During my collection of data for this article I was very lucky to be able to ask Local Gainesville Tournament Angler Tripp Ward, who fishes various regional and national tournament circuits, what he could recommend for crankbaiting during the pre-spawn. Tripp has been a long time member of the Bassmasters of Gator Country bass club based in Gainesville, Florida.
During the Pre-Spawn period crankbaiting can be a very successful technique. In Florida, this period can last from December to the end of March, depending on the weather of course. Using a crankbait can produce some nice numbers of fish as well as some real quality fish. Both males and females are actively seeking out food supplies that will help them last through the challenges and adversities they will face during the spawn.
One of the key areas to throw a crankbait during the pre-spawn is drops or depressions near spawning flats. During this time of year bass will be actively cruising around in search of bait and will most likely be near the areas that they will be conducting their spawning activities in the near future. Tripp informed me that he will search out fish those drops or depressions (deeper spots) near the spawning flats.
Another area that has produced some quality fish is in and around docks. By fan casting around the docks, and throwing inside of boat slips, you can catch fish that are trying to ambush baitfish passing by. When you catch one fish from a dock, make sure you exhaust all angles, as more than one fish will usually occupy a dock.
Another tip from Tripp Ward is to not ignore the mouths of creeks and canals. Most anglers will venture into the canals in search of beds, but sometimes the fish will bunch up in the mouths, using the cover to ambush baitfish as they are exiting or entering the creek/canal.
For his rod, he prefers a 6’6″ to a 7′ medium action rod with a fast or moderate tip; he often uses a St. Croix Legend Tournament Bass. But, he also recommends a St. Croix Mojo rod, which is priced more reasonably for the financially minded angler.
For his reel Tripp will use several different rations, from a 5.2:1 to a 7:1:1 ratio, depending on the crankbait. He would recommend a 6.3:1 for a beginner starting to learn how to crankbait. This would allow the angler to increase or decrease the baits speed with little effort.
As for the line, Tripp only uses Triple Fish Fluorocarbon, and finds that a 10lb test is always a great place to start. One of the major reasons he uses Fluorocarbon is because it sinks better and is not easily weakened by dings/scrapes as is its predecessor Mono-Filament. One tip that Tripp offered was to use Real Magic by TTI Blakemore Fishing group on all of your lines. It helps the fluorocarbon maintain its limpness.
Now that we have discussed the proper rod/reel and line, let’s discuss the most important piece of the puzzle. There are several different manufacturers and styles of crankbaits out there. All you need to do is take a walk through a local bait shop, like the Tackle Box in Gainesville, and you will see exactly what I am talking about.
When you look inside of a pro’s box, like Tripp’s, you will start to understand which baits are his “go to” baits. He has several Model A Bombers and always one in Firetiger. He uses lighter colors for clearer waters with a quicker retrieve and darker colors and a slower retrieve for dingy/dirty water.
He also has a box for deep diving crankbaits, like a Norman DD22. When purchasing these from a retailer the first thing most people do is replace the hooks. By increasing the size of the hook to one size larger, Tripp has seen a good increase of his hook:catch ratio.
Sometimes new bait will track off to the right or left when retrieving and it will need some fine-tuning. This can be done by taking the bait in your hand with the nose pointing at your body, and make slight adjustments by bending the eyelet in the opposite direction it is tracking. If you have access to a swimming pool, it will allow you to try a crankbait before having it act up on the water.
During this pre-spawn there is a great opportunity for anglers, both professional and amateur to catch some quality fish. I hope this article provides you will some helpful tips that will allow you to have a great time on the water.By: Tripp Ward and Jason Howe
