Paul Elias-Kneelin and Reeling

Although he makes it perfectly clear that he did not invent this technique, Paul Elias' BassMaster Classic victory in 1982 using this technique clearly showed the bass fishing world of its effectiveness.

"Back in those days the deepest crankbaits only ran about 10 to12 feet and I had located a group of fish that I knew would bite a crankbait if I could get it down deep enough."

He did and needless to say he tore up the rest of the field winning by over 12 pounds.  Elias points out several key factors to this technique that by themselves might not add up to success, but when joined together the total equals bass fishing magic.

As with all techniques, its not the one thing you do usually as much as how things like color, speed of retrieve, angle of retrieve and others work together to create the correct presentation.  Here is how Paul does it:

• Seven and a half  foot, fiberglass rod. "The longer rod allows a longer cast, which will allow you to get more distance, which means your bait can get down and stay down in the strike zone longer.  Most guys who fish crankbaits prefer the strike absorbing properties of fiberglass.  Graphite rods tend to give less and will often cause the crankbait's hooks to be pulled away from the fish when it strikes, while fiberglass absorbs that shock and hooks more fish. The longer rod allows me to get and extra five to six feet of depth on my retrieve when I stick the rod straight down into the water."

• A narrow diameter line.  "The bait can dive deeper with narrow line.  I use Trilene 12 lb XT.  I can fish my crankbaits in heavy cover, and not have to worry about abrasion, while I can still get good depth on my lure."

• A quality bait.  "Today, Manns makes the 20 plus and 30 plus crank baits.  These baits dive very deep which makes this technique effective on fish that are holding as deep as 20-22 feet.  These are fish that almost never see a crankbait."

• Make contact with cover.  "It is just essential that you cause your bait to make contact with cover.  Banging into rocks or ripping out of grass is what will actually trigger strikes. Time and time again, I find that if I am not able to deflect my crankbait off of rocks or tree stumps, I am not getting bit."

Elias notes that his crankbaits dive deeper, faster when he kneels and reels and he also says there is something in the retrieve from that angle makes a difference. "I don't know what it is, but when you are bent over with your rod down into the water, the retrieve just seems to produce better. It may be because you can't over crank at that angle, I just know that it works better."

Next time you see an angler on the water bent over with his/her rod tip deep into the water, you can bet you know what they are doing, and, you can bet they are probably on fish.  What else would cause someone to do it?