My last three times fishing I have fished a couple of crankbaits only to learn how to fish them and how the feel when the deflect off the bottom and cover. The wind has limited my ability to work different angles, the slopes, and preferred depth range. I have caught a couple of small fish on each trip. I have a some questions I would like some feedback.

1. Is it better to work from deep water to shallow so the crankbait can hit bottom and rise as it comes to the bank or from shallow water to deep.

2. What angle on a point do you try to work first? The top, then the sides or vise versa

3. Do you cast across the point or with the point?

4. Do the fish position themselves looking into the wind or the prevailing current of the lake.

Thanks for the feedback

1. I like to cast up to the shallow and bring it out deep. To me it seems it would be a more realistic look of a baitfish fleeing the shallow cover. It also means my bait gets into contact with the bottom sooner.

2. I start on the windy side then over the top then the calm side.
3. I like to run my baits with the point so its on the point longer but sometimes they want it going across.
4. I seem to catch most of my fish on the windy side or on the tip of the point

1. Is it better to work from deep water to shallow so the crankbait can hit bottom and rise as it comes to the bank or from shallow water to deep.

Personally, I like to maximize the crankbait contact with the bottom cover. Usually this means casting parallel along a certain depth (not going deeper to shallower or vice versa) Keep in mind that a crankbait will reach it's maximum depth half way in the retrieve. This time of year, casting parallel to a wind blown point where clearer water meets the murkier water from sediment blown into the bank can be very productive.

Other generalities--fish tend to face into the direction of current (upstream), so if you can, retrieve the lure with the current (on lakes, this often means casting into the wind)

Some say cast into the sun--fish will see the lure better, but I haven't seen a huge difference on this one.

2. What angle on a point do you try to work first? The top, then the sides or vise versa

Whichever side has the most bait fish. But typically the steepest and/or windiest side first. Sometimes when it is extremely windy, I'll fish the less windy side first where the current from the windy side is broken and slacks a bit.

3. Do you cast across the point or with the point?

Across a point, but parallel to a depth where the the crankbait has the most bottom contact

4. Do the fish position themselves looking into the wind or the prevailing current of the lake.

In general, they face the current, so cast into the wind, to retrieve the lure with the current, so they are looking at it.

Michael,

Tip of the Point- Are you referring to the depth that is sharply breaks into deeper water or the effective depth in which the selected crankbait can run.

How deep can a deep diving crankbait be fished from shallow to deep before it quits hitting the bottom? I used a deep diving crankbait and lost the bottom feel at about 12-15 ft.

Thanks for the feedback

Collin,

In your post you mentioned baitfish. Does this mean that you graph the point before fishing it or from experience from previous trips pull up and start fishing? Does graphing a point reposition fish in the depth range of 10ft and deeper and cause them to suspend off of the point.

Thanks for the feedback

you need to understand why the baitfish are there in the first place. Wind generates the plankton which attracts the baitfish which attracts the bass. Wind stirs up the stuff plankton like to eat and it is by wind direction that you know where they will be stacked up. Add deep water access and ambush structure and you are in...

Great info guys, thanks.

Usually from experience, I try to be as stealthy as possible and not run all over a shallow area first; but, if you have good side imaging, it could be really handy in this situation. Lots of times, you can see fish activity (particularly the aggressive sand bass) or signs of fish activity (birds stalking) without having to side scan or graph. The phrase "let the wind be your friend" comes to mind. PM sent.

This is what I do

Spring and Fall, I usually throw deep to shallow as this is the migration for most fish and bait. I dig the bottom as much as I can.

Points, I will work around the point until I get bit, then figure out the depth of my bites and throw parallel at that depth and dig bottom as much as possible. if there is current always fish with the current, most of your strikes will happen that way. All bodies of water have current, either river channel, or wind.

Tip of the point for me is where the point breaks off and there is no longer a taper and I have thrown dd22's in 2ft of water and bring them out to 15+