During the late winter and early pre-spawn, crankbait fishing is a proven way to catch quality limits of bass. This technique works all over the country and catches nearly every species of bass. Cold water temperatures and muddy water often mean tough fishing, however these are the ideal conditions for throwing a crankbait. While many anglers traditionally stick with shallow water crankbaits, I like to employ deep divers this time of year. One of my favorite deep diving crankbaits for pre-spawn fishing is the Yo-Zuri 3DR-X Crank DD 50F.
3DR-X CRANKBAIT BUILD
The Yo-Zuri 3DR-X Series DD Crankbait is 2 inches in length and dives to depths of around 10 feet. This bait weighs around 3/8 of an ounce and features an efficient bill that maximizes your time in the strike zone. Additionally, these bills are extremely durable allowing you to grind this bait on the bottom without compromising the lures integrity.
The 3DR-X Series DD Crankbait features an internal paint job with 3D prism finishes that reflect light without chipping or wearing down. This bait also employs raised gill rakers, molded mandibles and holographic eyes to add a level of realism to a classic style of lure. Finished with premium treble hooks and split rings, the Yo-Zuri 3DR-X Series DD Crankbait is the perfect option for catch big pre-spawn bass.
3DR-X CRANKBAIT APPLICATIONS
While this crankbait can undoubtably be used year round, there are a few scenarios where this lure truly shines. My favorite time of year to employ this bait is throughout the late winter and early spring. During this time water temperatures are typically in the mid to high 50’s, and the water clarity is often fairly dirty. This means that lures with lots of action and water displacement are typically the most productive. The 3DR-X Series DD Crankbait produces an erratic hunting action perfect for attracting bass in low visibility conditions.
One high percentage location to throw this bait is around channel swing banks leading into spawning bays. Just this week I went out with the 3DR-X DD Series Crankbait targeting bass on this type of structure. I started off the morning grinding this bait on the bottom in 3-5 feet of water. Fish were piled up shallow during the low light conditions and I was able to quickly catch a few quality sized bass. However, once the sun rose above the horizon these fish pulled off the bank. I made a few more shallow passes down this bank without getting bit.
At first, I was paralleling the bank making tight casts along the rocky shore. I then decided to position my boat further off the bank, making casts in 6-10 feet of water. This bait quickly dove to the strike zone allowing me to dig bottom on slightly deeper structure than I was previously fishing. This technique ended up producing my biggest bass of the day weighing in at 6 pounds 14 ounces. This taught me the importance of adjusting my presentation as well as utilizing a slightly deeper crankbait than what’s recommended for your preferred depth range.
3DR-X CRANKBAIT SETUP
Having the right setup is another important factor in finding success using the Yo-Zuri 3DR-X Series DD Crankbait. I prefer a parabolic rod and low gear ratio reel paired with 12-pound fluorocarbon line. My preferred line for this style of fishing is the Yo-Zuri T-7 Premium Fluorocarbon line. This line has the perfect amount of stretch and abrasion resistance for grinding this bait on hard cover without fear of breaking off.
For a rod, I prefer a 7-foot medium action with a parabolic tip. This style of rod allows for accurate casts and a nice bend to keep from pulling the treble hooks away from the fish. This is extremely important when making tight casts with a crankbait around shallow cover. One of my favorite rods for throwing the Yo-Zuri 3DR-X Series DD Crankbait is the 7-foot medium action Dobyns Champion XP Crankbait Casting Rod.
For a reel, I prefer one with a small spool and slower gear ratio. The smaller spool size allows for a lighter reel and less fatigue when throwing this bait for extended periods of time. The slower gear ratio allows you to work this bait without blowing it out due to a fast retrieve. One of my favorite reels for throwing the Yo-Zuri 3DR-X Series DD Crankbait is the Shimano Curado 70 MGL K Casting Reel in the 6:1 gear ratio.
The Yo-Zuri 3DR-X Series DD Crankbait is the perfect bait for targeting pre-spawn bass staging on shallow to mid-range cover. Burning this bait around rocky banks and wooded cover is a great way to generate ferocious reaction strikes when water temperatures are low. If you’re looking for a cold water crankbait that gives you an edge over your competition, I’d recommend checking out the Yo-Zuri 3DR-X Series DD Crankbait.
