Westernbass Magazine - FREE Bass Fishing Tips And Techniques - Fall 2016, Page 41

Westernbass Magazine - FREE Bass Fishing Tips And Techniques - Fall 2016, Page 41

trigger bites and they allow anglers to quickly cover water to find relocating bass.

Bassmaster Elite Series pro John Crews, known as one of the best crankbait fishermen on tour has designed several crankbait profiles for Spro. Here, he shared some of his advice for crankin’ in the fall.

“It is flat-out cover water mode at this time of the season; casting and winding will be the plan of the day, trying to cover as much water that you can,” he stated. “Look for staging areas. Rocks and deeper green weeds will be key in holding areas for bass as they relocate.”

MATCHING TARGETS

Choosing the right crankbait for the area that being targeted is a key to locating fall bass. “It is important that you pick crankbaits that will reach the depths that you are trying to fish,” said Crews. “A crankbait that is making contact with the cover will catch more bass than a free swimming bait.”

Crews continued by breaking down which crankbait profile he chose to match specific target areas for the best success.

SHALLOW VEGETATION

Weeds effect how and where the bass will locate. As the fall water temps get colder, the shallower weeds start to die off. Finding green weeds will be key to fishing shallow.

In these shallower situations, square-billed crankbaits will fast become the choice for Crews. He likes the Fat John 60 and the Fat John 50.

MID-DEPTHS

For depths of 3- to 9-ft, Crews prefers a Little John MD50 or a Little John. He likes them for the mid- depth range when the bass are holding on rocks and weeds.

DEEPER WEED FLATS

As the season continues, the water temps drop further and the shallow weeds die off enough so that the shad, bluegills and craws will leave the area. This is the time to regroup and move with the bait to the deeper weed flats.

Cranking is still one of the best ways to catch bass at this time of the late fall season. “Cranks allow you to cover water fast and then, you are able to slow down once the bass are found,” said Crews.

With this change to the deeper flats, Crews will switch to the Little John and Little John MD cranks, targeting weeds and rocks on the deeper flats.

DEEP ROCKS AND OUTSIDE WEEDLINES

As the late fall season transitions into early winter, bass will make one more movement to mark this time

FALL 2016

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