Just a few words about Crankbaits

  My early years of bass fishing were spent throwing plastic worms into any cover I could find. Crankbaits looked , to me, like something that just begged losing on the logs and branches of bass country.

  I spent many years missing out on the joys, and frustrations of fishing with crankbaits. My introduction to cranking came with a fish story to tell, and of course, the one that got away.

  I had recently made the acquaintance of a self proclaimed bass fisherman who was new to the area where I lived, and presently without his tackle.  I, being the generous soul I am, promptly invited this fellow on a fishing trip to the local bass pond. 

  When we reached the fishing hole, I offered my tackle box to this new acquaintance, not for a minute believing his claims of bass fishing prowess. As it happened, I had, sometime ago, purchased a Rapala SR5 in Bluegill colors to decorate my box, My new acquaintance quickly selected this decoration over the plethora of plastics, meant for actually catching bass. Somewhat crestfallen, I quietly accepted the inevitable loss of my handsome decoration and sportingly pointed him in the direction of an area I knew to be good bass country.

  My new friend merrily started off, and I, feeling quite grand and generous, went the in the opposite direction with my beloved plastic worm.

  Sometime later, we came round to opposite sides of a small inlet, close enough for easy conversation. I hailed my new friend, asking how his luck had been.  At the moment he began his response, quite suddenly, his rod bent severely, and seconds later, a huge bass broke the surface, spitting my precious decoration back at my new friend. My friend's eyes grew large as dinner plates, he spoke a few words in a language unknown to me, and promptly fell over backwards. Thus was my introduction to the world of the crankbait.