By : Mike Frisch
I live near Alexandria, MN which is famous for its good bass fishing. The area features deep lakes, shallow lakes, and lots of largemouth bass! With this diversity in waters, the area offers everything a bass angler could want in terms of fishing patterns and techniques. Anglers can fish deep, clear what I call “weed line lakes” utilizing Ned Rigs, dropshots, and Texas rigged plastics in depths from 12-20 feet of water. Anglers choosing to fish the area’s shallow lakes often find less water clarity and lots of bass holding shallow in places like reeds, under docks, and around fallen trees and the classic “jig-n-pig” baits often shine.
With all these options, sometimes it’s hard to decide where to fish. During summer, however, particularly on windy, overcast days, I prefer casting crankbaits on the deep weed line on clear, deep lakes. Wind and clouds often get the bass up roaming and they’re more prone to hitting a moving bait. Bass are numerous and fun to catch on the weed line, plus bonus pike, a walleye or two, and even some big panfish often show up.
The deep weed line is usually located along drop-offs where shallow flats give way to deeper water. Weeds that grow on the flat and down the edges eventually stop as water depths increase, and lack of sun light prevents plant life. Lots of fish call weed lines home during summer and, in some lakes, a good portion of the largemouth population lives there. A crankbait is a good choice while moving down the weed line looking for schools of bass and then is usually a great way to catch a bunch once a school is located.
Various crankbaits will put weed line bass in the boat with the Pro Model 3XD and 5XD baits being my long-time favorites. Recently these baits have gotten a makeover in the new Elite Series with premium hooks and new pro-driven colors. I’ve quickly become a fan of Pro Phantom Perch and Sunny color patterns. Many of the lakes I fish have deep weed lines in the 12-18-foot depth ranges and the 3XD and 5XD work great in these depths.
Holding the boat out from the weed line and moving down paralleling the edge while casting ahead of the boat works well. When a fish is hooked, several more can be caught from the same area.
Sometimes the schools will hold on to irregularities along the weed line, maybe points or turns, or maybe along a change in weed type. Regardless of what holds them, a crankbait is a great way to quickly find active schools. Sometimes, it pays to switch to some sort of soft plastic to strain a productive area for a few more bites when the crankbait bite slows. However, it’s often just as effective to move on down the weed line and find the next school.
Crankbaits fished in this style often work well on baitcasting rods and reels that allow for long casts. Lew’s has rods in their XD Cranking Series designed specifically for fishing the XD baits. Pairing these rods with a quality baitcast reel like a BB1 Pro makes for a top combination.
Spooling with fluorocarbon line often works well when cranking. Fluorocarbon sinks so it helps get a bait a bit deeper, plus it has good abrasion resistance for working along and through weeds. Also, fluorocarbon is nearly invisible under water, and it has a bit less stretch than monofilament, so it helps facilitate positive hooksets. CONTRA fluorocarbon in 12-pound test has helped put lots of crankbait bass in my boat.
If more fish in the boat is your goal, consider giving largemouth bass a try. Head to the weed line of your favorite lake, tie on a crankbait and start casting and you’ll probably encounter some fast-fishing action!
As always, good luck on the water and remember to include a youngster in your next outdoors adventure.
Mike Frisch co-hosts the popular Fishing the Midwest TV series. Visit www.fishingthemidwest.com or follow Fishing the Midwest on Facebook for more "fishy" stuff.
