Along with summertime heat comes rising water temperatures. As the temperature rises, the bass move deeper and deeper. As the bass go on the move in search of cooler water, anglers must make the move also and break out the deep water tackle.

  Nothing gets a monster bass in the heat of the day like a deep diving crankbait. When throwing one of these arm drenching lures, you can pretty much bet the farm that the next tug on the line isn’t going to be a small one. Huge bass absolutely demolish these deep diving baits during the heat of the day. It’s probably one of the few baits that will bring out a big bite when the temperatures are soaring, and the bass’ metabolism is at its highest point of the year.

  Finding the right areas are a must for these depth searchers. Long points with cover, creek channels and drop offs are the preferred areas. Deep structure targets are the mission. Huge bait crashing bass are the results. The bills on the crankbaits determine just how deep one will get. The longer the bill on the bait, the deeper it will go. Longer bills also make for a bigger "wobble" in the bait, giving it more movement than one that runs shallow.

 A  7’ Dobyn’s Champion Series 705CB rod, combined with a high speed Pflueger President reel will help keep you from wearing yourself out during a full day’s cranking. Line size is probably the most important factor when it comes to throwing a crankbait. The bigger the line, the less depth you’ll get from your bait. A 30+ bait may not get but 20ft. deep if you’re fishing with a 20Lb line. I prefer 10-12 pound P-Line for all my deep water cranking. The lighter the line, the more chance you’ll have of getting the maximum depth from your crankbait. Retrieve speed also plays a part in getting depth from you bait. The slower the retrieve, the deeper the bait will get. Of course this isn’t always an option; it depends on how aggressive the fish are biting.

 When working these deep divers, keep it in contact with the bottom or cover. Speed usually isn’t a factor. Some prefer slow and easy, others prefer lightening fast speed cranking. Alternate between the two until you find the retrieve the bass want. Work the baits through standing timber, thick brush, stumps and fallen trees. When working a bait through cover, always give it a sudden stop once it comes into contact with an object. Stop the bait and let it float up around a foot or so, then start the retrieve again. Be a line watcher while the bait is ascending. Sometimes the bass will simply inhale the bait once it clears the object it struck; sometimes all you’ll see is a twitch in the line instead of a hard pull against your rod. Other times you better have a good grip on the rod handle because one will try and take it away from you with a crushing strike.

 Keep in mind that besides catching bass, crankbaits are the worlds worst on snagging anything in their path. From stumps and brush piles, to rock crevices and old fishing line, you’ll hang up with consistency. It’s a good idea to keep on hand a good supply of Easy Retrievers for those expected hang ups. Drop one down to the bait and give it a few pulls to save the bait. These deep divers aren’t cheap, but they sure will get a big bite once the dog days of summer are upon us.