Subject: Mark Lassagne Contact: How To Work Diving/Lipless Crankbaits In Ca Delta
To: Webmaster
From:
Nate Reyes
Message:
Hello Mark,
My cousin and buddy (John Tenorio/Jorge Aquino) went out with you some time ago so I check your website often enough. I read the article that Charlie Weyer (or was that you?) wrote on throwing the speed traps or ikons. I then wrote the following to Charlie so I’m writing it to you too. It has to do with throwing crankbaits, lipless or divers and picking up weeds. No one has ever said anything about how to work through weeds. Please read on and you’ll understand my frustration. I catch sometimes on my lipless but never on divers. Would really appreciate some guidance on this. Thanx Mark!! My cousin/buddy really enjoyed their time with you on the water!
Nate
“Hi Charlie,
I read your article on working the speed trap and ikon baits in the ca delta. What I’m really hoping to understand it something I NEVER see any pro/guide comment on is how to actually work a crankbait when there are weeds constantly being picked up and whether a bass will STILL HIT a crankbait with weeds hanging on it while it’s swimming by.
Are we supposed to cast along the weedline but try and avoid getting it in the weedline? I often throw lipless crankbaits but really want to learn how/where to work the speed trap or even deep divers. In the CA delta, I’m always coming up with weeds. Please help; everyone talks about where and what condition, but no one explains how to work it through the area, especially what to do with the weeds. I guess we’re just supposed to already know this?? Please please help this lover of bass fishing but clearly we’re rookies still.
Thanx Charlie!
Nate
Hi Nate,
Both lipless and driving cranks work well all over the country and are best when the bass are in a feeding mood. Around weeds with lipless it best to fish weeds that are submergent (submerged) below the surface like high tide. For lipped cranks try the Jackall MC60 or Lure Jensen Speed traps both fairly shallow divers. These baits go thought weeds pretty well but when you run into the moss none of them will work. I usually work the bait as slow a possible letting it hit the weeds and float back up then crank it down again slowly working in and out of the weeds. If you do get weeds on your bait it will not function as well, try a hard jerk on your line which will clear it off about half the time the other half you’ll have to pull them off yourself. Bass are in the weeds and cranks are a great way to catch them so it something you’ll have to deal with to catch more bass.
Also just start with a few colors, a shad and a couple craw colors until you gain some confidence. Hope that helps Mark
Hi Mark,
Absolutely awesome of you to provide this insight….I truly appreciate it! Just one last question…will a bass hit the crank even if there are some wisps of weeds still hanging off the hooks of the bait? Like sometimes on the retrieve, it will feel like it’s running true and when I bring it up, there might be a few small strands of weeds on the hooks….do bass still hit it when there’s weeds hanging on the hooks? Reason I ask is because if I feel weeds but still feel the vibration and it feels like it’s running true, I should still work it back to the boat with confidence, yes?? Again, I truly appreciate the time you took to answer my questions and if my brother and I get the time and bucks set aside, I know we’d benefit from a day with you on the delta.
Thanx again and best regards, Mark! Nate
Hi Nate,
If there are enough weeds to impart the action (vibration) of the crankbait you will be less likely to catch a bass on it. But not always, I’ve had a crank bait stuck in a tulle, rip it out of the tulle off and dragging the bait an part of the tulle back to the boat and still had a bass hit it. But that’s not the norm if you reel your bait in and see weeds be sure to take them off before the next cast.
