Bait manufacturers have a huge assortment of lures and baits that can be called Crank Baits. Crank Baits are generally shaped like a bait fish and have a lip that helps control the depth the bait will run. With multiple treble hooks along the body of the bait these lures have hooked almost as many anglers as fish. Be cautious in handling them.
Crank Bait manufacturers frequently have various sizes and colors of the same model. Each has been designed for a specific water depth. Usually the larger the lip the deeper these lures can run. Certain designs are intended to target specific species, but when fish are hungry they will strike at anything that looks like food.
But the depth your Crank Bait will actually run will depend on a number of factors. The size of the lip on the bait, the density of the bait, the size and type of line used and the leader, the speed of your retrieve and the angle in which you hold your rod will all affect both the action of the lure and the depth it runs. You can quickly learn how retrieve your lure so that it runs at a different depth for each cast. Regardless of the manufacturer claims, most of the running depth of a lure is under your control.
Color is very subjective, but the greatest criteria for color selection is based on the water you will be fishing and the weather conditions when you are fishing. The fish must be able to see your lure, so a black lure in turbid water on a dark overcast day is not a good choice.
While your local store may have a huge assortment of Crank Baits; regardless of where you are fishing or the species you are targeting you do not need an equally huge assortment with you in the boat. If you have more than ten, you probably have too many. What you do want are a combination of different sizes, colors, and shapes that allow you to vary your presentation. Unless you are testing new equipment, you should base your selection on those baits that when retrieved have the look and action of a bait fish and have performed well in the past.
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