Daiwa News: Crank-Baiting On The Cheap Aird X

Written by Andrew Badullovich. Crank-baiting is a form of lure fishing that is quite effective for an array of fish species; however, Bream and crank baiting go hand-in-hand. Whist high-end tackle can certainly aid success, it’s not necessary to spend mega bucks to tap into some crank-baiting success.

Most crank-bait lures are round in profile, and are designed to be retrieved slowly at a constant pace. The lures range in sizes and swimming depths; however, the most common size is between 30mm & 40mm in length and are generally categorised into deep and shallow models. The deep models will typically dive to roughly 1.8m in depth, whilst the shallow runners hover around 0.8m. Try to select a lure depth relative to the water depth you are fishing.

One crank-bait that has scored great results for me is the Presso Rolling Crank from Daiwa. These lures are affordable and effective. They cast like a bullet, and boast wickedly sharp hooks! They come in all the great fish catching colours, and have a great action when cranked fast or slow.

One rod and reel combo I’ve been using lately is well within everybody’s budget, and it’s the AIRD X 702 ULFS spin rod, married to the AIRD X 2000 spin reel. I have spooled this reel with 3lb straight-through fluorocarbon line, which I believe is the best option when crank-baiting. This combo is light, and is perfect for targeting bream in the shallows. I really like the aesthetics of this combo, and the reel seat is quite comfortable in hand. The rod bends nicely when loaded, but is still pokey enough to achieve a good cast distance. The reel is pretty smooth with a nice drag system; and I am particularly fond of the EVA reel handle knob, which is perfect for crank-baiting. The reel is well balanced, and would you believe that Daiwa has crammed 10 ball bearings into this little gem! My first bream caught with this combo was a stonking 1.5kg yellowfin bream…not a bad way to blood it in!

You need not spend a lot of money to experience great fishing…trust me on this! I have actually enjoyed using my AIRD X combo over some of my more prestigious combos, and knowing that I can catch premium fish at a budget rate really appeals to me.

HOT TIP: Where possible, crank your lure back with the tidal flow, not against it. This will present your offering in a more natural manner, which makes it more appealing to your target. If the fish are not responding to a shallow running crank-bait, try using a deep diving model…even in shallow water! The lure will hit the bottom and dart from side to side whilst cranked, which can turn fish on to bite.