Florida’s Bobby Lane is one of the most consistent professional anglers on the Bassmaster Elite Series trail.
This year’s Bassmaster Classic will be Bobby Lane's 10th appearance and also the 10th in a row he has fished. His record in the biggest event in bass fishing is stellar, with a runner-up finish and no finishes below 20th place. This could be the year that he takes the title and he has a plan for Lake Conroe, a classic spring cranking approach.
Coming and Going
When bass are around the spawning period, Lane likes to focus on fish that are transitioning to spawning grounds as well as those who have finished. “Most of the fish in the lake are going to be shallow this time of year and a shallow crankbait is a great way to catch a big one and cover water. Lake Conroe also sets up perfectly for this because it is full of docks, big rocks and brush in the water,” he says.
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Shallow Crankbaits for the Bassmaster Classic
The action of your crankbait is vital and which to use is heavily dependent on water temperature according to Lane. “I think the water will be right around 70-degrees and for that I like a more aggressive action instead of the tighter wobble of a flat-sided bait. The Duel Hardcore Crank 1+ and 2+ will be what I will have tied on because it has the perfect wide wobble.”
Lane rigs up both of these crankbaits on the same setup, a 7’ medium Abu Garcia Veritas 2.0 Micro Guide rod with a Revo Premier 7.1:1 and either 15-17-pound test fluorocarbon. “You can use it with lighter line and the bait will get a little deeper, but for this tournament we are no going after two-pounders. You have the real chance at an eight pound fish and you don’t want to do that with 8-pound line if you can help it,” he says and adds that he prefers the micro guide version of the rod because it casts better and is more sensitive in his opinion.
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Lipless Crankbait for the Bassmaster Classic
Throwing a lipless crankbait is another technique Lane plans to try at the Bassmaster Classic. His bait of choice is the Yo-Zuri Rattl'n Vibe and his initial thoughts on spring cranking are to fish this bait earlier in the morning in slightly deeper water before heading to the bank.
“I like to target those shallow bars, flats and humps just off of the bank and Lake Conroe has a ton of them,” he begins. He will vary his retrieve until he finds what the fish want.
Lane fishes this crankbait on the same rod and line setup as he does his squarebills, but opts for a faster reel. “The 7’ Medium rod I use is perfect for so many different techniques. I pair it with an Abu Garcia Revo ALX in the 8.0:1 gear ratio.”
Dial in the Crankbait Color
Crankbait color selection is all about the water clarity and anglers should be prepared for everything. “The great thing about the Duel and Yo-Zuri baits is they have every color you would need,” says the Florida pro.
With that being said, he does have a few favorites that work across the country in a variety of situations. “For the Rattl'n Vibe I like the Green Silver or Gold Black. On the Hardcore crank it is Black Back Chartreuse, crawfish or shad,” he shares.
Backup Patterns
Another approach Lane plans to target is bridges and he says it is always a good idea to try them during the spring. “The fish moving to spawn and those who are done are going to stop at bridges because they usually have rocks near them. Pre-spawn and post-spawn fish are looking to eat and these are the perfect places for a meal and bridges are highways for them,” he believes.
Targeting these fish on deeper rocks can be done with the help of deep-diving crankbaits and Lane plans to have several different options ready if the situation arises at the Bassmaster Classic.
Classic Winning Weight Predictions
“The lake has tons of big fish in it and somebody is going to find them. My goal is to have at least 20-pounds a day with one of those days being much higher,” says Lane. He predicts the winning weight of the three-day event to be around 65-pounds.
The Bassmaster Classic on Lake Conroe has the fishing world excited about the chance to see monster bass cross the scales. With the timing being right around the spawn and in big bass country, the event is setting up to be one of the best ever. Bobby Lane hopes this is his year to take the title and he thinks a spring cranking pattern will be what it takes to do it.
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