TUNING YOUR CRANKS
How To Get The Most Out Of Your Favorite Crankbaits
Crankbait fishing can make for some of the most fun you've ever had bass fishing. Cranking keeps you active and allows you to cover a lot of water in search of fish. Many anglers like it because it isn't as tedious and trying as finesse or worm fishing. For the most part, you cast and you crank; and if your using the proper lure that dives to just the right depth, you might just get into a school of suspended fish.
Whether or not a crankbait is effective, however, depends on how true it runs; i.e. does it retrieve straight, and does it reach the depth it's designed to reach? What may have been a well tuned crankbait out of the package will almost certainly, over time, become slightly, or not so slightly, out of whack. As you bounce off of rocks, bump into submerged logs, and rip through sparse grass, your lure can get "out of tune." When this happens you'll notice the lure begin to retrieve more erratically; not running as deep, pulling to one side, rolling over. At this point, some anglers might become frustrated and just stop using the lure altogether; but wait! Don't toss that lure aside just yet. We can fix this, and I'm going to tell you how.
MAKE SOME MODIFICATIONS
There are a few modifications you can make to get the most out of your crankbait. First, swap out the stock hooks for some more sturdy, quality treble hooks. Oftentimes a company will use cheaper, bulk trebles to save on production costs. This becomes painfully apparent the first time you lose a swamp donkey because your crankbait's cheap treble hooks bend or break; so to prevent the heartbreak put something beefier on there that won't fail under pressure. A great option are Mustard's triple grip treble hooks, or their KVD elite round bends.
Another mod that will enhance your lures is replacing the round split ring on the line-tie with an oval one. Sometimes with the round split rings, your line may actually slide between the split. This can prevent the lure from diving the way it's supposed to, keeping you from reaching the desired depth. A quick replacement will ensure you reach those suspended bass.
CLEAR THE HOOK HANGERS
One thing you can do, and should do right out of the package, is check to make sure the hook hangers on the belly of the crank are clear. Sometimes during production, excess paint or finish might drip down the lure and coat the hook hangers, impeding the movement of the trebles. The hangers might also get clogged up by grass over time if you don't keep the lure clean. Free swinging treble hooks greatly effect the action of your crankbait, helping achieve the most vibration possible. They also help prevent rolling. So take a pocket knife and clear all of the hook hangers to ensure your get the optimum action out of your lure.
ROTATE THE LINE-TIE
If you find that your lure is running to one side, you can easily fix this with a slight tweak to the line-tie. Depending on what side the lure is pulling towards, you'll slightly rotate the line-tie so the bottom edge turns to the opposite direction. Let's say the lure is running to the right. What you'll want to do is hold the lure with the bill pointed towards you, and with a pair of pliers slightly twist the line-tie to the right so that the bottom edge of the tie turns to the left; but be careful! You don't want to physically bend the line-tie, you just want to turn it. Make a very slight adjustment, then cast it and see if you've fixed the issue. If it still pulls to the side, make another slight adjustment, and repeat until the lure is back to running true.
Following these simple tips will help ensure you're getting the most out of your crankbaits all season long.
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