Cranking Rivers for Spring Bass

Spring is a great time to fish for bass on rivers. As the weather warms, the Sun rises higher in the sky, and the water starts to heat up, bass become more active, move towards the bank and feed-up before they spawn. 

One of the most effective ways to target spring bass on rivers is by fishing cover near strucutre with crankbaits. 

Here are several tips to help you more bass this spring:

Focus on structure and cover: Bass will often hold near structure such as channel swing banks with cover like rocks, logs, or docks, so focus your cranking efforts in these areas. Crankbaits can be particularly effective since they can be used to bounce off the cover triggering reaction strikes from bass staging in it.

Select the right crankbait: Different styles of crankbaits work best in different depth conditions. For example, shallow-running crankbaits are ideal for cranking shallow water, while medium to deep-diving crankbaits work better for fishing deeper cover.

Match crankbait color to the water color: The color of your crankbait can make a big difference in how many bites you get. If the water is clear, go with natural colors like perch, shad or crawfish. In murky water, try brighter colors like red, chartreuse or orange.

Vary your retrieval speed: Experiment with different speeds of retrieval until you find the one that the bass are most responsive to during that outing. Sometimes, a fast, erratic retrieve will work, while other times a slow, steady retrieve will be more effective.

Pay attention to the current: Rivers are always moving, so it's important to cast your crankbait upstream and retrieve it downstream with the current. Retrieving the crankbait with the current makes your lure look natural triggering more strikes from bass holding around cover.

Take a few moments and watch the following video from the folks at W2F where bass pro Bob Downey provides an on the water demo of his approach for cranking river for spring bass...