What crankbaits come through grass the best?

[DrewFlu33]

It was only recently, probably last season, that I discovered just how possible it is to fish a crankbait through relatively heavy submerged grass - and I'm talking about ripping it through the grass, not ticking over top of the grass. Since I feel a little embarassed to say this, I have to point out that I'm not a native Minnesotan so you'll have to forgive my ignorance on the technique!

I was having a conversation with a buddy yesterday about cranks in the grass, and the topic came up about which ones come through the best. Not talking about lipless cranks here, but instead actual billed crankbaits.

We generally agreed on what we've found to work and what doesn't work for it. Based on what we talked about, squarebills in general seem to be the best bet for getting through cleanly, though not all squarebills are created equal! My buddy thinks SK KVDs are the best, while I tend to favor the Lucky Craft 1.5s. Others I really thought would work well - Megabass S-cranks, for example - I cannot get to come through even the sparsest vegetation cleanly. It's likely the erratic action that causes it to get fouled up as soon as it encounters vegetation.

For deeper diving cranks when the grass is either first coming up or when working outside weed edges, we both figure that Rapala DTs are the undisputed grass-ripping champs. I have been eyeing the new Berkley Diggers as they're also designed by Fritts, have an extremely similar shape, are cheaper, are likely more durable (plastic instead of balsa - you only fish a DT through grass once before you learn you can't smack them on the water before a cast to remove any clumps they may have picked up), and seem to have better colors. Haven't had a chance to try them yet, though.

In my prior life, when it came time to throw a mid-depth crankbait, I was throwing a Wiggle Wart. Didn't take me long to learn that you're not going to throw one for very long if you're around grass!

What crankbaits has everyone else had the best luck fishing through grass? I'm always on the lookout for different options as there's always room to improve on how cleanly they'll come through!

[brushsjigs]

Any floaters will work, you just have to work them different. Crank down till you feel it touch the weeds and let it float back up a few feet then crank back down. Caught many fish like this. Just requires a lot of patients and sensitive equipment. A limber cranking rod wont cut it for this.
Prefer the balsa baits

[fish hound]

Any floaters will work, you just have to work them different. Crank down till you feel it touch the weeds and let it float back up a few feet then crank back down. Caught many fish like this. Just requires a lot of patients and sensitive equipment. A limber cranking rod wont cut it for this.
Prefer the balsa baits

What he said. I like C-flash crank baits for this.

[Jeff Hahn]

As far as crankbaits with a bill, I have always found that a wider wobble crankbait comes through grass better than a narrow wiggle crankbait.

[mrc]

those with no hooks

[krindgen]

A weedless swimbait. I'm trying to figure this out myself. Fish a couple of lakes where they plant weeds in the spring to help the spawn out. Visibility down to 12ft and weeds grow in 15ft maybe deeper and the weeds grow around the entire shoreline. It's really difficult to fish with anything but a bottom dragging bait. The one technique i want to try is what Hackney did on Cayuga a few years back. Flipping a heavy jig into 12-15ft of water. Painful but effective way to fish this stuff.

[AKFerzy7]

bomber model a's

[Wackyjig]

A weedless swimbait. I'm trying to figure this out myself. Fish a couple of lakes where they plant weeds in the spring to help the spawn out. Visibility down to 12ft and weeds grow in 15ft maybe deeper and the weeds grow around the entire shoreline. It's really difficult to fish with anything but a bottom dragging bait. The one technique i want to try is what Hackney did on Cayuga a few years back. Flipping a heavy jig into 12-15ft of water. Painful but effective way to fish this stuff.

And here on our lakes they let private contractors spray the piss out of grass

[M1RT]

The Dredger does a decent job as a ripping crank through the grass as does the Fat Free Shad. The best three weed ripping cranks I have used are the old Poe's 300's, Rapala DT's (fragile), and the king of grass cranks was/is the Risto Rap. Unfortunately the Risto Rap has been out of production for quite some time.

[DrewFlu33]

The Dredger does a decent job as a ripping crank through the grass as does the Fat Free Shad. The best three weed ripping cranks I have used are the old Poe's 300's, Rapala DT's (fragile), and the king of grass cranks was/is the Risto Rap. Unfortunately the Risto Rap has been out of production for quite some time.

This is more what I had in mind. I'm familiar with "worming" a floater through grass like you might do to get one through wood. What I'm talking about is instead purposefully getting a crank into the grass so that you can rip it free and elicit a reaction strike. If the grass tops out at 6 feet, use a crank that will run more than 6 feet.

Really interesting about the Dredger! The Dredger does better at this than the Digger? Just based on the way they look I figured the Digger would be the one to try.

A weedless swimbait. I'm trying to figure this out myself. Fish a couple of lakes where they plant weeds in the spring to help the spawn out. Visibility down to 12ft and weeds grow in 15ft maybe deeper and the weeds grow around the entire shoreline. It's really difficult to fish with anything but a bottom dragging bait. The one technique i want to try is what Hackney did on Cayuga a few years back. Flipping a heavy jig into 12-15ft of water. Painful but effective way to fish this stuff.

This is pretty standard around here. My preferred way to do it is via a 3/4 or larger Tungsten weight and a flipping bait like a Pit Boss. I've been adding punch hubs from ACT Lures in between at times to give it a jig skirt. I've also started using North Star "South Paw" jigs this year in 1/2 or 3/4 oz depending on depth at the suggestion of some local guys who've had a lot of luck with them. They work well for this, though I can still get the punch style rig to come through more cleanly. The biggest thing I've learned is not to make long casts. Usually you want to find the outside edge, and make short flips into the grass. You want the bait crashing straight down into it, and that's when the bites will come. Lift it up and drop it down a time or two, then reel it in and flip again. It also works in the middle of grass fields, though that's a little more tedious. I usually won't spend the time unless I can find areas were different types of grass mix together. That's usually where you'll find the fish. This is an incredibly effective way to find fish concentrations in grass.

[SteveD]

bomber model a's

Yep. The 7A Bomber is great for this.

[krindgen]

And here on our lakes they let private contractors spray the piss out of grass

These lakes also have milfoil/hydrilla. So when they kill off the spring whatever weed it is, there is always grass. Not super easy, but easier to fish hydrilla that doesn't grow EVERYWHERE.

[Buck456]

Around grass it always best to down size your hooks or throw a crank that comes with smaller hooks.

[M1RT]

The Dredger does it better than the Digger and I THINK for this reason - the bill is wider and has the metal disk to assist in a deeper diving curve. The wider bill helps deflect or push the grass away from the main body where the trebles are. The metal disk pushes the nose down when running/diving, again, this makes the bill hit the grass stalks before the trebles. Just some food for thought. I've got a real soft spot in my heart for the DT's and my remaining Risto Raps, but they're incredibly fragile. The Dredger has produced many fish for me and is much more durable when slapping grass off the bait. Whether they'll overtake the DT's and Ristos is up in the air.

[DrewFlu33]

The Dredger does it better than the Digger and I THINK for this reason - the bill is wider and has the metal disk to assist in a deeper diving curve. The wider bill helps deflect or push the grass away from the main body where the trebles are. The metal disk pushes the nose down when running/diving, again, this makes the bill hit the grass stalks before the trebles. Just some food for thought. I've got a real soft spot in my heart for the DT's and my remaining Risto Raps, but they're incredibly fragile. The Dredger has produced many fish for me and is much more durable when slapping grass off the bait. Whether they'll overtake the DT's and Ristos is up in the air.

Awesome explanation and information. Thank you!

And good advice and discussion all around. This is easily the best board on BBC!

[hawg whacker]

.
In my prior life, when it came time to throw a mid-depth crankbait, I was throwing a Wiggle Wart. Didn't take me long to learn that you're not going to throw one for very long if you're around grass!

Do you realize how many 10's of 1000's of dollars have been won in MN by ripping Warts thru the milfoil? Your earlier life must not go quite far enough back...lol

The right set up, and equiptment makes childs play of it.

[hawg whacker]

the king of grass cranks was/is the Risto Rap. Unfortunately the Risto Rap has been out of production for quite some time.

I have dozens of them sitting around. PM me if you need some. But be advised, I'm not giving them away.

[DrewFlu33]

Do you realize how many 10's of 1000's of dollars have been won in MN by ripping Warts thru the milfoil? Your earlier life must not go quite far enough back...lol

The right set up, and equiptment makes childs play of it.

This right here is I bet is the missing component for me. I'm definitely not even what I'd consider decent at it at this point, and I don't think I'm using the right rod to really rip it free like I should. Or is it just something I need to put in the time with and get a feel for (again assuming I get a setup that works for it)? Guessing the answer is "both" with a lot of the latter!

What's your setup of choice, if you don't mind sharing?

For the record, the earlier life was scrounging for 5 keeper bites on a bunch of lakes that are like smaller versions of the Ozark lakes with either a lot smaller fish concentrations or a lot more pressure concentration. I'm not sure I'd ever weighed more than 2 10 lb bags in my life until moving here (and of course 10 lbs is a major disappointment most times around here!) No weeds to speak of, aside from some stuff that mats in shallower water on some of the rivers. I'd still tell anyone who will listen that I suck at fishing weeds, though I sure try like hell not to.

[hawg whacker]

Around 2000, a father and son team (I'm not going to mention any names), probably took home over 50 grand on 'Tonka, ripping foil. Lots of us found out what they were doing, and tried to do the same. It's an art, and takes alot of patience. You have to get them to go first, then the fun starts.

I use a 7' worm/jig rod, and 14# dual copolymer line. 5:1 reel, or no faster than 6.3:1.

[DrewFlu33]

Yep, definitely sounds like the rod I’ve been using isn’t doing me any favors. And I believe I can read between the lines on the rest. Good info there, thanks!