How to Tune a Crankbait
Its so frustrating to reach in to your box, choose a crankbait, make that perfect cast, and find out the bait won't run straight. In some cases the bait may even spiral back toward the surface. Luckily, there is a really simple solution to this problem!
All you need is a pair of needle nose pliers. For us boaters, Tackle Warehouse offers quite a few pairs of stainless steel and aluminum pliers to avoid rust. If your bait is tracking to the right, slightly bend the metal anchor in the bill to the left. If its tracking left, gently bend right. Keep in mind that its very easy to over-bend and create an even more significant pull in the other direction, so make very small adjustments at first.
Lastly, don't forget that you can intentionally cause the bait to run sideways. Let's say you're fishing a rip rap bank that extends for a few hundred yards. Instead of having a bait that tracks parallel to the wall, a simple adjustment can make the bait track toward the rocks, causing the bait to deflect and draw more fish as it bounces along the wall.
We hope these tips helps! Stay tuned for next week and until then, good luck out there!