When the Elite Series made a stop on the Mississippi River this past September, Alton Jones turned in a strong performance with a 3rd place finish. While he used a variety of different baits during the tournament, he located several key schools of bass during practice using a crankbait.

Following the third day of competition, Jones divulged that, during practice, he cut off five of the six hook points on his square bill crankbait and pinched down the barb on the one remaining hook point to create a “practice crankbait” that allowed him to feel the weight of the fish before it pulled free.

He believes that the tactic allowed him to go back to the same areas during the tournament and catch fish that would otherwise be lure shy if he had landed them during practice with a traditional crankbait.

Here’s how Jones practices with a crank bait Watch Video