”
Randy also believes a serious angler should not surprised to discover that quality and attention to detail is going to cost more. “There’s a good reason I think anglers today need to be willing to pay 25 bucks for a crankbait – and it all goes back again to the topic of 'fish conditioning'. The main advantage that Japanese lures present, is that our pressured fish have not been conditioned to their unique profiles, actions, and details - unlike our traditional baits.”
The All Important “Plug Knocker”
Naturally, Randy understands that beginning anglers hesitate to invest in premium crankbaits because of the nagging fear of losing them. So he addresses that concern with one last piece of advice: “You have to get a good plug knocker. If you have a good plug knocker, 95% of the time you will get your bait back. The only time you won’t get it back is if it’s stuck in an old trout line or in an old gill net or something like that. But if you have a good plug knocker you'll bring the vast majority of those crankbaits back to the boat.”
Summary
Obviously Crankbait Central does not endorse one brand or style of crankbait over another, (Japanese or American), but there is no doubt that Randy’s constant drive to find something just “a Little bit different” is worth contemplating. And if the subtle differences found in Japanese crankbaits in terms of profiles, actions, color, etc., can add one or two extra fish in the boat, an angler might find it worth the investment.
After all, if a professional and successful Missourian angler from the “show me” state could be persuaded that Japanese premium crankbaits deserve a place among our favorites, then surely it’s worth investigating.
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Randy Blaukat has been a professional tournament fisherman since 1986, and has 33 top-ten finishes to his name. He has participated in 8 Bassmaster Classics and 8 FLW Championships. His hometown is in Jasper, Missouri, and Randy has a very strong passion for conservation and is dedicated to creating sustainability and education regarding the environmental obstacles facing the sport of fishing. Randy's website can be found at http://www.randyblaukatoutdoors.com and Megabass USA can found at http://www.megabassusa.com/index.htm
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