A Four Season Guide to Flat Cranks
MANY ANGLERS CAST flat crankbaits in late winter and early spring but never tie them on the rest of the year. Bassmaster Elite Series pro Bill Lowen, a shallow-water specialist, picks off bass with these lures throughout the year.
Flat crankbaits excel in cold water because they have a tight, subtle wiggle that appeals to lethargic, cold-blooded bass. As the water warms, the bass become more active and more willing to attack hard-wobbling, fat crankbaits. This is when flat crankbaits generally take a backseat to squarebills.
Another reason flat crankbaits are forsaken after the water warms is that you can’t wind them aggressively over snaggy cover as you can a squarebill. Most flat crankbaits have round bills that cause them to roll over on contact, which exposes their hooks.
Despite this, Lowen often makes hay by fishing a
