Jason Lambert's Early Summer Cranking Approach
When it comes to offshore cranking, especially on the notorious ledges of the Tennessee River lakes, Jason Lambert has few equals. He's won a bunch of early-summer derbies on these lakes and takes his offshore cranking approach everywhere he goes when bass first move off of the banks and head to deeper water after spawning.
Always Looking Offshore
Unless the bass are shallow and actively spawning, chances are Jason Lambert will be hunting for an offshore bite and several crankbaits will be tied on his rods. It's how he likes to fish and he believes it offers the best way for him to catch fish in a hurry.
"I like to spend my time offshore because you can do more damage with groups of fish than going down the bank and catching one here and one there," he said. "It's my favorite way to catch them and it's fun when you get on them."
While he's a king on the Tennessee River, he's learned that there's an offshore bite after the fish spawn everywhere in the country. In some areas, fish migrate slowly to deeper water, but it can happen overnight on others.
"On the Tennessee River lakes, they'll go to the deepest they'll be all year right after they spawn to recuperate," he said. "It will be plastics on the bank one day and 20-feet or deeper the next day and you'll catch fish out that deep that still have bloody tails from spawning. A group of fish will be in deep water anywhere you go in the country after they spawn."
Offshore Locales
Where Lambert looks offshore varies by lake type and whether current is a factor, but some similarities remain. Contour changes, cover, and structure are the key denominator for him and other offshore gurus.
"They're not just going to be roaming randomly out away from the bank and there has to be something to hold them in an area," said Lambert. "On lakes with current, there has to be some sort of current break for them to sit it. It could also be a contour change, an intersection of two creek channels, a long extended point, just something different for the fish to sit deep and ease up shallow if they need to. On some lakes, it could be a small high spot around deeper water or a brush pile, anything they can relate to."
Cranks for All Depths
Lambert relies on three main crankbaits with different diving depths to cover any depth. The Duel Hardcore Crankbait 4+ covers the 12 to 14-foot range; the Bullet Crank 5+ is for the 16 to 20-foot zone, and the Bullet Crank 7+ is for the ultra-deep fish down to depths of over 30-feet with the right gear and approach.
"All of those baits cast extremely well because of the magnetic weight transfer system that casts like a bullet and eliminates the helicopter casts you get with other big crankbaits," he said. "I also like how they have a slimmer profile and longer bill. This allows them to get deeper without as much resistance on you and it also helps deflect better. Of course, you'll still get snagged if you hit a brush pile or something, but the bills are great at deflecting and reducing a lot of those hang-ups."
The Bullet Crank 5+ is a brand-new crankbait and a welcomed addition for Lambert and others.
"We needed something to fit that gap and hit that high teens to 20-foot range," he said. "It's got the same design and features of the 7+ that has been so good for me, just in a smaller package."
Lambert's Cranking Gear, Line and Color Selection
Being recognized as one of the best at fishing offshore with crankbaits, Lambert has perfected his entire cranking system and is pretty straightforward.
"For line, it's either going to be 12-pound Yo-Zuri T7 fluorocarbon for the 4+ and 5+ crankbait, and I'll go up to 14-pound for the 7+ because the bait's bigger and has bigger hardware," he said. "For colors, I only use two or three and they work for me in all situations. I'll have two shad patterns and chartreuse and blue back for early morning and dirty water situations. I don't believe the color is as big a deal as some think because it's such a reaction bite when cranking it fast."
He likes a 7'3 medium heavy rod for the 4+, a 7'6" medium-heavy for the 5+, and a 7'10" heavy for the big 7+ crankbait. For all of them, he prefers a 5.3:1 reel.
"The whole key with fishing these crankbaits offshore is to fish them as fast as possible," he shared. "You can get a crankbait faster with a faster reel for a little while, but you'll slow down once you get tired after 30-minutes. The 5.3:1 is easier on me, and I can keep the same fast speed all day long."
Jason Lambert is known for his cranking prowess and after the bass spawn, there's nowhere he'd rather be than away from the bank. His cranking approach results from years spent out deep and he's dialed in the right gear and baits to maximize his success.
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