Deflection

A bait swimming in a perfectly straight line looks like a healthy fish, and healthy fish are hard to catch. A bait that suddenly caroms off something looks injured and unpredictable, and a bass that has been following without committing usually eats on that stumble.

This is why experienced crankbait anglers pick their lure by how deep the cover is, not by how deep the water is. If the stumps are in four feet, you want a bait that runs five, so it is digging into them the whole way back.

It costs you baits. Contact with cover means hangups, and it is the reason a lure retriever is a sensible purchase for anyone who fishes cranks seriously.

When a bait does hang, slack line often frees it. A floating crankbait rises off the snag as soon as you stop pulling, and pointing the rod at it for a second is a better first move than heaving.