Best Crankbaits for Bass Fishing – How Do You Know What Crankbait is Best for Bass?

Posted on September 29, 2022 by admin

The best crankbaits for bass fishing is a question that could be discussed for hours, but I will try to break it down for you in a few minutes.

Bass Caught on a Crankbait at Roosevelt Lake, AZ

How To Chose the Best Crankbaits for Bass?

When approaching this question, the first thing to do is to think about the conditions you will be fishing in. The first of these questions should be how deep is the water I’m fishing in or the structure I’m targeting.

You want to pick a crankbait that will fish at the depth or a little below the depth that you are fishing. For example, if you are fishing submerged trees or brush piles you will want a crankbait that is hitting the cover, but not necessarily bogging down in it. 

Another scenario is if you are fishing a crankbait over submerged grass. In this case, you would want a crankbait that just ticks the top occasionally. If the grass is 4 feet deep, try something like a DT-3 or DT-4. One key to crankbait depth is that the smaller diameter of the line the deeper the bait will run. If you need your bait to ride a little shallower you can go up a line size. 

Get Your Rapala DT Crankbaits Here

Get Your Strike King XD Crankbaits Here

Best Crankbaits for Bass Fishing
Best Crankbaits for Bass Fishing

If you fishing a crankbait for bass on a hard bottom then if the water is 10 feet deep, I would fish something like a Strike King 3XD or a Rapala DT-10 or 14. This will allow you to hit the bottom and deflect off of cover, while still being able to work the bait efficiently. 

Best Crankbait for Bass – What Type of Cover?

I realize that cover was touched on above, but there are some other keys that will help you to choose the best crankbaits for your situation. 

One of these takes in cover and depth. 

If you are fishing in shallow water and coming through laydowns or trees then the squarebill crankbait is hard to beat. It is amazing how you can crawl a squarebill through laydowns and bushes where you swear you would hang up. When you deflect off of a branch is usually when you get hit. 

I Suggest the Strike King KVD 1.5 Squarebill Here

Best Crankbaits for Bass Fishing – DT-3 Fat Squarebill

If you were fishing hard bottom with the occasional rock or branch then the round billed crankbaits like the DT series and the Strike King XD series are hard to beat. Just figure out the depth you will be fishing in and get a crank that goes that depth or a little deeper. This can also be the case when you are fishing grass line edges. If you hang in some grass just give it a rip and it should clean it off of your bait. 

Best Crankbaits for Bass Fishing DT-6

There are a ton of scenarios that crankbaits will work in and a variety of baits will work. The last one is a bait that is not one that dives to a specific depth, the lipless crankbait.

The lipless crankbait is a sinking bait and doesn’t have a bill. These baits create a ton of vibration in the water. These are versatile as they can be fished in a lot of depths depending on the weight and speed fished. The lighter baits are better for shallow conditions, but these baits do get hung up bad in wood. If you are fishing a lot of wood or brush, then the squarebill is a better option.

Best Crankbaits for Bass Fishing Rippin Rap Lipless Crankbait

There are two conditions that the lipless crankbait shines for me. The first is in the grass when I can let the bait clip the tops of the grass and when it gets bogged down, snapping it out with a quick snap of the rod. The other is to fish it on clean bottom where I can let it hit bottom and pop it up. Almost like hopping a jig. I have caught some amazing fish using this technique. 

Get My Favorite Lipless Crankbait Here

I recommend starting with the 05 or 06 size.

Best Crankbaits for Bass Fishing – Color and Size

Another factor in choosing a crankbait is to look at the color and size of the baitfish that your bass are feeding on in your specific area or body of water. 

If your bass are eating crawfish then a crawfish pattern can be the ticket. A quick tip is that earlier in the year the red craw patterns can become dominant. 

If they are feeding on bluegill then a bluegill pattern in the size and depth that the bluegill are hanging can be best. In the fall the baby bluegill will be small and so should your crankbait. 

If you are fishing in a lake that has shad, or some type of pelagic baitfish then it’s hard to go wrong with a shad imitation. Something white or silver will do the trick. If you are in the dead of summer with deeper divers then something with chartreuse and blue can be awesome. In the spring and fall, it is usually better to try to match the bait unless the watercolor is too stained for good visibility. 

In the fall it is important to try to match the size of the baitfish your bass are targeting. 

Best Crankbaits for Bass – Final Thoughts

If you are new to the crankbait game, don’t be scared. Grab a few baits based on the criteria from above and go give it a try. Keep them tied on and fish with confidence. They aren’t always what the bass are keying in on, but fish them often and you will have some amazing days fishing crankbaits for bass. 

Best Crankbaits for Bass Caught on the Rapala DT-8

If you are going to be dedicated to crankbait fishing then I would suggest getting a crankbait rod. 

The Best Squrebill Crankbait Rod
What is the best squarebill crankbait rod.

Remember, the lighter the line the deeper the bait will run. The heavier the line the shallower the bait will run. You can usually get away with a little heavier line when you are fishing in heavy cover with a squarebill crankbait. You will be amazed at how well they come through the cover. In this condition, the squarebill will be the best crankbait for bass fishing for you. 

If you hit a piece of wood where you feel like you are going to hang up, pause for a second or two and they lift your rod tip high to come over the snag. 

I hope this helps you find the best crankbaits for bass fishing in your conditions. 

To your crankbait fishing success,

Jonathan Burke

LiveBassFishing.com

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Split Shot Rig – How To Rig it for Bass Fishing

Posted on September 26, 2022 by admin

The split shot rig can be easy to overlook, but when the going gets tough it can save your day of bass fishing. Learn how to rig and fish it below. 

Smallmouth Bass Caught on the Split Shot Rig

What is the Split Shot Rig?

So what is the split shot rig? It is basically and miniature Carolina rig that can be a lot more finesse and still get some amazing bites. The original rig was achieved by rigging a plastic bait on a weedless round bend hook and then pinching a split shot weight or two up the line anywhere from 8” to a couple of feet. 

The problem with this approach is that pinching a split shot weight on your line can damage it and create failure if a big bass decides to take you up on your offer. 

How To Rig The Split Shot Rig

The new and better approach is to tie the main line to a swivel with a weight in front of it and then to add a leader line to a weedless rigged soft plastic bait. I usually like this weight to be free floating on the line. 

Split Shot Rig

This approach doesn’t damage your line, so if your knots are good, you should be ready to go. 

The leader line and weightless bait allows the bait to flow lethargically and slowly flutter down to the bottom like a dying baitfish. 

How long to tie the leader line depends on the conditions that you are fishing the split shot rig in. The rule of thumb seems to be the clearer the water the longer the leader. The more stained the water the shorter the leader. You can play with this and see what works on your body of water on any given day. I typically fish from 10” to 2 or 3 feet. 

Now, what can you fish behind this rig? I have tried a lot of different soft plastic baits, but one of my favorites is the Senko-style stick bait. The falling action of the Senko has proven to be a bass catcher for many years. 

You can also fish a creature or crawfish-style bait if more vibration is needed in more stained water. 

Split Shot Bait Options

Split Shot Rig Baits

I have discovered that a 3” Senko can be deadly in smallmouth bass fisheries. I have also caught a ton of bass on the 2.75” Yum Craw Papi. I fish these on 1/0 or smaller wide-gap worm hooks rigged weedless. 

Because this is a finesse approach, I typically fish the split shot rig on light spinning tackle. Usually, the same rod that I drop shot with will work fine. I fish anywhere between a 4-pound test to a 10-pound test leader depending on water clarity and how finicky the bass are. 

The rod I fish is a 7’ to 7’3” medium or medium light rod as you will be using light line and tackle.

The cool thing about the split shot rig is that it is really easy to fish. You just cast it out, let it hit bottom, drag your bait, and pause it. How far you drag and how long you pause will be determined by paying attention to how you were fishing it when you got your bites.

If you are fishing in really cold water the pauses should be longer as a rule, but as the water warms your pauses can become shorter. Something like drag two feet and then pause for the count of two (you get the idea). I do like to count on my pauses so that I can figure out a pattern. 

This bait works best on bottoms without a lot of wood or snaggy structure. If you are fishing in a lot of wood or snagging up a lot, I would suggest switching to a light Texas rig with a worm weight in front of it and forget the split shot rig. 

Split Shot Rig Smallie

The last suggestion I will give is that in clearer water fish lighter colored baits, or green pumpkins. In more stained waters switch to darker colored baits so that the fish can see them better in the water. Blacks and purples can be amazing in stained water. For smallmouth bass, I almost always do better with green pumpkin or watermelon. 

I have had some amazing days of fishing with the split shot rig. I bet if you follow my advice you can too. Give it a shot next time the fishing gets rough. 

To your fishing success,

Jonathan Burke 

LiveBassFishing.com

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Rapala Lipless Crankbait for Bass

Posted on September 21, 2022 by admin

The lipless crankbait is one that is extremely versatile and easy to fish. I can also be deadly effective in triggering those reaction bites. There are several ways to fish a lipless crankbait and for a lot of my fishing style, I prefer the Rapala lipless crankbait for bass, namely the Rippin Rap. 

Get My Favorite Pre Spawn Rippin Rap Here

Rapala Lipless Crankbait for Bass

Rapala Lipless Crankbait – Why I Love It

I remember when I fell in love with the lipless crankbait, it was fishing at a local lake by where I grew up. The water was shallow and very stained. My best friend and fishing buddy and I figured out that the gold-colored Rattlin Rap and the now discontinued Clackin Rap were the tickets. 

We would hit the bank and reel those baits back just fast enough to keep them off of the bottom and it was magic. Sometimes it felt like the rod was going to be ripped out of our hands the bass hit so hard. That is one of the best feelings in the world. Since then, the lipless crankbait has always been part of my arsenal. 

Rapala Lipless Crankbait for Bass – Rippin Rap

Now let’s transition back to the present. I have found a new love in the Rapala lineup and that is the Rippin Rap. 

Get Your Rippin Raps Here

You Can See A Recent Order of Crankbaits

There’s a reason for this. I have become a big fan of not only burning the crankbait but also doing some major damage by yoyoing it off of the bottom. The Rippin Rap shines when it comes to the later presentation. 

Rapala Lipless Crankbait for Bass – How to Fish It

For example, last spring at Roosevelt Lake here in Arizona, we were having a hard time catching them. The fish hadn’t moved up and were hanging in about 20-25 feet of water. After about 30 minutes it finally clicked for me and I tied on a lipless crank. The first cast it was fish on. 

I was letting it fall to the bottom and then ripping it up. I let it fall back down with tension on the line and as soon as my line went limp, I would rip it up again. It turned into an hour of fishing magic. You know those days when you are just on? That was my morning. 

It actually got me so excited, and I was so preoccupied with getting a bass off so that I could make another cast, that I actually lost my rod, reel, and bait by letting it drop off of the side of the boat. It made me a little sick, but the good fishing compensated for the loss. 

Bass Caught on Rapala Rippin Rap Crankbait

The reason I like the Rapala lipless crankbait for bass, especially the Rippin Rap, is that it is versatile. They are super heavy for their size and fall fast. This quick fall trigger strikes. They also seem to start vibrating right on command with the turn of the reel handle or pull of the rod. 

On a side note… If I am up in the shallows or burning through thick grass, I really like to switch to the Rattlin Rap as it allows me to fish that shallow cover with more efficiency as it is a much lighter bait for its size. No one bait is the only bait that I will fish. 

Rapala Lipless Crankbait – When to Fish It

My advice is that if you are looking at lipless cranks you can’t go wrong with the Rapala lipless crankbaits for bass. They have an incredible lineup and fish well out of the box. My favorite times to fish them are in the spring and fall. That is when they seem to shine. 

You might even catch some other species while you’re at it. Today mine was a crappie. 

Crappie Caught on Rapala Rippin Rap Lipless Crankbait

To your fishing success,

Jonathan Burke

LiveBassFishing.com

P.S. If you want to learn about crankbait rods check out this crankbait rod article. 

Bass Caught on a Family Trip to Mount Rushmore on the Rapala Rippin Rap
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Fall Transition Bass Fishing

Posted on September 19, 2022 by admin

The fall transition bass fishing game is a fun one. The weeds start to die back, the night temperatures start to cool, and the bass start feeding up for winter. 

Fall Transition Bass Fishing

Right now the transition is either starting or soon to start across America and it is a great time to get out and fish while others are busy hunting. The cool thing about it is that fish start chasing bait big time and reaction baits come into play a lot. 

Fall Transition Bass Fishing – How To Find the Fish

There are a few ways to chase these guys as they move into this transition. It seems like they travel in reverse to the way they moved out for summer after post-spawn and you can target them in the little grass left, in pockets and creek channels, or on the hardcover when the grass dies back. 

You can look for fallen timber and target those areas or other hardcover. It gets more visual and that is the way that I love to fish. You can also follow the baitfish into the coves and pockets and get on the bass that way. Either way, fall transition bass fishing can make for an exciting time of fast-moving baits and topwater explosions. 

Fall Transition Bass Fishing – When Does it Start?

The reason the fall transition is on my mind is that not only are the nights cooling, but the weeds are dying back in my local lakes and the bass are keying in on chatterbaits, crankbaits, and one of my personal favorites the lipless crankbait. 

Crankbaits for Fall Transition Bass Fishing

Just last night my fishing buddy and I went out for an evening on the lake and I was catching them on wakebaits while he started wrecking them on a lipless crankbait. There are still weeds so the lighter weight Rattle Traps were killing it.

My buddy got a monster to the boat that was about 5-6 lbs, but it did a boat dive and pulled off. It was a heartbreaker, but at least we got to see the hog jump twice before tragedy struck. 

I ended up catching them on wakebaits and chatterbaits, but he got big bass. I wish he would have landed it so that we could show it off, but I did get a small one on camera and showed the beautiful backdrop of the White Mountain lakes too. 

In my experience, bass fishing in the fall transition can make for some fantastic days, but it can be frustrating too. Fish cover and work in reverse from the summer haunts to the shore following similar lines to the spawn. Follow the baitfish and the bass should be close at hand

Fall Transition Bass Fishing – What to Use

Early on I love burning a lipless crankbait or chatterbait, but as the water cools, sometimes I like yo-yoing the bait off the bottom with a lift and fall presentation. 

Yesterday we were getting them on the outside weed edges with semi-deep water access. We started out with frogs but quickly moved to the moving baits like the wakebait and the lipless crank. The lipless crank was easier to rip out of the weeds than a traditional crankbait like a squarebill. As the water cools and the weeds die back more this could change. 

My advice is to go out and hit your local lake and see what kind of magic can happen if you hit them right while fall transition bass fishing.

To your fishing success,

Jonathan Burke

LiveBassFishing.com

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Ribbon Tailed Worm Fishing for Bass

Posted on September 14, 2022 by admin

Last week my best fishing buddies and I went to a high desert lake here in Arizona called Roosevelt Lake. It seems like we can always figure them out there. We started throwing deep cranks, which have been the lure of choice for a while. Boy were we wrong. This is where the good old ribbon-tailed worm comes into play. 

Ribbon-tailed worm fishing for bass

We started at the Tonto Creek end of the lake and the water was chocolate milk from the recent rains. This was no good so we headed back to the main lake points. Again, throwing cranks. We fished this way for hours without a bite. 

Ribbon-Tailed Worm for Bass – Saved the Day

That’s when we decided to make a switch. We pulled out our 7” ribbon-tailed worms and within 5 minutes it was on. In that last hour of fishing, all of the damage was done. We ended up putting 8 bass in the boat and losing a few more in the structure. 

I even decided to test and see if that was all that they wanted and put on a deep-diving jerkbait for about 20 minutes without a single hit. This messed me up, but I had to try it. Pretty soon it was back to the 7” Berkley power worm and within two casts, I had another bass. 

Get Your Berkley Worms Here

What started out as a bad day, turned into an epic hour. The ribbon tailed worm fishing for bass was king. 

Caught on the Berkley 7″ ribbon-tailed power worm

There is something magical about that long and skinny profile in the summer when they are in a negative or neutral mood that just seals the deal with largemouth bass. 

Ribbon-Tailed Worm for Bass – The Rig

We were fishing in 10-20’ of water and throwing 7” worms. We were Texas Rigging them with ⅜ ounce bullet weights and a 3/0 round bend worm hook. I really prefer the round bend worm hook to the wide gap for skinny worms like the ribbon worm or the straight-tailed trick worms. 

Get Your Ribbon Tail Worms Here

Get Your 3/0 Worm Hooks Here

Get Your Lead Bullet Weights Here

Get Your VMC Tungsten Weights Here

I will also add that we had one fisherman on the boat, that was fishing topwater and never got a hit. 

The fish were deep and wanted the worm fished slowly. It was a drag and long pause presentation that won. 

Ribbon-Tailed Worm for Bass – Epic Day and Full Moon

That’s one of the joys of bass fishing for me. It is figuring out a pattern and what the fish are looking for. Long story short. Never give up. Make switches to the areas that you are fishing, the baits, and the presentation, and what is a slow day may turn out epic. 

Beautiful full moon after catching bass on the ribbon-tailed worm

While we have caught days with a lot more fish, this day was one to remember. It is sometimes good to go back to how I started and see that the old ribbon-tailed worm is still a powerful tool in the arsenal of bass fishing.

I hope that this can help you put a few more in the boat on your next bass fishing expedition. 

To your ribbon-tailed worm fishing success,

Jonathan Burke

LiveBassFishing.com

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