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Swindle’s Top 5 Winter Bass Fishing Crankbaits

Gerald Swindle is an old school cranker when it comes to winter bass fishing. He likes to cover water, grinding the bill off of crankbaits looking for active fish. In the winter and prespawn, a crankbait is his go-to lure for bass fishing when he’s trying to find the most active fish in cold water. 

  1. Storm Wiggle Wart Crankbait: The crawfish pattern with a smaller profile with that rattle and ghost colors is a staple for coldwater fishing on highland reservoirs. 
  2. Rapala DT6 (Dives-To) Crankbait. One of the most versatile coldwater cranking. It works on all different types of fisheries and water colors. Subtle wiggle, quiet bait but produces in all waters in the winter and prespawn. 
  3. Rapala Shad Rap Crankbait. A finesse balsa bait that is dynamite on a spinning combo. If it’s super cold, this is his choice. He likes it with monofilament. Fishing it on rock and around cover. 
  4. Rapala OG Slim 06 Crankbait. The newest crankbait in his arsenal. It runs a little shallower than the DT6. It has a flat side twist to it. Fishing like a flat side. But also fishes like a bit wider crankbait too on a faster retrieve. It throws really well. Ott made a good one with this new crankbait. 
  5. Rapala DT10 (Dives-To) Crankbait. A great bait to reach a little deeper fish staging just out of the shallows in cold water. It throws really well. It swims great and has that perfect profile for bigger aggressive bass without being too big to fish on your smaller cranking rods.