by: Steven Paul & Randy Howell
Deep cranking is one of those bass fishing techniques that takes considerably more time to master than most anglers are willing to invest. Professional angler Randy Howell has spent years developing an approach that combines modern electronics with traditional boat positioning, careful observation, and the discipline to stay with a crankbait long enough to understand what is happening beneath the surface.
According to Howell, one of the biggest obstacles anglers face when learning to fish deep crankbaits is their unwillingness to commit enough time to the technique. Many fishermen want to become proficient at deep cranking, but they spend a few minutes throwing a crankbait, fail to get an immediate bite, and move on to another presentation before they have learned anything meaningful.
Howell compares the process to learning how to skip a jig underneath docks, explaining that an angler who genuinely wants to develop that skill needs to spend an extended period practicing it rather than occasionally attempting a few casts between other techniques. Deep cranking requires the same commitment because there are aspects of the presentation that can only be understood through repetition and experience on the water.
An experienced crankbait fisherman develops an understanding of how a particular lure casts, how quickly it reaches its maximum running depth, and how its action changes when it encounters different types of bottom composition. Over time, the angler learns to distinguish between a crankbait contacting rock, dragging across a shell bed, clipping submerged vegetation, or suddenly changing direction when a bass strikes.
Developing that level of familiarity takes hundreds of casts under different conditions, and the knowledge becomes particularly valuable when fishing offshore structure where the angler cannot always see exactly what the lure is contacting.
However, Howell also emphasizes that anglers need to be intelligent about when they dedicate time to practicing their deep cranking skills. Spending an entire day grinding a crankbait through water that does not contain appropriately positioned fish can accomplish very little beyond destroying confidence in the technique.
The better approach is to practice when seasonal conditions, water temperatures, and bass positioning create a legitimate opportunity for deep crankbaits to produce. By selecting the right circumstances, anglers can concentrate on learning the presentation while still giving themselves a reasonable opportunity to catch fish and recognize which adjustments are making a difference.
Finding Fish Before Making the First Cast
One of the most important elements of Howell's deep cranking system begins long before he picks up a rod, and it involves using his electronics to develop a detailed understanding of the structure he intends to fish.
Rather than stopping immediately whenever he sees fish on his graph, Howell spends a substantial amount of time idling across offshore areas, identifying productive sections of ledges, points, and other structural features. As he moves through an area, he places waypoints on his electronics to document individual groups of fish, changes in bottom composition, and the specific locations that deserve additional attention.
This process often produces a series of waypoints that outline a productive stretch of structure, allowing Howell to identify how fish are distributed across an area rather than concentrating exclusively on the first school he encounters.
The advantage of this approach becomes apparent when it is time to begin fishing because he already understands where he wants to position the boat and which sections of structure need to be covered. Instead of constantly interrupting his fishing to search for the next target, Howell can return to the beginning of the area, deploy his trolling motor, and systematically work from one waypoint to the next.
Boat positioning becomes particularly important when fishing a deep-diving crankbait because the distance of the cast, the angle of the retrieve, and the relationship between the lure and the structure determine how effectively the bait reaches the fish.
A crankbait that passes directly through a school of bass while maintaining occasional contact with the bottom presents a very different opportunity than the same lure traveling several feet above the fish or approaching the structure from an unproductive angle.
By establishing his waypoints before fishing, Howell can concentrate on making deliberate casts that keep the lure in productive water instead of spending the day covering offshore structure without a clear understanding of where the fish are located.
Why Randy Howell Still Uses Buoy Markers
Despite having access to some of the most sophisticated electronics available to professional bass anglers, Howell continues to rely on a piece of equipment that many younger fishermen probably associate with an earlier generation of tournament fishing.
He still carries traditional buoy markers in his boat, and they remain an important part of his deep cranking system when he locates a productive group of fish.
The reasoning comes down to one of the most overlooked aspects of successful offshore fishing, which is the ability to duplicate the exact presentation that produced the first bite.
When Howell catches a bass on a deep crankbait, he recognizes that the fish may be part of a larger school positioned along a very specific section of structure. Rather than assuming he can easily relocate the same casting angle after landing the fish, he throws a buoy marker beside the boat to establish a visible reference for his position.
That marker becomes especially valuable once the excitement of catching a fish begins interfering with the original boat setup. Fighting and landing a bass can pull the boat away from its previous location, while wind, current, and trolling motor corrections can gradually change the angle of the presentation without the angler immediately recognizing the difference.
Having a buoy floating beside the boat provides a simple way to reestablish the original position and repeat the cast that produced the strike. The marker does not eliminate the need to account for wind or boat movement, but it gives Howell a physical reference that can be easier to recognize and duplicate than relying entirely on the trolling motor and electronic mapping.
When bass are concentrated in a relatively small area, that consistency can make an enormous difference in how many fish an angler catches before the school stops responding.
Understanding the Importance of Casting Angles
One of the fundamental lessons behind Howell's approach is that locating a school of fish and figuring out how to catch those fish are two separate challenges.
Bass positioned along an offshore ledge may respond aggressively when a crankbait travels parallel to the break but show considerably less interest when the same lure approaches from a different direction. Changes in casting angle also influence how long the crankbait remains in contact with the structure, which can alter the lure's presentation throughout the retrieve.
The situation becomes even more specific when bass are relating to an isolated shell bed, a hard spot, or an irregular section of bottom surrounded by otherwise featureless water.
A cast that reaches the correct depth and contacts that particular feature may trigger multiple fish, while a cast that misses the same location by only a few feet can produce an entirely different result.
This is where Howell's combination of waypoints, disciplined boat positioning, and traditional buoy markers begins to provide a meaningful advantage. His electronics allow him to identify the structure and locate the fish, while the physical marker helps him maintain the casting position that has already produced a strike.
Rather than constantly changing lures or moving to another area after catching a single bass, he can work through the school methodically and determine whether the fish prefer a particular casting direction or retrieve path.
Successful deep cranking frequently depends on recognizing these small details, especially when the fish are concentrated and the most productive area represents only a fraction of the overall structure.
Combining Modern Electronics With Traditional Fishing Skills
Forward-facing sonar has changed the way many bass anglers approach offshore fishing, and Howell incorporates that technology into his deep cranking system without abandoning the methods that made the technique effective long before live sonar existed.
The ability to watch fish respond to a crankbait provides valuable information about how bass are positioned and whether they are reacting to the presentation. However, seeing fish on a screen does not automatically solve the problems of boat position, lure depth, casting distance, or selecting the correct retrieve angle.
Howell continues to idle productive areas, build waypoint trails, and establish organized casting positions because those methods help him make better use of the information his electronics provide.
The combination allows modern technology to improve an established fishing process rather than replace the experience and decision-making that the process requires.
There is also a practical advantage to maintaining confidence in traditional offshore fishing skills because electronics can identify promising locations without necessarily revealing every factor that makes one particular cast more productive than another.
An angler who has developed a strong understanding of bottom contact, lure behavior, and casting angles can use that knowledge to interpret what is happening on the electronics and make more effective adjustments throughout the day.
Building a Deep Cranking Pattern That Produces
The biggest takeaway from Howell's system is that deep cranking becomes considerably more effective when anglers approach it as an organized method of fishing rather than simply choosing a deep-diving lure and making casts toward offshore structure.
The process begins with choosing conditions that give the technique a reasonable chance of producing fish, followed by identifying productive structure and documenting the locations where bass are positioned. Once those locations have been established, the emphasis shifts toward maintaining the correct boat position, reaching the appropriate depth, and making casts that allow the crankbait to travel through the most productive water.
When a fish strikes, that first bite provides information that should influence the next cast, particularly when there is reason to believe additional bass are positioned nearby.
Howell's use of buoy markers illustrates how seriously he treats that information because the ability to reproduce a successful presentation can be more valuable than immediately searching for another school of fish.
There is nothing particularly complicated about throwing a marker beside the boat, but knowing when to use it and understanding why a specific casting angle produced a bite requires the kind of experience that comes from spending serious time with a crankbait.
For anglers trying to improve their deep cranking, Howell's approach offers a reminder that technological advancements have not eliminated the importance of fundamental fishing skills. Electronics can make locating fish easier and provide a clearer picture of their behavior, but the responsibility for presenting a lure correctly still belongs to the person holding the rod.
The anglers who consistently catch bass on deep crankbaits are generally the ones who have developed enough experience to recognize productive conditions, understand what their lure is doing, and repeat the presentations that produce fish.
Randy Howell's system continues to work because it is built around those fundamentals, using modern electronics to locate opportunities while relying on years of practical fishing knowledge to capitalize on them. Deep cranking rewards anglers who are willing to put in the time, learn the details, and develop a repeatable approach, which is precisely why many of the old-school methods remain just as relevant today.
Randy Howell's Livingston Lures Deep Crankbait Lineup
Randy Howell relies on several Livingston Lures crankbaits to cover different depths and fishing conditions, selecting each lure based on where the bass are positioned and how aggressively they are feeding. Having crankbaits that cover different sections of the water column allows him to work offshore structure efficiently without forcing one lure to perform outside its intended depth range.
Livingston Lures Vapor Deep Plus — Designed to reach depths of 12 to 15 feet, the Vapor Deep Plus offers a compact 50mm profile with a tight vibration that Howell favors when bass are suspended or showing limited feeding activity. Its circuit board lip helps the bait reach its running depth quickly, while its slower rise allows Howell to incorporate pauses and changes in retrieve speed when targeting reluctant fish.
Livingston Lures Deep Impact 12 — Although rated for 12 feet, Howell has found that the Deep Impact 12 can reach approximately 15 feet under the right conditions, making it an effective option for offshore structure and mid-depth bass. He also uses this crankbait when targeting northern smallmouth bass on fisheries such as Lake St. Clair and the St. Lawrence River, where maintaining the proper running depth and contacting productive structure can be critical.
Livingston Lures Deep Impact 18 — When bass move into the 16- to 20-foot range, Howell turns to the Deep Impact 18, which can reach approximately 18 to 19 feet on long casts with lighter fluorocarbon line. Howell appreciates its more restrained presentation when fish are holding deep and not actively chasing bait, allowing him to bring a crankbait through a school without relying on an excessively aggressive action.
Livingston Lures Howeller Deep Plus — The Howeller Deep Plus is Howell's choice when bass are positioned on exceptionally deep summertime structure, with its oversized diving bill allowing the lure to reach the 25- to 30-foot range. Howell uses this crankbait around deep river channel ledges, shell beds, and offshore points, occasionally employing long-lining techniques to reach fish holding beyond the normal operating depth of conventional crankbaits.
All four crankbaits incorporate Livingston Lures' EBS™ Electronic Baitfish Sound Technology, adding another element to the presentation beyond the movement and vibration of a traditional crankbait. For Howell, the objective is to match the lure to the depth and behavior of the fish while maintaining the boat position and casting angle necessary to bring the bait through the most productive water.
About Randy Howell — Bassmaster Classic Champion and Livingston Lures Pro
Randy Howell is a professional bass angler, the 2014 Bassmaster Classic Champion, and a longtime member of the Livingston Lures professional team. With more than three decades of professional tournament experience and 38 top-10 finishes in B.A.S.S. competition, Howell has established himself as one of the sport's most experienced competitors. His historic comeback victory at the 2014 Bassmaster Classic on Lake Guntersville included the use of a prototype Livingston Lures crankbait that helped establish the Howeller series. Beyond tournament competition, Howell works directly with Livingston Lures on crankbait design and development, applying decades of firsthand knowledge to the refinement of fishing lures and techniques. His understanding of bass behavior, seasonal patterns, and crankbait presentations provides the foundation for the deep cranking methods discussed in this article.
Learn more: Randy Howell's Official Bassmaster Profile | Livingston Lures Professional Team
About the Author — Steven Paul
Steven Paul is a professional angler, USCG-licensed captain, award-winning fishing lure designer, author, and the Chief Development Director for Livingston Lures. As the Tennessee state-record muskellunge holder and owner of Tennessee Musky Guide Service, Paul spends more than 300 days annually on the water guiding, developing fishing tackle, and studying predator behavior across North America. He is the author of Next Level Musky Fishing and Musky IQ: Analyze & Execute, a contributing writer for Field & Stream and Great Lakes Angler, and the owner and host of Musky 360. His extensive experience in lure design includes developing numerous Livingston Lures products for musky and pike fishing, combining firsthand fishing knowledge with practical lure engineering and performance testing. Through his work with Livingston Lures, Paul collaborates with professional anglers to document their techniques, insights, and approaches to modern fishing.
