The Crank Bait
Craig Sandell © 2006
The crank bait has proven itself to be a very effective and versatile Muskie lure.
Here are a couple of lures to give you some insight into using them.
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The
Cobb
The Cobb crank bait is a very functional floating crank bait. It is available
in different sizes and can be purchased from most catalogs. It's price is under $10 and it
offers good value for the dollar. |
Product Review:
The Cobb is a resin coated crank bait, making it very buoyant. It has a wide lip that
is oriented to provide the Muskie angler who is casting a running depth of 6 to 8 feet.
The lip configuration imparts to the lure an exaggerated swimming motion. It
can also be twitched and because of its buoyancy, it is a very effective lure
for the angler who is patient enough the wait for the action of the lure to do
its job.
A major draw back to a resin coated lure can be seen if the resin coating is punctured
allowing water to saturate the inside of the lure. The result is the total collapse of the
the lure body into a useless mass of wire, plastic and hooks. Regular inspections of this
lure are a must to guard against cracks in the resin coating.
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The
Rapala
The name Rapala has become a fixture in fishing circles and many of the lures
are very suitable for Muskie angling. They come in a multitude of colors, patterns and
sizes. There are many variations in the lip configuration determining running depth. They
are very affordable, ranging from $8 to $15 depending upon size and model. |
Product Review:
Rapala lures come in many lure finishes. The lure pictured has a hard
plastic coating with a lip configuration that runs the lure at 7 to 10 feet during a
retrieve. Most any crank bait can be used as a twitch
bait...so you should experiment with your crank baits to get a feel for their
full potential.
The lures tend to be very well built but like all lures they do
deteriorate over time. Most noticeable are the cracks that occur in the plastic coated
bodies as a result of 'bottom banging' or encounters with an unexpected rock bar. You will
have to inspect your lures regularly and decide whether the extent of any cracks renders
the lure unserviceable.
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