Cranka Crab: The Ultimate Sheepshead Fishing Lure

The Newest Artificial Crab Hitting The Market That Is Changing The Game, Get To Know The Name CRANKA

Cranka Crab For Sheepshead Fishing

Over the last few years, fishing for sheepshead has become mainstream from sheepshead tournament to Sheepshead Jigs. Anglers can not get enough sheepshead. Sheepshead is targeted because of the challenge they impose to catch them and their delicious meat. Sheepshead live their lives on a diet of shrimp, crabs, barnacles, and other small crustaceans. The best bait by far for convict fish is fiddler crabs. These are the ultimate sheepshead candy. Now and then, a company comes from nowhere and makes an exceptional product. This is precisely what Cranka did with their Cranka Crab. They are changing the way anglers fish for sheepshead.

Who Is Cranka?

Cranka is a lure company out of Australia that specializes in small artificial crabs that resemble the fiddler crab. They have taken the fishing industry by storm and have one, if not the best artificial crab on the market.

What Is The Cranka Crab?

The cranka crab is a small crab lure, almost the size of a fiddler crab. The Cranka Crab is perfect when fishing for sheepshead. The Cranka crab is a patented designed lure that features both soft plastic and hard plastic components. This crab lure was explicitly designed to come alive in the water. The claws of the cranka crab are designed to float and will wave around with the slightest water movement. It is this action that gives it one of the realistic presentations of a crab on the defense. It is this defense position with the treble hooks that keep it snag-resistant and put the hooks in the perfect spot for hookups.

Cranka Fiddler Crab

Sheepshead fish are unique in how they eat. This is one of the reasons they are such a challenge to catch them. They will crush the crab with their teeth. It is this initial crushing of the crab that makes them almost undetectable on biting. By making the claws (treble hooks) floating, it allows for the sheepshead to inhale the hooks first. Many times this will allow for the sheepshead to hook itself before the angler has to set the hook. Cranka did their homework when designing this lure with this feature.

The cranka crab is lightweight, weighing in from 4 to 10 grams depending on the size you buy. They were specifically designed to have a slow sink rate giving it a more realistic presentation in the water. This is a great feature when fishing pylons and sea walls. The legs of the cranka crab are made of soft plastic and move freely in the water. If this isn't enough, the cranka crab has an internal scent chamber that allows for it to smell like the real thing with crab attractant. 

Color Patterns The Cranka Crab Are Available In

Cranka offers the cranka crab in ten unique color patterns that anglers will find perfect for any time of the year, water temperature, and water clarity. Sheepshead will not be able to resist their muddy fiddler crab color pattern. Crank figured out that sheepshead often will bite off the claws. They make replacement claws for all color patterns that can be easily replaced. This is perfect, so when the lure loses a claw, it's not wasted and can be replaced.

How To Fish The Cranka Crab

Tie the cranka crab on your hook and use it like you would your live fiddler crabs. You will save the lives of many fiddler crabs and catch more sheepshead. In my experience using the cranka crab, I have found that a slow jig is perfect. Whenever I am sheepshead fishing, one of the main areas I love targeting is bridges, pylons, and jetties. If I am fishing the pylons of bridges often, I will chum for sheepshead. I will then take my cranka crab and allow it to sink slowly down the pylon and slowly jig it up. I will keep repeating this until I catch a sheepshead. This technique has worked pretty successfully for me. If I am at the jetties, I will cast toward the rocks and slowly work the cranka crab back to the boat. Both of these areas, with the technique of using the cranka crab, will work wonderfully. 

How Much Are The Cranka Crab

The Cranka Crabs come from Australia, so they are not the cheapest artificial crab on the market. To help compensate for the price, they offer replaceable legs and claws to keep your cranka crab in working condition. Unfortunately, these replacement parts cost money as well. The cranka crab will cost you $13.49 + shipping on amazon. The average price of fiddlers ranges from $3.00 to $5.00 if you are buying them from your local bait shop. The cost of this lure will hopefully go down once they are available stateside and not a direct shipment from Australia. You will catch your share of fish, making this lure well worth the money.

Overall Impression Of Cranka Crab

Sheepshead On The Cranka Crab

The Cranka crab has exceeded my expectations from a sheepshead fishing lure perspective. It is a little pricey but will save you money long-term in live fiddlers. It will also save you the headache of locating a bait shop with fiddlers in stock. I have caught more sheepshead this year on the Cranka Crab that I would recommend all anglers targeting sheepshead to have one in your tackle box. If you have any questions, concerns, or comments, please leave a comment below or email us at [email protected]. Send us your sheepshead pictures to be featured on our social media pages. If you have tried the cranka crab, we would love to hear your feedback as well. If you love sheepshead fishing, then you need to fish the new Cranka Crab lure today!