Give It a Snap to Free Hung Crankbaits

(Blake Russell photo)

Last year I was fishing a variety of crankbaits in a tournament. For one reason or another, I could not go long without getting my crankbait snagged. It didn't seem to matter where I was throwing it, I was hung up all day.

Thankfully, my co-angler taught me a nifty trick that saved a lot of time getting the crankbaits back to the boat. When you snag your crankbait, simply position your rod behind your head with the line somewhat tight (no slack) and a slight bend in the rod tip. Grab the line with your free hand, pull it toward you until it's tight, and release the line.

The snapping action of the line is usually enough to free the crankbait. The more buoyant the crankbait, the better this trick works. The snapping action will typically free the crankbait from the snag, and from there it will float up. Next time your crankbait's snagged, give this hack a try.