It’s easy to forget about certain bait categories in light of all the forward-facing sonar hype, but that’s a mistake, according to Ozarks native Cody Huff. Wired2fish hopped in his boat for a lesson targeting summer bass using deep-diving crankbaits. Huff explains that while forward-facing sonar is popular, it doesn’t always reveal bottom-hugging and cover-oriented fish. Few baits root out and trigger these bottom hunters more effectively than a deep-diving plug crashing across the bottom.
FEATURED PRODUCT (retail links)
CRANKBAIT SETUP
- CRANKBAIT – Rapala DT 16 Crankbait, color – Citrus Shad: Buy at Bass Pro Shops | Buy at Tackle Warehouse
- CRANKBAIT – Rapala DT 20 Crankbait, color – Citrus Shad: Buy at Bass Pro Shops | Buy at Tackle Warehouse
- ROD – Bass Pro Shops Johnny Morris CarbonLite Technique Casting Rod – 7’10” – Medium Heavy – Parabolic – Deep Crankbait: Buy at Bass Pro Shops
- REEL – Bass Pro Shops Johnny Morris Platinum Signature Baitcast Reel – Right – 6.8:1: Buy at Bass Pro Shops
- LINE – Sunline Super FC Sniper Fluorocarbon, 12-pound: Buy at Bass Pro Shops | Buy at Tackle Warehouse
- SUN SHIRT – AFTCO Ocean Bound LS Sun Protection Hoodie: Buy at AFTCO
- Bass Pro Shops Leaping Bass Logo Cap, Woodland Camo: Buy at Bass Pro Shops
SHAKY HEAD SETUP
- PLASTIC – Bass Pro Shops Magnum Fin-Eke Worm – 6″ – Green Pumpkin/Blue Flake: Buy at Bass Pro Shops
- ROD – Bass Pro Shops Johnny Morris CarbonLite Technique Casting Rod – 7’4″ – Heavy – Fast – Dragging: Buy at Bass Pro Shops
- REEL – Bass Pro Shops Johnny Morris Platinum Signature Baitcast Reel – Right – 6.8:1: Buy at Bass Pro Shops
- LINE – Sunline Super FC Sniper Fluorocarbon, 20-pound: Buy at Bass Pro Shops | Buy at Tackle Warehouse
CHOOSING THE RIGHT CRANKBAIT
Huff notes that a big crankbait is the best tool for catching bass relating to the bottom. His bait of choice is the venerable Rapala DT 16 and DT 20 when fishing in deeper waters, as it reaches its max running depth quickly and stays there longer than most. Huff also favors its natural balsa wiggle as he feels it triggers more fish than overly loud and aggressive plugs. Huff highlights the importance of speed, explaining that reeling the crankbait quickly and making it bounce off the bottom is essential for triggering reaction strikes.
OPTIMAL GEAR FOR DEEP CRANKING
For deep cranking, Huff prefers a powerful and long rod to handle the rigors of casting and working the bait. His tool of choice is a Bass Pro Shops technique-specific CarbonLite rod in 7’10” medium-heavy power. Despite its specs, it has a soft tip that allows the fish to take the bait while having enough backbone to handle deep-water fishing. Huff usually pairs this with a 12-pound line, adjusting as needed for different depths.
FINDING THE PERFECT SPOT
In the summer, bass relate to deep water near points with a ledge or channel swing. Huff provides a map reconnaissance and explains that these areas offer both feeding opportunities and cover. He recommends starting with crankbaits to fire up the school of bass and then switching to a big worm or shaky head after you tune them up.
The moral of the story is to remain versatile. Technology is changing the lure landscape, but this presents opportunities to revisit the classics and catch bass that others glued to forward-facing sonar screens miss. Plus, few bites are more enjoyable than loading up on a deep-diving crankbait.
BOAT SETUP
- FISH FINDER – Garmin EchoMAP Ultra Fishfinders: Buy at Bass Pro Shops
- FORWARD-FACING SONAR (FFS) – Garmin LiveScope Plus System Bundle: Buy at Tackle Warehouse
- DOUBE STACK MOUNT – BeatDown Outdoors The Ultimate Double Stack: Buy at BeatDown
- CONSOLE MOUNT – BeatDown Outdoors LocDown Console Mount: Buy at BeatDown
- FFS TURRET – RITE-HITE Turret: Buy at Amazon
- TROLLING MOTOR – Garmin Force Trolling Motor: Buy at Bass Pro Shops
- BASS BOAT – NITRO Z21 XL: Check out at NITRO
- MOTOR – Mercury 250hp Pro XS: Check out at Mercury
- SHALLOW WATER ANCHOR – Power-Pole Blade 2.0 Shallow Water Anchor: Buy at Bass Pro Shops | Buy at Tackle Warehouse
