Larry is right too about the reaction bite. Cranks will work in cold weather when most people won't even think about them. They may not be feeding, but when you rip that crank by them 12-15 times, they decide they had enough and hit it.

Thanks Guys for all the imput! Now alls i need to do is go out and fish and try these methods! I really started catching fish on cranks right after I put up this post! REally it's been my go to bait!  Larry I've done the pause and retrieve method and it works! I really like it with Shad Rap RS! I've gotten alot of good strikes that way! Thanks all and Good luck fishing!

Nick,
One advantage in conducting  tutorial classes on Lake Washington is, I get to test new lures and techniques against the tried and proven ones that I have my clients use.
After six years of tracking the out come, I can tell you there is a lot you can do to make your crankbait fishing more productive.
Most people are going to talk about when the fish are active, throw Cranks. And they are right, throw them and reteieve them fast.
But what many anglers don't key in on is, when the fish are inactive and in a nuetral mood, this is when I love throwing cranks.
Time and time again I have taken clients to a rock pile hump, or ledge and fished hard with plastics, only to get blanked.
But  experience has taught me before leaving, break out a crankbait, one that will run near the bottom or better yet bounce off the bottom.
It still amazes me how many bass I have been able to pull off structure. do to reaction strikes.
Was it the size if the bait that made that fish strike, probably not.
More likely you are bebefiting from a reaction stike. Simply put, something moves by that bass quickly and it just nails it out of instinct, even though it is not feeding. I have seen this on my Aqua-Vu camera and with clients on many occasions.
One more thing, if you are not using a stop and go retrieve, on our nothwest waters, you will benefit from starting. Hope this gives you some renewed energy for cranking.
Larry G.

Nick,
  Like Rob said, it's a numbers game.  When the fish are active and can be caught a number of ways, most people give up throwing the crank after a short while and fish something else.  Unlike Rob, I fish a very deep diving crank from early spring right thru to late fall.  I throw cranks for two reasons.  One, I can cover alot of water, ( from shallow to deep, 16") with the Rapala DT 16.  By covering alot of water I can quickly eliminate area's that are not productive and key into my strike zone depth and two, since I throw a BIG deep diving crank, I don't catch to many small fish.  I tend to get better quality fish throwing the big crank.  In lakes like Banks, Roosevelt, Washington, Sammamish, and the Columbia river, there is not alot of structure that the crank will hang up on, so dig it right down into the mud/rocks and hang on.  Generally, I fish a crawdad pattern in green or brown.

Mark

Thanks Rob

Nick I throw crankbaits all the time. I always have one tied on and usually a shallow to med. diver. I like to throw way in shallow and work the bait out so I have always used shallower cranks. For me it's just a confidence thing. I feel if I can cover water until I get bit. Now you can't go out and expect fish every other cast. Sometimes you can go 20-50 casts between strikes. This makes most people grab something else. I just chuck and wind, over and over. Sometimes I have to pull it slower or stop here and there. Sometimes just a nice steady retrieve will do the trick.

I actually have 2 rods that are usually set up with cranks of different depths or colors, and I alternate. I would go out one day with 2-3 rods with cranks tied on and throw them all day. You will learn what works for you. I like cleaner areas with rock or sand, or parallel weed lines. I have done better by throwing with the bank rather than at it or at an angle, unless I am running it down a dock. Start shallow and work out until you find them. Then parallel the bank in that depth. You can't go wrong with a perch or crawdad colored bait. Perch being my favorite around here with no shad.

Good luck.

Hey Guys,
I could really use your guys help! I really want to get comfortable throwing cranks! It about the onlymethod that i  feel I can't catch fish on! I've caught a few fish on crankbaits! I think I forgot how to catch fish on them in the past few years! Used to beable to catch fish on them on a regular basis! Was just wondering what conditions to throw them! I what colors I should use! I've just been noticing a lot of tourneys being won on cranks like Takahiro! He caught those last 3 fish on a big shallow running chartruse crank!

Thanks