Another question about crank baits.

How often do you guys switch out your crank baits when you're not catching crappie? I have around 50 crank baits and I'll switch out every 15 minutes or so (trolling 4 at a time) if I'm not catching anything. Unfortunately, I've only caught two crappie pulling crank baits so far this year (caught 82 yesterday spider rigging and using a slip bobber but mostly small-I'm in search of the big ones) but quite a few white perch. I've gone through 30 crank baits in one day without any crappie. I'm mostly pulling 300 Bandits but will pull some 200 and 100 series as well.

You are on the right track, keep changing not only colors but sizes, speed,depth,type of lure,area, depth of water,etc. I have caught hundreds on cranks, many days, a change in TYPE of lure works better than changing anything else. As an example every day I troll I use two Cotton Cordell spot minnow type lures, the rest (I generally run 6 rods)lipped lures bandit, bomber, norman, etc. Some times for a week maybe two 95% of my fish will come on the spot lures. Then it may change and all be on long line cranks. You just never know. keep trying, it Will work. Hope this helps you some. possum1

What kind of water are you pulling in? My water is not very clear, if yours is real clear you may need boards. I know I'm farther south than you but what I do in the local reservoir is to always be trolling close, across or near as I can be to the creeks that were flooded when they filled it up. Most of my fish, not that I'm tearing them up pulling CB's, are coming from 8 FOW and deeper. I'm banging the bottom a lot and try to stay close to the bottom. The lake has not stratified yet and may not as it is so low. I too switch out in 15-20 mins but start out with 4 different colors and let them tell me what they seem to want that day. I usually can catch more spider rigging too but I like trying different things plus its cooler this time of year to have a little speed to help.

I'm fishing in stained water with visibility around 2' to 3'.

[QUOTE=TapOut64]How often do you guys switch out your crank baits when you're not catching crappie? QUOTE]

I change baits like a teenage girl changing clothes before a big date :D :D :D

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Originally Posted by TapOut64

I'm fishing in stained water with visibility around 2' to 3'.

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Hey Jeff you think TapOut needs boards? Thats clearer than mine.

I don't know Steve, could be. That still sounds pretty dingy to me :)
but I don't have much experience in darker waters...
Pickwick has been so clear lately without rain, it's getting almost like
Bay Springs! Other weekend camping on the gravel bar, waves washed
my piece of carpet in while I was gone fishing - I could see it on the bottom,
but used most of a 7' rod reaching down to snag it and pull it up :D
Anybody ever fought a waterlogged piece of shag roughly 4x6' ?
It put up a good fight. Glad I had 12lb line :p

Quote:

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Originally Posted by TapOut64

I'm fishing in stained water with visibility around 2' to 3'.

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Wow two to three feet visibility I would call that super clear in the lakes I fish.

Hey Tapout, I had your kind of day today, I was putting out 4 rods and before I could get them out had a keeper. pulled for another hr. and caught 2 more throwbacks. Went to the jig poles and caught 7 more keepers before it got too hot to stay out. Was a bluebird day but with a good crappie chop. After the sun got up good nothing. Just don't believe they were biting too good. Tried from 5 to 15 FOW, caught most in one little area about 9 feet deep.

When bandits dont work, I switch to hot n tots,the small size run about 12 ft or more with 20/6 braid. Maybe planer boards will work for you, if there isn't that much boat traffic. last year some jet ski jokey stopped to pick up one of my boards, till I yelled him off and promised to shoot his a-- off. now, I rig them so they stay on line.