A flat sided crankbait that is used properly and at the right time, can be a great way to catch some bass in tough conditions. They are designed to move through the water with a tight wobble action. My favorite time to throw it is in the early spring, when the water is still cold but the bass are starting their pre-spawn transition. They are usually still not very aggressive during this time and the tight wobble action gives a more natural and less intimidating presentation. There are many options to chooses from but there are two main categories, Balsa wood crankbaits and more traditional plastic crankbaits. The balsa crankbaits are more buoyant which allows them to float up faster when paused. This can provide a different action and also help prevent hangups around cover. However, they are not as durable as plastic ones, therefore they are not the best option for bumping hard cover such as rocks.
How to use it:
To use a flat sided crankbait, it is pretty much as simple as casting it out there and reeling it back in. The crankbait will do all the work for you. The hard part is making the right cast. The best advice I can give on flat sided crankbaits, and all crankbaits in general, is to try to keep the bait in the “strike zone” for as long as possible. This means pay attention to the angles that you cast/retirieve the bait, and attempt to get it to run through the depth and by the structure you expect the fish to be, for as long as possible. A few of my favorite flat sided crankbaits are listed below:
- Berkely Frittside
- Rapala Ott’s Garage Series
- Strike King Chick Magnet
- Spro Little John
- Lucky Craft KJ
I like a 7′ to a 7’4″ Medium to Medium action baitcast rod. For moving baits, like crankbaits, you want your rod to have some give to it. I personally think a medium action is great for this technique. More than likely you will not need to make super long casts, so a real long rod is not needed. A shorter rod like a 7′ to 7’4″ will help you make more accurate casts. I will typically use lighter line (10-12lb test) and a slower gear ratio reel (5:1 to 6:1). The lighter line will help throwing these lighter lures and the lower gear ratio reel will help you slow down your retrieve, which is what you want fishing this bait. Flat sided crankbaits will still have a lot of action when reeled in slower, unlike most of your round body crankbaits. Some suggestions for gear are below:
- Rods
- Reels
- Line
