Cranka Crab Techniques with Tom McIntosh | Fishing Article

Tom McIntosh
Sep 23, 2016
4 min read

So here we are in winter and we have experienced the first of many east coast lows, giving all the southern states a burst of cold air and rain that has begun to flush the river systems sending huge amounts of freshwater into our estuaries. As an angler there is nothing like waking up at 3am in the morning pouring litres and litres of water onto your windscreen, to melt the solid pane of ice left from the freezing night before, to drive hours to your favourite waterway. As a bream fishermen we know winter means one thing, schooled up bream in deep water. A few different approaches can be adapted to find these fish, however the main technique most anglers employ is optimising there side and down imaging on their depth sounders to find key areas in which fish are sitting, then marking way points and drifting over the schooled fish casting lures, trying to entice bites.

Lately I've become quite the Cranka Crab fan due to their class leading realism and versatility in the water. Although this article is based around fishing these crabs in deep water the tips and techniques provided can be manipulated and refined for a multitude of different applications such as; Flats, Reefs, Rocky headlands , Rock walls, Jetties , Piers , Racks , Timber , or any other places you can physically throw a lure. The Cranka Crabs tournament success speaks for itself with wins in BETS, ABT , Gamma, Southern Bream, Vic Bream Classics, Tas Bream Classics, OLD classics as well as many others in the past 12 months alone its clear to see why this lure has developed such a great reputation.

I believe the Cranka crab owes its success to its hybrid design of soft and hard plastic. But what i love most about the Cranka Crab is the floating foam claws with the integrated treble hooks, this gives the crab defensive position in the water. As with almost every lure on the market there is an array of different techniques and retrieves you can use.

My first tip is to pick the correct weight, as the crab comes in two weights, a light (3.9 grams) and a heavy (5.9 grams). It is important that your lure is hitting the bottom but Wind , current and depth will ultimately affect your decision, personally i start fishing with the light model as if its getting to the bottom the lighter weight will allow the crab to drift more naturally and life like along the bottom.

My second tip is to do not be scared to fish with the heavy model, as it will help to cast further, give you greater control in fast current, and more importantly ensure your lure stays on the bottom.

Once the crab is on the bottom i find working it as slow as you can handle will increase your hit rate. I have adopted a different approach to fishing the crabs compared to a lot of others as i have never seen a crab swimming up off the bottom. I keep my rod tip low to the water and have my rod on a 45degree angle which will allow the rod to load up enough to set the hooks when i get a bite. Keeping a small amount of slack in my line and sharply popping the line till it comes tight 2-5 times will rattle the claws on the crabs and on, moving it back a few inches at a time is the most deadly retrieve i use. Slow lifts and slow rolls can also be effective on any given day.

When fishing the crab there are two distinct different bite types you will generally experience, the rod being ripped out of your hands, which is the bream trying to crack the shell of the body of the crab an is why you will see Cranka Crabs with teeth marks in the top of the hard shell, or secondly a little " tap tap" similar to a bait bite which is the bream trying to disarm the crab by removing the claws to score a free meal.

My third final, and most important tip is when you get a hit do not rush to strike as this will pull the crab out of the breams mouth and lose your fish. Instead, winding on the fish with your reel to load up the rod will apply just enough pressure to jam the treble hook barbs home and will ensure a secure a hook set every time. So this winter get a Cranka Crab down in the action, you will not regret it.

Thanks for reading

Tom McIntosh

Interested in trying the Cranka Crabs?

Cranka Crabs are for sale @ the We FLick Fishing online store. we have full stock at the current time in both light and heavy of the small Cranka Crab and we also have stock of the new 65mm upgrade crab! Click the images below to check them out! :)

Cranka Crab Light & Heavy