I know I talk a lot about fishing crankbaits, but I throw them more than anything else in the world. My favorite being Strike King's XD series, which has opened up a huge world for me, one that was very unfamiliar not too long ago.

Like anything, practice is what I needed. Having a ton of success on them gave me the confidence to continue to fish with them. When the light kicked on, it stayed on, and I was able to expand my knowledge and success with them throughout the years by not only changing up lures, but by also changing the area of the lake I was fishing and the color of the lures I used.

Last year, some very subtle color changes made a huge difference in the quality and number of fish I caught. Simple changes from Blue Gizzard to Tennessee Shad made a huge difference as I followed the fish from their post spawn areas to their summer homes. A simple change from the pearl finish on the Blue to the White sides of the Tennessee is a subtle difference, but it enticed them to bite. 

As summer went into full swing and the water heated up, I headed up a particular river which was spring fed and where the water stayed around 73 degrees. A 3XD in a Blue Gizzard Shad did the trick, however the water color got a little off, so I switched to a Summer Sexy Shad when the Blue did nothing. Drastic color changes weren't needed, simple adjustments made the difference. So keep this in mind on your next outing a slight change could make your day.

Now a new tool I will be using this year to make my crankbait fishing even better is a small wireless underwater fishing camera made by GoFish Cam, this camera will literally change the way you fish. This powerful little fishing camera attaches directly to your line giving you full view of not only your bait but the fish that bites it as well.

What better way to showcase sponsored lures, up close and personal with every bite you get or better yet don’t get. This is what I’m most excited about being able to see how the fish react or don’t react to your bait or presentation, this will help tremendously in making lure selections.

There is a ton of information that can be learned as you watch a fish react to your bait, you can also see how your bait actually moves in the water as it bounces off cover.  You will see at what moment that fish decided to strike, what made him react and bite and better knowledge of how to retrieve it on your next cast. As a tournament angler or a weekend fisherman this will save you a ton of time and get you catching fish faster.

Get yourself a GoFish Cam today. 

Contemplating fishing for the first time? Check out our blog on Fishing Tips for First Time Anglers!