Bass Fishing - Bassin' with Crankbaits

Today we are going to talk about deep diving crankbaits, the Bagley DB2, and DB3 in particular. These belong to the family of "fat" crankbaits started back in the 70's, with the introduction of the "Big O", a hand carved crank from Tennessee that was the best crank I have ever fished.

Back inthe 70's my parents, who lived in Tennessee, sent me six of these deadly lures. I was probably the first person in Calif. to have these lures, and boy,did they ever catch fish! I was already a "crank nut", I threw cranks about 75% of the time between post spawn and fall turnover. I mostly fished Lake Casitas, and caught lots of three to seven pound bass, plus a few larger ones, but cranks are lethal on medium sized bass as they are just the size of prey preferred by bass this size. The Bagley DB series, is very close in action and success to the Big O, the lures are hand carved from balsa wood as were the originals.

Now Rapalla has some very good fat baits on the market. I don't know what it is about the fat shape that has the effect on bass that it does, but ,boy, bass love 'em!!! There have been a lot of plastic imitations made, but the balsa lures just seem to get bit the best. I have caught lots of fish on the plastic fatties, but if I had a choice it would be the balsa baits on the end of my rod!! When I got my first "Big O's" I broke two off before I learned what a prize I had and changed to twenty pound test line. This cut down on the depth they would dive to, but it did not seem to matter to the bass, they ate them up no matter what depth they dived to.

Cranks are at their best when they are bumping into something, and the Big O is no exception, whether t is careening off rocks, brush or sand. You really ave to be a line watcher and pay attention to your rod tip, as bass will swim up bhind the lure and the only way you will know you had a hit is the linewill momentarily go slack and the bend in the rod tip will go away for a second s the bass sucks in the lure and then spits it out. I fish the lure with my rod tip near the waterand aimed almost at the lure as it comes through the water, when I see the line go slack or the slight bend in the rod straighten out I can uickly set the hook when the rod is held low to the water.

If the rod is held high and a fish comes up behind the lure and engulfs it, you don't have the
chance of the proverbal "ice cube in hades" to set the hook, just another, "OhNo! Just missed a good one." I don't like to miss any fish, let alone good ones,so I always have the rod in the best position for a good hookset! I really thinkfish have a network of spies, because you could have made fifty casts withthe rod in the perfect position to set the hook, but you could not keep up the"being totally in the zone" and as soon as you relaxed a little and the rod tip was held higher because it was easier, it seems that is when you got the hit ofthe year, the one you had been waiting for, for a long time, and you missed it because the rod tip was in the wrong position to get a strong hook set.

Beenthere, done that! When you get tired and begin to lose concentration, TAKE A BREAK!! Or the fish and their spies will be down under the water laughingat you. I hate that!!! When I catch myself losing concentration, I put the roddown, have a soda or a smoke, and give myself the time to regroup and getmy concentration back so I don't miss the fish of a lifetime!!!!

Next time:Crankbait tactics.

P.S. click on the fishing lure links (2) then Bass Pro Shops link to accessthe best place to find the Bagley DB series lures ( Get chartreuse or white) You will not be sorry you put one of these fish catchers on your rod " I guarantee it!!