I have to admit that I can't remember the last time I had to look for anything other than shallow-water crankbaits...ones capable of reaching only 5- or 6-foot depths.
That has all changed, though, since my tournament partner, Wayne, persuaded me to get a North Carolina freshwater fishing license and accompany him to the tournaments out of Bob's Fishing Hole on the Northwest River. Now I need crankbaits that will reach depths of 12 to 15 feet. There's more to it than just that, however.
As bass pro Greg Hackney outlined in an article for Bassmaster, "The first factor that affects running depth is line size. The thinner the line, the deeper the bait will run. As a practical matter, you should think about fluorocarbon line in the 10- or 12-pound-test size, which will handle most situations and give you a reasonable depth for most lures.
"The next thing you need to consider is your reel. The faster your lure is moving, the deeper it'll run. Gear ratios can be misleading," he continued. "A 7.3:1 reel only works at that ratio when the spool is full. After a long cast, or if your reel isn't full, it's cranking at a much lower ratio." (On this point, I found some differing views among the pros. Some say a slow-speed reel is the best choice for crankbaiting. One with about a 5:1 gear ratio is going to help you get your baits to their maximum depth and also give you superior feel, so you know exactly what's going on with your lure.)
Hackney contends that the size of the spool matters, too.
"A 300 size spool will pick up a lot more line than a 200 size or a 100 size," he said. "Not all manufacturers size their spools that way, but you can look at a reel and compare it to other models before you buy it. This isn't brain surgery...it's common sense.
"A third factor," said Hackney, "and one that many anglers misunderstand, is that for a bait to reach its maximum running depth, it must run true. Lots of times, a lure that's being brought back at a medium speed will look like it's running perfectly straight. But, if you increase the speed to superfast, you'll find it's running slightly to one side. That will affect depth, even when you can't see the difference on a normal retrieve.
"The final thing is the length of your cast. The longer the cast, the deeper the bait will run. Most professional anglers can cast farther than most recreational anglers. That's one reason our baits get deeper.
"If you think about these things, you'll realize that manufacturers aren't misleading you when they estimate running depth. It's just that most of us--including pros--don't put everything together just right. We can overcome those shortcomings by doing a number of things.
"The obvious is to pick a bait that'll run a little deeper than what we need to reach the bottom. If we're fishing water that's 10 feet deep, we can pick a crankbait that'll run 12 or 14 feet. That'll get us down to the bottom, even if we don't have all our ducks in a row.
"Another trick is to add a little weight to the lure by swapping out the hooks. Replace the factory ones with a bigger size and a shorter shank. That helps more than you'd think.
"Think about these things the next time you're trying to get a crankbait down to the bottom. They'll help you avoid frustration and help you catch more bass," Hackney concluded.
Like I said in the beginning, I find myself in a whole new ballgame. How it turns out is anyone's guess.
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