It is no secret that crankbaits are among the best lures a bass angler can throw during the winter months on lakes across the Midwest. Not only do they help the angler cover an abundance of water quickly, but they also enable him to do it effectively by penetrating the suspended depths at which many of the fish will be holding.

Where many anglers get confused, however, is when it comes to selecting the proper crankbait to match the situation at hand. To put it bluntly, not just any old crankbait will produce right now on the cold, clear impoundments scattered around the region.

Certain types of crankbaits produce better than others at various times of the year. Mudbugs, Big Os, Big Ns and other lures that yield a big, wide wobble can be deadly medicine during the warm weather months of summer and fall. But when water temperatures are cold, say in the upper 30s and low 40s, smaller baits with a tighter wiggle will typically out-produce, the former by a substantial margin.

The reason?

Because of the cold water, forage species will be in a sluggish mood and likewise won’t be putting off much vibration as they move about. To adapt to this situation, anglers should select a lure that best represents the forage in both action and appearance.

Among some of my favorite cold water crankbaits are the Norman Deep Little N, Deep Baby N and the Little N. The Bill Lewis Rat-L-Trap, Rapala Shad Rap, Spoonbill Rebel, Wally Diver and the Storm Wiggle Wart also produce the distinct tight wobble you need to get out of a crankbait this time of year.

Naturally, a key factor you’ll have to consider when selecting a crankbait to throw is the depth of water at which you suspect the fish might be holding. For instance, when the fish are relating to steep, verticle banks and are suspended at 15 feet over cedar tops in 30 feet of water, you’ll probably be much better off throwing a billed crankbait like the Deep Baby N as opposed to a lipless model like the Rat-L-Trap.

By no means is this to say the Rat-L-Trap won’t catch bass at these depths. It will. But it is much more effective when the bass are relating to shallower depths. My favorite depth range for lipless cranks is 2-7 feet.

Line size is another critical element that warrants some discussion, here. For instance, when I’m fishing a billed crankbait in cold water, I want to make long casts and make the lure dive to the maximum depth possible. Light line is a must if is is to be achieved.

The line size I fish most frequently on these lakes is 8-10 pound test Trilene XT. I’ll occasionally scale down as small as six-pound test, but only if I’m using spinning gear to toss a lightweight plug like the No. 7 Rapala Shad Rap. I also might scale up to 14-17 pound test from time to time, but only when fishing a lipless crank in the back of a cove, over a shallow flat or amid a stump field.

The speed and type of retrieve also can make a big difference in the number of fish you’ll catch on billed crankbaits in cold water. A fast retrieve will generally work better than a slow one, but there may be times when a stop-and-go retrieve will out-produce them both. The key here is to experiment.

You also might want to do a little experimenting with Storm SuspenDots. Strategically placed on a billed crankbait, these tiny stickers add weight and can make the lure achieve neutral buoyancy rather than floating to the surface when the retrieve is stopped. Often times, this type of action will trigger a strike when no other will.

When placing SuspenDots on a billed crankbait, center them on the bottom side of the bill, half on the bill and half on the body of the lure. This helps the bait maintain the proper balance without taking away from its fish-catching action.