Peak Months For Deep Crankbait Bite

[*T*]

Is deep crankbait bite more of a summer or fall pattern. Have done well in Spring for quality Kentuckys. Just wondering.

[Quillback]

I can't tell you, darn things don't work too well for me. But curious what others say.

[5bites]

I'm not a cranking expert by any means, at all. That said June is when it seems they do the most damage. Seemingly anyway. I'm curious what people that actually know what they're talking about will say.

[Champ188]

I have a good friend who has dominated tournament circuits for years on Beaver and one of his primary summer tools is a deep crankbait. He's had very little success in trying to duplicate this pattern on Table Rock. It just doesn't seem to be a great deep-cranking fishery. That said, some good sacks have been caught in summer and fall months on deep cranks in the James and Kings arms. I do know that preferred models and colors seem to be: Bomber Fat-Free Shad (3/4-ounce, citrus shad), Rapala DT-16 (Caribbean Shad) or Norman DD-22 (blue-chartreuse or lavender shad).

[mixermarkb]

I'm trying to learn deep cranking, I've had some really good days with it in post spawn on into the summer, but that's at LOZ. When I'm on Bull I can't seem to get bit as well, and I give up and go to jigs or plastics. I'm watching here as well to see what others say-

[mixermarkb]

I have caught a couple nice Walters and a few really big gills throwing a rapala DT16 on Bull

[Alex Heitman]

I love deep cranking. You have to be in the right location at te right time. You may not load the boat with a bunch of fish but you will catch some good ones doing it. I would recommend a 5xd or 6xd in shad colors. Throw it on 10lb Flurocarbon to achieve it's maximum depth. Over this past weekend on the rock I caught some big smallmout and a few nice largemouth. The smallmouth were on the bottom with some big boulders and the largemouth were in open water suspended but actively feeding. Post spawn all thru summer and early fall is when I throw mine with the summer months being the best for me.

[Champ188]

It also helps to be in areas with a bit of color in the water. Long Creek/Cricket Creek is another such option on TR, along with the James and Kings.

[balsabee]

I like deep cranking in "shallow" water (May-late Oct.) A Bagley DBIII churning up mud triggers strikes more often than a squarebill ever will.

My favorite color #79

[abkeenan]

Just wondering for you "deep crankers" are you making bottom contact with the deep cranks on the bottom at 15-20+' feet? Are you cranking them through trees that are topping out about 15-20' or so feet under the surface? Are you just cranking them in open water with no cover at suspended fish? Cranking with anything other than a wiggle wart and I am basically a fish out of water but I would really like to learn how to deep crank better. I bought a setup for it in the spring but haven't hardly used it at all this year.