11/04/04

"The key is the current and how the fish position themselves with the current." 

"I like to key on cuts, spots where a creek cuts into the channel.  On either side of the cut will be a point or bar that is the bank of the creek as it falls into the channel.  Wood has been very important to me over the past years.  My Classic victory wood and brush along the banks served as good spots for bass to ambush prey, so I would say that have wood or brush in the water is very important."

"Right along with that is the need to contact that brush with your bait.  If I'm not bouncing my crank off of stumps then I don't have much confidence in the area.  That is the main reason I used to get down on my knees to crank. It was just so that I could get my bait down deep enough to make contact with stumps and the bottom."

"I usually use a shad patterned crank bait, preferably a Mann's 15+.  I don't usually try to pattern crawdads on river channels because the fish are keyed into ambushing shad in the current.  I usually crank with 12 lb Trilene XT and use Ultimate Lure Savers on all of my baits.  The lure savers allow the hooks to hang a little lower, I find that when hooked the fish stay hooked much better.  This is often a problem with crank baits, because treble hooks tend to come unbuttoned sometimes.  I also like the lure savers because if I do hang up, I can get the bait back without disturbing the spot.  If I have to go in and pull a brush pile apart, that spot won't bite again for some time."