Tournament News Powered By Lake Drive Marine
Friday, October 10, 2025
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By Louie Stout
Kevin VanDam & Nick
A lot is written about when is the best time to throw specific types of crankbaits. It’s easy to be confused, so we went to the man who has won a ton of money on crankbaits and arguably the best source for clarification.
Kevin VanDam.
Basically, there are three types of crankbaits. Flat-sides, square bills and the traditional round bills, the latter of which most anglers are familiar.
We asked VanDam about his favorites for early season fishing.
“Flat-side crankbaits are really good in cold water and when you’re fishing around rocks or a hard, clean bottom,” he said last week. “When fishing around Michiana old milfoil or coontail vegetation, I like the square bill because it’s so much more efficient at coming through grass.”
Strike King, VanDam’s lure sponsor, offers flat- sided crankbaits in the Chick Magnet, which runs about 5 feet deep; the Chick Magnet Jr. that runs 4 feet; and the KVD 1.5 Flat, which has a deeper bill and runs about 8 feet or more on 10-pound line.
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St. Croix Report
Multiple catches of double-digit bass don’t happen by accident. Putting in the hours casting where giants live is the first step, but having the right equipment also helps. Just ask 41-year-old Alex Niapas of Boulder Creek, California.
Niapas has fished the lakes and impoundments of North-Central California’s Delta Region and Sierra Nevada foothills for nearly 30 years.
A St. Croix pro-staffer and tournament angler, the techniques, presentations, and gear Niapas employs are purposefully deployed to target the biggest bass that swim – spotted bass that can exceed ten pounds, and largemouth that have been known to grow over 20 by foraging on the abundant trout that thrive in California’s clear, deep lakes and reservoirs. His lures of choice are huge, trout-imitating swimbaits whenever forage and bass are shallow, and large, heavy jig combinations when fish are driven deep.
Earlier this month on December 3, when Niapas caught and released a 14-pound-eight-ounce largemouth from one of his favorite lakes, the fish were shallow.
“I made a last-minute decision to drive up to New Melones Lake where I’ve had pretty good success before,” says Niapas, showing his humility. The truth is, the soft-spoken angler who carries a big stick has caught numerous double-digit bass at New Melones over the years, including a 15-12 during a tournament in February of 2015 and a 17-14 in March of 2013. And he’s caught many more on other California lakes as well.
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Seaguar Report
Bass jumping
Part of what makes crankbaits such an effective tool in bass fishing is their ability to match a variety of forage. These baits come in many different sizes, diving depths, styles, actions, and a rainbow of color options.
While some months may be a little confusing, some guesswork is eliminated during the coldest months of the year as Bassmaster Elite Series pros Keith Combs and Brandon Palaniuk each reach for one type this time of year: flat-sided crankbaits.
Combs' Cold Water Cranking Approach
Keith Combs Casting
Texas pro-Keith Combs' affinity for crankbaits is well documented. He's scored major tournament wins with them and while most of the time it's with jumbo deep-diving baits, he knows there's a time and place for other baits.
"For me, a flat-sided crankbait is a cold water deal," he said. "That time will vary based on where you live. Here in East Texas, it's when the water is around 50 degrees, and somewhere further north, like Tennessee, for example, the window might be when the water is around the 40-degree mark."
While some might assume that cold means it's time to head to deeper water, Combs says that's not always the case. "You can still focus on shallow water, but you want to be close to deeper water."
That opens up various areas, according to Combs and much of it will depend on where he's fishing.