"At Jordan Lake, I watch the water level more closely than the water temperature in September. Often it is down and I'll look for any visible cover and throw a smaller worm than in Harris. If the water is low, it is hard to find cover halfway back in the creeks. If the water level is up, I'll start at the back of the creeks like Beaver and Bush with a crankbait and work out. I think September can be one of the toughest months of the year, as the fish get scattered and do that faster on Jordan than at Harris," Szczerbala said.

On a summertime pattern, dredging a crankbait through the deep cover is one of the best ways to get a reaction bite. Jeffrey Thomas from Broadway, pro angler and guide on Jordan and Harris lakes (info@carolinaoutdoors. net), has been on the B.A.S.S. and FLW tournament trails for over 10 years and has cast thousands of crankbaits across offshore structure when it is hot.

"It seems to me the hotter and more humid it is, the better the bite -- I like to have the sweat running down my back. If you want to do well this time of year, you had better be fishing offshore. The fish are in a summertime pattern, on roadbeds, humps, points and flats, stuff like that. These areas give the fish an easy route to come up shallow and feed but also give them access to deep water," Thomas said.

If you don't know the lake you are fishing, get a map and find a roadbed, rockpiles, humps or other structure in 10 to 20 feet of water. The structure is usually easy to locate, but finding just the right spot is a little more difficult. You must find structure with cover on it; a barren piece of structure will not hold fish. Once located, mark the area with buoys for reference while you explore the cover.

The bait should run deep enough to get a bumping action along the bottom. Here's where feel is all important: You must determine whether you are hitting the bottom, hitting cover or have a bite.

"I want a bait that will dive a little deeper than what I'm actually targeting. If I'm hitting 10 feet, I want a crankbait that will go at least 12 feet. That's where my line is going to come into play," Thomas said.

Thomas uses 10-pound-test when cranking because it has less resistance to the water and allows a bait to run deeper than if a heavier line was used. Mating a crankbait with a particular line weight, a reel that has a medium speed 5:1 retrieve and a 7-foot rod will allow the angler to hit his target depth. Thomas' signature series cranking rod from Skeet's Custom Rods in Wake Forest (919/475-3243) is specially designed to make cranking less tiring.

"I'll always start (fishing) with a crankbait -- it's like an extension to my arm and hand. I can throw it out there and feel the bottom. I can tell if it's stumps or rocks, a hard bottom or bushy. A crankbait is going to bring stuff back (on the hooks). That crankbait is a tool not just for catching fish but letting me know exactly what's out there. I very seldom get bit unless I'm hitting something," Thomas said.

Bumping the bottom is key to cranking success, but you will eventually find your bait hung up in the cover. A lure retriever is essential to protect your crankbait investment, which can be sizeable.