Technique Of The Month | February | Finesse Cranking

New series!!! This series is called Technique of the Month. Each month we will dive in depth into one of the Pick 4 baits and really dissect how to fish that technique. For February I felt we could cover a little more on the topic of finesse cranking. I do this a ton this time of year into March and maybe even early April. This is a great way to put fish in the boat including giants!
For any of the gear I use all season long you can get it here: www.basspro.co...

[@davidchaffin6980]

I tried your technique yesterday at Lake of the Ozarks, water temp at 42, and caught my first spotted bass of the year. Thanks!

[@gregduncan3636]

Thanks for all you do for the fans . that little #5 is a bad dude

[@tyhorton2196]

Used this technique in cold, off colored water with bright skies yesterday and caught my first two bass of the year! Never would’ve tried this without this video. Keep up the good work!

[@malcolmzoll7613]

A lot of great information Ott, Thank you again

[@johnthornley6168]

Great vid Ott. Good topic.

[@dysisjoel]

This is where I come to learn. Thank you for the well explained technique!

[@binkwood]

This is a fishing video with some REAL information! Thank you, looking forward to the next "Technique Of The Month".

[@pirate7646]

OTTS IS AND VANDAM ARE CLASS GUYS, I WATCH WHEN I CAN

[@johndollar5561]

Ott, I think this is money. To hear your ideas and information for comparison is what a lot of us weekenders need to help improve our fishing and to help build our confidence in our decision abilities. You have hit on something with the two going hand in hand!$$$

[@deborahotis4015]

Once again was fishing today. Got zero bites fir a while. Threw on my shad rap 7 and started blistering them. No deflection unless it hit a tree limb which normally keeps them when you're speed ceanking. Burn then stop. Over and over . they go crazy, sometimes. My best today was 3ish. Was shallow back short shallow pockets of lakes between small points. I would a been better off with the shallow rap. Saw every strike. LOVE IT.

[@Bassman74]

Thanks for all of your help in sharing tips, tricks, techniques and your knowledge and experience!

[@jblimkemann]

Awesome presentation, Ott!!! You've really got me back into crankbait fishing!!!

[@jameseason9949]

Informative on techniques and reminders about the strike zone, Thanks for taking the time to share it with us!

[@jasonking5560]

Great teacher! Easy to follow and full of good info. Thanks Ott

[@treylawrence8152]

So many advanced-level nuggets contained in this video! Looking forward to more of these!

[@joenoel3871]

Thank you for sharing your knowledge! I love how you are not afraid to praise God in all you do as well. See you in heaven my brother and sister

[@blackbuck4real]

I like what yer doin Ott!!

[@timothymason8779]

Your videos are certainly awesome

[@toddlester8063]

Great series idea - looking forward to all of these!

[@danieljoslin2893]

Thanks Ott, the boat angle tip makes so much sense, and I have never thought about it!

[@georgeadcock2347]

Thanks for the great video

[@joelhenderson263]

Exhalant job Ott !! Excited to see more of this series Thanks for taking the time to share.

[@goshbob]

Thanks for the detailed explanation of finesse cranking! Going to try it on Lanier this weekend!

[@justonemorecast]

#5 shad rap in the craw pattern was always my go to for smallmouth. I remember when I was a kid and caught 2 at a time with that lure.

[@MrJohnB-qs6dp]

Thanks for this series Ott!!!!👊🏻 I have those shad raps in a box but didn't really know how or what rod to use. Thanks for the help, learned a lot from this video looking forward to seeing the future ones!!!! Stay Safe & God Bless!!!!

[@paulbridgewater8582]

Your baits have done me great in the south Alabama and Mississippi the OG is my fav citrus shad is awesome

[@doyleshaw3063]

good video Ott, ty

[@micheledaugherty275]

Great info Ott. I have used that little #5 Shad Rap ( original orange craw pattern ) from Texas to Canada with great success. I like a 7’ med. action spin rod with old school McCoy Green Copoly line in 8 or 10 Lb. Test. Rob

[@OttDeFoeFishing]

That works!

[@mff904]

Thanks again for another good teaching video most wont give the time you do to do this thanks again and be safe out there

[@sethlawson9290]

Good lesson Ott! Get a lot of knowledge from your videos, I love finesse fishing! God bless!!!

[@user-cl3le1il4g]

Great advice from a great fisherman

[@coreychurchill8889]

Thank you for teaching different techniques like this.

[@eddieboswell6068]

I used to do this technique but I have gotten away from it, I will go back to now that you reminded me of how effective this method is. Good luck on the tournament trail this year!

[@garyhegwer6895]

Thanks a ton Ott! Good luck this season!

[@greghiday]

Thanks Ott for the great video and tips. Going to try to do more finesse crankin. Good luck tomorrow and Monday, hope to see you get to the finals. I will be watching fishing church Sunday.

[@watchman316ly]

I love your pro tips brother. It's very methodical and thorough.

[@JimbobZ17]

Thanks for sharing your knowledge. Good luck this year. Look forward to JOJ Sunday evening’s.

[@clarynick]

Very informative sir!!! You may not believe it but shad rap is on fire right now at caddo lake!!! Huge bass being caught on it! Hopefully my new spinning setup I got at home will get it done. Thanks for your pro knowledge!!

[@af4od02]

Good information. I have always enjoyed fishing the #5 shad rap.

[@CharlieSaucedo1420]

Awesome video

[@craigmichael974]

Tremendous video Ott! I love the detail of your videos.

[@DFox-ud3gx]

Very good school nite class thanks Ott.

[@TN-Vols-Fan]

Absolutely a great, informative video ! Thank you Ott.

[@adrianstoltzfus7941]

Always enjoy your videos! Thanks for the great information

[@rickyreynolds9056]

Love it! Keep it coming Ott ! 💪🏻

[@shannonjones245]

Caught some nice ones last week during a local tournament on Cherokee using this finesse style with the SR-5

[@mattchasingsmoke2536]

Thanks for the info Ott. Can’t wait for more in this series!

[@robertchadwick1552]

Thank you for sharing those tips. I look forward to trying this.

[@woefman9467]

Come here to learn from one if the greats, thanks Ott

[@GUYB1872]

Great video, I’m looking forward to the March video!

[@jonperkins7433]

Thanks for making this easy to understand!

[@dennisdiekman5233]

Love the video I live in Iowa fish a river that has small mouth and large mouth bass go to have to try that

[@glenedwards3038]

As always thank you Ott

[@earniederboven5100]

great info on these baits and how to use them...thanks

[@timtweet8149]

Awesome breakdown on technique. Can't wait to get out there are try it.

[@gregfriend2486]

Thanks for all you do and for the information you share! Good luck in 2022..... I'll be following the MLF as well as the KZbin posts!!

[@dirtlegchaser2424]

thank you sir. lots of good information in a short time.

[@toddwinegar7365]

very good content. Fishing in Kingsport on the Holston has been pretty decent so far this winter. But the water recently has became much dirtier than normal. They have been running a lot of water this month. Good luck this year!

[@petecook1611]

Awesome video ott!

[@TurdFerguson1000]

Some gold in this video. Thanks

[@bradbridges909]

The crawfish shap rap has always been a great bait on the Coosa River in Alabama during the cold months.

[@tommywalker741]

Thanks Ott my first ever crank bait was a shad rap, here in East Tennessee were i live it works awesome, i appreciate your videos God bless. 🙏

[@JohnnyGioeliOfficial]

Ott on the spot. Nice work bro. Keep em coming... I know they're a PIA to make....but...we need em.

[@ElliottGFishing]

Can't wait to see you fish the Classic again on Loudon! There should be some pretty decent bags, plus both greens and browns will see the scales.

[@johnlittle1884]

Good luck this weekend get em

[@bassinwithpassion3667]

Just earned another sub. Banger video Ott. Thank you!

[@jeffreydeel4384]

Great I love it

[@basslife_209]

Wow what a great technique, well explained and I cant wait to use it.

[@johnsidebottom1885]

This is great information, thank you for doing this. God Bless.

[@mikeantes9597]

Thank you Ott great idea very informative thank you so much. God Bless

[@topraider5284]

Great information 👍👍

[@garyvolpe1770]

Thank you very well explained

[@elkoredneck05]

Awesome video. Very informative! Good luck at stage 1!

[@wiiliamposey5732]

Thanks Ott ! Been wanting use this technique . Bet your using it now! Today feb.5 22 cold in Monroe,La

[@brunoibbf]

ciao Ott un caro saluto a tutti voi da Roma ! Bruno

[@toddoneal4439]

Awesome breakdown!

[@shannonsullivan2638]

Good points, thanks

[@kenthayer6255]

Good info. Thanks for sharing

[@dannyhocutt8490]

Thank you for your help

[@dannyharpsmokingredbbq]

Man that is a great class I will follow you. I live on Lanier thanks for the info.

[@robertcook8187]

Very good video thanks for your information

[@zoommaster7253]

I love tossin that #5 and had hard time finding correct rod. Looks like I’m heading to bass pro. Thanks mike from ct

[@JoseMartinez-dq4km]

Great tip can’t wait to try tiny

[@rickvititoe3814]

Well done, tips I can practice Thanks

[@toddmiller8854]

Thanks awesome video great tips

[@troycrippen2629]

Great video! I've got the perfect ML spinning combo all set up and several #5 shad raps. Didn't think they'd be that shallow, next time out if there's any color to the water I'm gonna do that

[@dirtlegchaser2424]

AND IF THERES NOT!?!!?

[@douglasspickler4925]

Great information Ott thanks for sharing. This time of year I like the shad rap on Buggs Island. I like the XPS fluorocarbon and have used it for years. I have always wondered who makes it for BPS.

[@chrisfoley3320]

You left out Virginia man, the shad rap rules here in early prespawn. I would like to have all the money that's been won on a shad rap. Great show man.

[@jayzilla484]

Good video. First I’ve watched on your channel. I subscribed cause I use finesse crank bait and have the BPS JOHNNY MORRIS PLATINUM SPINNING REEL AND ROD.

[@greenpighunter6930]

Excellent

[@mikewalt8642]

you change your hooks out on those baits if so whats the recommendation thanks bro good stuff

[@raynaldosoliz6755]

Great stuff, keep it up

[@jamesashley3827]

Thanks

[@alfredgunter9614]

Good video…Thanks

[@academicmailbox7798]

What you have discovered. Is how to bring what is another one of those staple cold water bass angling methods (namely, Carolina rig fishing). Into parts of lakes. Where it is shallow. With steeper level drop off's. Where if you were. To throw a Carolina rig system. Not having the right amount of depth. Or a level playing field to work with (the gradual sloping contours that C-rig's often are used on). It would otherwise be painful. To try and make a Carolina rig approach work. Which has advantages of provoking sedate, cold water fish stocks. Into biting something like a creature bait. In those cold temperatures. Some could also argue that in Carolina rig fishing. It's not even the first cast. Or second, third or fourth. That gets a bite. It's occasionally the fact that three or four casts. Have gone before. The fifth cast the fish might take. Making that Carolina rig a decent search method. For those cold, slow bite conditions. Where one has flat humps occupied by fish available, or other suitable contours (to be able to justify spending time with Carolina rigs). When not much else is working. This finesse crankbait technique clearly has some advantages. Of creature baits suspended off leaders, behind bullet weights. Knocking on the bottom. The adapted crank bait system can achieve something similar. In areas unconducive (or very unconducive), to the Carolina rig angler. Thus opening up waters. That no one else fishes or bothers with. In these conditions.

[@academicmailbox7798]

Tackle Talk Live podcast interviewed Michael Neal (winner of recent Rayburn lake MLF event in January 2022). And Michael described a similar problem. Of fishing in water that was quite a bit deeper than this. Where bass happened to have organized themselves. Along long, linear drain features. That were present at the bottom of the lake there. And how as conditions changed. After a strong wind condition (where one whole day of competition had been cancelled). That fish moved from the bottom of these linear depression features. On the lake bed. To the sides and top of these linear channels. Michael in his description explained too. How he had to work along the pathways. And control his motor in such a way. As the baits and lures he was fishing. Would cover various parts of the channel bottom (the sides, lowest depth and immediately outside the drain features too). As he followed his linear route of these drains. They eventually came into shallow water (and that's when he started to change to jerk bait lures for four to five feet working). In other cases, he had to weight his baits. To go down to eighteen. And he had rigged. A third jerk bait. To fish somewhere in between those two. What the application of this pattern did however. Was to eliminate water on a very large lake (with 'two' days of practice only). And enable him to concentrate. On certain features. That he proceeded to break down. Something like as described.

[@academicmailbox7798]

And Roland Martin in his recent weekly assessment. Of Florida fishing conditions from his work as a guide. Analyzed something very similar (where the recent cold conditions had moved over the waters there). Many of them quite shallow water lakes. And Roland had developed a good understanding. Of how the fish related to canal type features there. Present from the irrigation systems that were used. Prior to when the farmland. Had been turned over into reservoir land use. Roland did explain though, that in his State. How the cold front conditions would mean. That often the numerous gravel pit depressions. That were present in that landscape. Where features around which. The largest bass would relate to. At this time of year too. In the most extreme situation. Where water temperatures dropped. To uncharacteristic levels. For this time of year. The point being. That these realities. Present challenges to the angler. In terms of trying to find methods. Suitable enough. To do what the angler wants to do (and a lot of very different looking techniques, do the same things). Despite going about it. In different ways. Roland explained that his live bait and circle hooks. Were really the only things that had worked. In that weather condition. One presumes that small life baits produce an action in the water (without moving very fast, or far in direction). That attracts fish. Who are lying around bottom contour features.

[@coryh9907]

My first 5+ came on a #5 shad rap in that exact color

[@patrickmahoney3479]

What is the leader line length you use when fishing these with flouro to braid? Excellent video, full of useful tips.

[@OttDeFoeFishing]

I’ll start with 6’ or so.

[@mikebailey2119]

Ott, thanks for the new technique video. I'm learning a lot of good information from you that is helping me catch more fish. Do you ever use the fat rap? Did the shad rap replace the fat rap? I have caught a lot of bass on the original fat rap.

[@ottoschleicher5597]

Great video Ott how long of a leader do you use when you throw braid? Thanks

[@s.allison7406]

Best teaching video that you have made great info. Can you tell me do you change out the hooks on the small crank baits and if so what type do you use? Thanks