Ott's 7 Flat-Sided Crankbait Tips for Prespawn Bass

Flat-sided crankbaits start to excel for bass as winter gives way to early spring -- basically, the onset of a warming trend that sets off the prespawn. For Ott DeFoe (wired2.fish/OttDeFoeKZbin), this seasonal transition means trading small balsa crankbaits like the Shad Rap for bigger flat sides.
DeFoe goes into great detail on when, where, and how to fish "flat sides." Specifically, he discusses how to work the bait based on water temps and make the most productive casts possible based on the bank angle. With a lure design resume and a few crankbaits in his name (think Rapala's OG Slim 6 and OG Tiny 4), there's something for all of us to gain. *Tackle and gear listing below.
Ott's 7 tips for maximizing success with flat-sided crankbaits:
1. Head shallow and cover water. The onset of the prespawn is marked by an upward trend in water temperatures, with bass repositioning by spreading out in shallower water. Flat-sides are the ideal tool for covering water and locating where and how bass are set up. Their flat body shape makes them more subtle, a plus in cool water, yet their profile is more prominent, a benefit when targeting quality prespawners.
2. Make bottom contact. Think of a flat-side crankbait as a moving, bottom contact bait. You're going to catch a lot more bass if the lure is in constant contact with the bottom, or in contact with cover such as brush or laydowns (read bullet 5).
3. Make semi-parallel casts to the bank. DeFoe maximizes covering a range of depths while maintaining bottom contact on a single cast by reading the bank angle and positioning his boat accordingly. For a typical 6- to 7-foot diving flat-side, this means making a long semi-parallel cast down a 45-degree bank, landing the bait in 2 feet of water, and reeling back to the boat positioned in 7- to 8 feet of water.
4. Adjust your retrieve speed based on water temperature. Experiment, but generally, reel slower in colder water and speed up as water temperature increases.
Vary your cadence. DeFoe retrieves the bait with a mix of pauses, pulls, and straight retrieves to trigger bass. It's almost like working a jerkbait in cold water, although, on the bottom. If you're fishing it around brush, worm it through with your rod tip up, feeling, and feathering about as you go.
5. Use a classic crankbait setup. A medium to medium-heavy power rod with a slower or moderate taper is optimal for hooking and keeping bass buttoned. DeFoe prefers a reel in the 6.8:1 range, as he can throttle his retrieve speed down or up with maximum control. Fluorocarbon ranging from 12-14 pound test, and even up to 17-pound test around heavy cover gets it done.
Seek warmer water. Prespawn bass are extremely water temperature sensitive. Keep an eye on your water temp readout and on the land. Tributary water sources such as "run-ins" in highland reservoirs are often a few degrees warmer, especially after a warm rain.
FEATURED TACKLE & OPTIONS
FLAT-SIDES
• Rapala OG Slim 6: wired2.fish/RapalaOG-Slim6
• Rapala OG Tiny 4: wired2.fish/RapalaOG-Tiny
• HOOK (stock on OG Cranks) - VMC Black Nickel 1X Strong Hybrid Treble Hooks: wired2.fish/VMC-HybridShort1X...
• ROD - Bass Pro Shops Crankin' Stick: wired2.fish/BPSCrankinStickCa...
• REEL - Bass Pro Shops Johnny Morris Platinum Signature Casting Reel, 6.8:1: wired2.fish/BPSPlatinumCastin...
• LINE - Bass Pro Shops XPS KVD Signature Series 100% Fluorocarbon: wired2.fish/BPS-XPS-Fluoro
• SUNGLASSES - Costa Del Mar Brine: wired2.fish/Costa-Brine
FISH FINDERS & BOAT CONTROL
• FISH FINDER - Humminbird HELIX 12 CHIRP MEGA SI+ GPS G4N: wired2.fish/HELIX12-SI-G4N-RMP
• MAPPING - LakeMaster Southeast States PLUS V3: wired2.fish/LakeMasterPlus
• 360 SONAR - Humminbird MEGA 360 Imaging: wired2.fish/MEGA360-RMP
• TROLLING MOTOR - Minn Kota Ultrex: wired2.fish/MinnKotaUltrex-RMP
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[@Bipecrazy69]

Caught fish on Tellico last weekend on the red craw. EXCELLENT bait. Great video

[@Madisonrvr]

Great job Ott, excellent video. Those OG slims are fishing machines, used them a bunch this season and they work great.

[@tinman6514]

Thanks, Ott. The OG and the Tiny OG have been really good to me, especially the Tiny ~

[@chetchelios3574]

Been smacking em on the tiny deep 7

[@ScruffyCityFishing]

Wow. This video was great. So much detail and explained where we understand.

[@Glock-1]

I love any bait that Ott makes just because you know for a fact when you get it that it’s perfect! I’m saving up to buy a bunch of Rocco’s now!

[@chrishousewright9346]

Love to see the east tenn lakes in the videos. They can be great or very tough

[@ralo4265]

Good stuff Ott! 👀 🎣 👊🏼💯🇺🇸 Thanks for the tips my friend!

[@timdavis3532]

Love the video. Keep up the good work. Good luck to you.

[@greghiday]

Thanks Ott great video. Slim getting it done.

[@brandon87ize]

Just picked up some of these OG slims! Let’s hope they catch ‘em!

[@craigstevens9734]

Man your instruction is definitely helped me Thanks appreciate

[@Wired2Fish]

We're glad to hear it Craig. Appreciate you tuning in.

[@patrickmahoney3479]

I enjoy how your videos are filled with useful content. Great tips!

[@Wired2Fish]

Thanks for the motivation Patrick. We're on point!

[@Harleywindtherapy]

Gosh it's so crazy to see you fishing such low water only a few hundred miles to the east of me and we are at just about normal pool and creek levels here in AR. Great tip about the last few feet and the lure coming up. Honestly I see this a lot in my spinnerbait fishing. I seem to get bit more at the first few feet of a cast or at the end after slow rolling it and then pulling it up at the end of the retrieve.

[@chasemccarter959]

This lake in the video is actually pretty full compared to what they drop it to in the winter. They drop it down 50ft. In the video it is about 23-25 foot low

[@Harleywindtherapy]

@@chasemccarter959 wow, that's even crazier.

[@LastKastFishing]

I have that EXACT same jacket from one of my previous employers, been looking to get another because it's so quality. Let me know if there's a link to the rapala one!! Also, keep being the GOAT of cranking and making awesome baits 🤘

[@alant3985]

I caught a bunch of bass on that crank bait, this November, December. Helsinki shad.

[@Wired2Fish]

Thanks for sharing Alan.

[@marshmellow303]

Inflow effecting temperature, makes perfect since.. Would have never thought of it.

[@Wired2Fish]

Yup temperature is rarely if ever uniform on a body of water. There are always warm/cold pockets to look for.

[@marshmellow303]

@@Wired2Fish thoughts on focusing the western or southern end of the lake for wind related temperature change?

[@deansshootingandfishingham8275]

Nice video 👍 🎣🐟🐟🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧

[@Wired2Fish]

Thanks for coming

[@187bootleg]

Ott are you saying me using 10lb test might be a little crazy? I fish a lot of heavy pressure more open areas.

[@chetchelios3574]

Defoe is better than wheeler . He's a real fisherman

[@treymorey]

Lol

[@xaiyang8668]

I preferred the coffin bill like the original one had

[@EasyModeFishing]

Early March? So this video is from a year ago or are you coming to us from the future?

[@Wired2Fish]

We shoot 2 years out so yes, often times, the video was shot the year before. This allows us to publish it in a timely fashion so anglers to prepare and execute tactics. We’ve also filmed Ott flat-side banking in Feb so this is timely content now in a lot of places.

[@Jekbaron123]

Hadir bos ku

[@hometownguy7184]

Ott.if you read this...i would love a chance to fish with you bro.if not only for a hour!

[@Wired2Fish]

Oh, he’ll see it!

[@JeffLancaster1]

Is it already Early March? Lol

[@Wired2Fish]

Not yet but a lot of folks like a little time to prep, plus, this bite is already happening in places.

[@JeffLancaster1]

Yes, I’m ready for March here in Ky

[@makcatchem9614]

30 secs uploaded and 4 likes haha

[@troycote9447]

Ssssshhhhh?

[@lambertoutdoors]

I make bass fishing videos too and put out tips and fishing videos-check them out. Keep up the good work.

[@deborahotis4015]

6.8 to 1 is perfect 6.3 Is too slow. Can't crank fast enough without wearing myself out. Its a terrible standard unless you cranking heavy or super deep