Bumping Wood with Crank Baits
When Kevin Van Dam won the classic this year in New Orleans he won with a technique and presentation that frustrates most fishermen. He was bumping square bill crank baits off stumps and around lay down wood. I know from experience this is extremely aggravating as every 3rd or so cast results in the bait getting hung up. The good news is square bill crank baits, if you pop them just right, will give an erratic movement when popped off the wood and generally will get the result you are looking for, that being a bite.
This presentation while frustrating and aggravating is a fish catching presentation and many times as Van Dam proved a big fish technique. As a fisherman you have to take this technique and make it work for you. Don't let it frustrate you, just make it bounce off or pop off the structure, with the knowledge that a big bass is about to strike it. Many times you just know or even can see a bass moving about the structure and with persistence eventually that big bass will strike that square bill. Van Dam would cast it and pop it off the same piece of wood several times and it would take several casts before he got a bite. Persistence paid off and it will for you also, just keep banging away and I promise eventually that big bite will be there.
Remember that a square bill can be guided very easily with the tip of the rod, it can be positioned to hit the wood with tip movement and pop off as part of the rod stroking movement without getting hung every time. All is needed is patience, tip guidance and practice; you will find that it is not that difficult to make each cast count and not constantly be hung up. All baits are at their best when they become erratic and square bill crank baits were designed for bumping wood, you just have to become efficient at it and you will catch bigger fish and win more tournaments
Fish Lake Guntersville Guide Service
www.fishlakeguntersvilleguideservice.com
Email: bassguide@comcast.net
Call: 256 759 2270
Captain Mike Gerry