From the time they were hand-carved by Milton Poe himself back in the late 1950's, Poe's cedar lures have been catching bass and other fish. From the original top water plugs to the newer crankbait designs, Poe's lures have proven themselves in lakes, rivers and ponds all across America. As in the early days, today each Poe's lure is individually hand-painted with color combinations that are proven through research testing and wide-spread use by some of America's best anglers.
Some of the best pro fishermen on the circuit today are using Poe's Super Cedar crankbaits including the highly successful father-son team of Guido and Dion Hibdon. They use Poe's crankbaits because they are 100% natural cedar which helps to create a different sound and a different action as the lures work through the water.
There are a number of different styles of Poe's cedar wood lures available for all kinds of fishing. There are top water varieties such as the Blurpee, the Ace-In-The-Hole, the Cruise Minnow and the Jackpot as well as a number of different styles of Poe's crankbaits which are designed to dive to different depths and create different swimming actions.
POE'S SUPER CEDAR SERIESOf all the Poe's lures, the line of Super Cedar crankbaits are the most popular. Made up of the smaller model 1100 and 1100 SS, the 200, the 300, the 400, the 400 Plus and the 400 Classic as well as the 900 Elite and biggest of them all, the deep diving 1200, each lure in the Super Cedar line is designed to cover a different depth of water with a variety of swimming actions.
This variety of models, in different sizes and diving depths, allows anglers to choose the right Poe's Super Cedar series crankbait to match the fishing conditions. As a general rule the 300 series models can be used for depths of 5 to 10 feet; the 400 series works best in 10 to 15 feet of water; and the 400 Plus is perfect for depths greater than 15 feet. Most models come with or without rattles for use in various types of water conditions.
The 400-C is specially weighted to be neutrally buoyant, meaning it rises ever so slowly when the retrieve is stopped. And the 900-E offers the advantages of cedar with a unique swimming action in a flat-sided bait.
Prior to using any crankbaits it is best to check to see if the lure is running straight and true. The best place to do this is in a swimming pool or in clear water so that you can see how the crankbait is running. If the lure runs even the slightest bit to the right or left it needs to be tuned to run perfectly straight. The best way to tune a bait is to take a pair of needle-nose pliers and bend the eye (where the line connects to the lure) in the direction you want the lure to run. Caution: A big bend is not necessary and may actually break the wire in the lure's lip. A very slight bend is usually all it takes to correct the problem.
Determining where to fish a crankbait may be the biggest challenge of all. Most of the pros rely heavily on depth finders and sonar units to locate areas to fish. They watch for depths where baitfish are concentrated then search for prime ambush points such as stumps, rocks and brush piles on points and flats. Then it is just a matter of selecting the appropriate Poe's crankbaits to fish those areas.
As far as colors go, try starting with a basic color like a #40, 41 or 49. If those don't work, keep trying different colors until you find what the fish want. If you are getting hits or catching a fish or two but they are only hooked on the back hook it may be the fish aren't all that interested in the color that you are using. Keep trying different colors. When a fish takes the whole crankbait and is hooked on both hooks, you know you have found the color that they really want.
As a general rule on color selection, start out using light colored lures for fishing in clear water and try chartreuse variations when the water is dingy or off-colored. One of the most popular Poe's colors is the #45, which is Homer chartreuse with a hot belly.
Because they are made of 100% natural cedar, Poe's crankbaits cast easier and farther. This allows for more accurate casts, even in windy conditions and with longer casts, the crankbait will be able to dive to its maximum depth, keeping it in the strike zone longer.
After you determine where you want to fish, position the boat in deeper water and cast in to the more shallow water. Start out with a medium speed continuous reeling retrieve. If the bait hits a rock or stump or some other object in the water, pause the retrieve for a few seconds and then start it up again. Many times a strike will occur as soon as you start the retrieve again. Also, occasionally twitch the rod during the retrieve or change speeds.
The secret with fishing with crankbaits is to be flexible. Fishing conditions are changing all the time so keep working different Poe's models and colors at different depths and different speeds. Again, let the fish tell you what they want.
