The weather in many areas has been very inconsistent this summer. One day it’s warm, the next day it’s twenty degrees cooler. The one weather related thing that we’ve been able to count on is the wind. One day it’s windy, the next day it’s windier. But as we get farther into summer, there’s something else that we can count on. The water is warming up, and as the water warms, crankbaits can be very reliable fish-catchers. Here are some ideas about crankbaiting for more fish in the summer.

Crankbaits come in all shapes, colors, and sizes. They’re productive by either casting and retrieving or trolling. The larger the lip, the deeper they dive. Most crankbaits run from three to fifteen feet deep, but some will go deeper. Crankbaits appeal to almost all gamefish.

Walleyes usually like long, thin crankbaits and largemouth bass usually like shorter, fatter crankbaits. A Hybrid Hunter is a newer style of crankbait that has an erratic action. A Thunder Cricket is another newer bait that doesn’t look like a crankbait, but is very effective in many of the same places that are traditionally thought of as crankbait water. In lakes where walleyes, pike, and bass co-exist, the Hybrid Hunter and Thunder Cricket are very good choices, as they appeal to all species.

The deep weedline is a popular place to fish a crankbait. Cast it over the tops of the weeds and work it back to the boat. The crankbait will run deeper as you retrieve it. Sometimes it will catch on the weeds. Free it by sharply jerking the rod, then stop reeling and let it rise back toward the surface. A strike will often occur when you start reeling again. Isolated weedbeds, rock points, and shallow rock reefs are other good places to fish with a crankbait.

When casting, you can make your crankbait run deeper or shallower by how you position your rod tip. Hold the rod tip near the surface of the water to make the bait run deeper, hold the rod tip up to make it run shallower. If you’re fishing a weedline, cast the bait onto the top of the weeds and keep the rod tip up until you think the bait is near the deep edge of the weeds. Then pull the rod tip down so the bait dives quickly along the edge of the weeds.

Some crankbait enthusiasts say that color isn’t an important consideration. Look in their crankbait box though, and you’ll see that they have a bunch of different colors and color patterns. At times, color is a very important consideration with crankbaits, just like it is with any type of bait. A good starting point is natural colors in clear water, brighter colors in stained water.

Many accomplished anglers prefer to net crankbait fish. Flopping fish and treble hooks can cause problems for the fish and the fisherman. Oftentimes when you net the fish, a hook will catch in the mesh of the net and the fish will come free. This enables the

angler to release the fish quickly and safely. It also enables anglers to keep their hands away from a flopping fish with a mouthful of treble hooks.

For the rest of the summer, have a crankbait rigged on a rod when you hit the water. When you’re on a fishy looking piece of structure, give the fish a look at your crankbait. Much of the time they’ll do more than look at it. They’ll eat it!