# crankbait choice



## gold jc (Apr 16, 2009)

I'm going to buy some new crankbaits for largemouths this spring. With all the choices out there I'm not sure what to buy. Looking for opinions on what works best. Looking for traditional crankbaits that dive 4-6 ft and 6-8 ft specifically. I've got minnow type plugs and lipless crankbaits already.

Thanks in advance.


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## MassillonBuckeye (May 3, 2010)

I had great luck with bass while targeting saugeye using a reefrunner ripshad 400. The 400 might run a tad deeper than what you are looking for though. KVD catches quite a few on his strike king baits.


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## laynhardwood (Dec 27, 2009)

The kvd cranks are very good also the rapala dt series cranks are also a good choice relatively inexpensive for how good they work and cover the depths you want to target 


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## ranger373v (Oct 26, 2012)

ive got a few d baits, and a few rapalas, most of mine are steelie lures though. some wooddys some plastic ones.

the regular ones have eagle claw hooks. but the primes drag owners behind them 

i only use the primes


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## Intimidator (Nov 25, 2008)

If you are not afraid of the cost, Japanese made cranks are fantastic!
I prefer Lucky Craft, Megabass, and I have a few from Sebile...I also have a few KVD, Rapala, and Berkley Frenzy Flickers.
I love the MC American Shad color from Lucky Craft!


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## ranger373v (Oct 26, 2012)

yeah i have a box of 10 and 20 dollar baits...but i got plenty of odd lots lures for $1 each...bass will bite anything...

i met a guy that sells name brand lures for $1 each... like 3 and 5 dollar normal lures...man that guy is runnin me broke!


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## Mr. A (Apr 23, 2012)

ranger373v said:


> i met a guy that sells name brand lures for $1 each... like 3 and 5 dollar normal lures...man that guy is runnin me broke!



I would also like to meet thbis guy!


Mr. A

(2013)
Bass: 0
catfish: 0
bluegill: 0
Other: 0


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## ranger373v (Oct 26, 2012)

pm me ur nbr ill text u next time i go... hold on ill up load some pics if i can. hes got a ton of stuff..$1 dont ask dont tell that policy has to work for something...


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## saugmon (Jun 14, 2006)

Bandit 100 series and bomber B02's will handle that 4'-6' range. Bandit 200 series and Bomber B04's will handle that 6'-8' depth. Bomber's are my go to saugeye crank but some seasons the bandits outperformed the bombers.I do pick up an occasional largemouth while trolling those 2 cranks.Channelcats,white bass,perch,crappie and flatheads also nail them.

Taco Salad is the highly sought after bandit color for the bass fishermen around indian lake. Bomber B-04 livecraw series are very nice.

I've been stocking up on new bombers at ebay for $4 each including shipping. Last batch were $3.30 each.Not so lucky on there when it comes to bandits.


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## Bassbme (Mar 11, 2012)

Bomber 6As, KVD 1.5 and 2.5 square bills, and Lucky Craft BDS4 will hit the 4' to 6' depth range pretty well. Bomber 7As, Bandit 200 series, and the Lucky Craft Flat CB DR will hit the 6' to 8' depth range. I will say that I like to use a bait that has a rated diving depth that is 2' deeper than the water I'm fishing so that I am sure to make contact with either the bottom or cover.


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## pppatrick (Apr 21, 2012)

i'm a fan of norman cranks for that 5-15 depth range. middle n's, and deep little n's are my go to's.

but i'm usually throwing a square bill the mojority of the time. bomber square a's are my favorite, though i just picked up a bunch of rick clunn lucky craft's on clearence. i fish a lot of timber, stick-ups, and water less than 10 ft deep. so thats what works for me.


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## lang99 (Mar 6, 2009)

I am a huge fan of strike king crankbaits. They are cheap, easy to find, great customer service. I do swap out the factory hooks. Kvd 1.5 for swallow, 3xd for middle, 5xd for deep and red eye shad for lipless. I played around with lots of cranks and this was the best system for me.


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## jason_0545 (Aug 3, 2011)

i will go with the kvd cranks also. i have used the rapala square bills too but action seems close and the kvd one have been easier to find and between 1-2bux cheaper. i think the rapala ones float up faster. havent used them a bunch but have caught some decent fish with both. also love the red eyes. burn them back, start stop, or lift drop off the bottom caught fish on them every way havent gotten any of the 1/4 oz ones yet but the 1/2 i did use were awsome.


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## gold jc (Apr 16, 2009)

thanks for all the suggestions. I was interested what others are throwing and their success. 

I have a bunch of red eye shad and love them. Adding kvd crankbaits will be a natural progression. Confidence will already be there which is a big plus! 

I've never switched out the treble hooks though.????


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## JignPig Guide (Aug 3, 2007)

gold jc said:


> I'm going to buy some new crankbaits for largemouths this spring. With all the choices out there I'm not sure what to buy. Looking for opinions on what works best.
> 
> Thanks in advance.


It looks like the OGF members have given you some pretty good choices/brands to choose from. But if you don't mind, I'll add a bit.
When making your choices of what crankbaits to buy. An angler should consider: the water depth, water clarity, and time of season.

1 - You would be more likely throwing a Manns Baby Minus-1 into shallow water pre-spawn than you would be throwing a Bomber BD7F (14ft. to 18ft) out over an offshore hump.
2 - In Summertime heat in super clear water with over 85-degree water temps. You would most likely be fishing deeper water than shallow. And with the super clear water, you would use less aggressive colors on your crankbaits.

In addition to what the other OGF members have posted regarding crankbaits. I think you should think about buying one aggressive color (bright chartreus/bright green/red/bright orange) and one less aggressive color (roobeer float/sexy shad/pearl/green pumpkin) for each depth. You could get a way with six (6) crankbaits that could cover most depth ranges. It could be considered a starter kit to crankbait fishing.

*Example of a six crankbait starter kit:
*
Manns Baby Minus-1 or Excalibur square bill for less than 4-fow.
Bomber Model 4-A (runs 3 to 6 ft. deep) from 2 to 8-fow.
Any other crankbait previously mentioned that will run up to twelve feet deep.

There you have your starter kit. Six crankbaits covering all depth ranges and color schemes up to twelve feet.


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## cmalinowski (Aug 25, 2007)

Love the DT6 and DT10 just seem to have confidence in them and seem to produce for me. Also like Bandits, typically priced better so when I throw one 10 feet into a tree I don't feel so bad.


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## Bad Bub (Jan 17, 2006)

cmalinowski said:


> Love the DT6 and DT10 just seem to have confidence in them and seem to produce for me. Also like Bandits, typically priced better so when I throw one 10 feet into a tree I don't feel so bad.
> 
> 
> Posted using Outdoor Hub Campfire


I'm gonna second the dt series baded on the fact that it's easy for a beginner to know what crankbait to throw, where. They are plainly marked with their expected diving depth and are pretty accurate with that. Catch fish too! But they're not as durable as other crankbait brands.

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## gold jc (Apr 16, 2009)

Again, thanks for the info. Confidence does play a big role in catching fish.


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## saugmon (Jun 14, 2006)

gold jc said:


> I've never switched out the treble hooks though.????



The Tx-3 hooks on the newer bombers are very sharp.I haven't seen any reason to change them. Usually channelcats tear them up when they drawstring the tail treble. The bandits and older bombers are on the dull side.I mainly troll them but they will tear up the bass in farm ponds.


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## Bassbme (Mar 11, 2012)

I almost always change the hooks on crank baits. I put either Owner ST 36's on them, or the KVD Elite series of hooks. It depends on what the crank bait I am using is for. The KVD 2x short shank elite hooks are hands down the best hook I have used on a rattle trap style lure, and they're great on crank baits you want to throw into wood cover. The Owner ST 36 is IMO the best round bend treble hook you can buy. They're great hooks. I use them on 75% of my crank baits or top water lures.


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## soua0363 (Jun 10, 2005)

The Rapala DT series are really hard to beat especially for the depths you are looking to fish. I have some from DT4's to DT20's including some with custom colors. They have a tight wiggle that just plain catches fish. I also have a lot of luck with the KVD square bills, Koppers Live Target (bluegill color), and SPRO Little Johns (mid-depth to the deep divers).

Another series of crankbaits that I have had tremendous luck with are the BPS Nitro crankbaits. They have a body the size of the Rapala DT4 with various bill lengths and anglea for different depths. They are pretty affordable too...last time I bought some they were around $4.00 a piece. With the smaller body, they work very well during the spring to early summer. They work as just well as any of the other crankbaits I mentioned above and the finishes are pretty good. I have some that are over 5 years old and the colors have not worn off and the stock hooks are still super sharp with no rust after hundreds of usage.

All these crankbaits come with good finish and decent hooks from the manufacturers.


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## JShort (Sep 16, 2011)

If you can afford it the ima lures are some of the best out there. The ima Shaker is a great squarebill that dives 3-5 ft. The ima Pinjack is the best for the 6-8 ft. range and has great action. If you can't spend that much then the Bomber 5a and 6a are good, but they just aren't as good quality as the Japanese baits.


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## debard (Nov 9, 2011)

MassillonBuckeye said:


> KVD catches quite a few on his strike king baits.


KVD could catch a bass with bowling ball if it had a treble hook on it.


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## Bad Bub (Jan 17, 2006)

debard said:


> KVD could catch a bass with bowling ball if it had a treble hook on it.


This.... is true.

I heard chuck norris wears KVD pj's.... just sayin'.

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## Bassbme (Mar 11, 2012)

LOL Even KVD would get a kick out of the post about his ability to use a bowling ball as a lure. LOL


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## MassillonBuckeye (May 3, 2010)

JShort said:


> If you can afford it the ima lures are some of the best out there. The ima Shaker is a great squarebill that dives 3-5 ft. The ima Pinjack is the best for the 6-8 ft. range and has great action. If you can't spend that much then the Bomber 5a and 6a are good, but they just aren't as good quality as the Japanese baits.


What's the difference technically?


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## Bad Bub (Jan 17, 2006)

MassillonBuckeye said:


> What's the difference technically?


Between Japanese baits and "more affordable" American baits? Everything from the quality and consistency of the plastic, hardware and hooks, down to the state of the art paint jobs. Is it necessary? Depends on your preferences. For many people, a basic ford or chevy truck without all the bells and whistles is enough to get the job done. Others prefer a 1 ton diesel with 20" wheels, 6" lift, deep tread tires and heated seats. It's about what your willing to pay for, and what you expect in return from your investment.

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## Daveo76 (Apr 14, 2004)

These are good ones from Smack Tackle in Ohio. Gizz 3 & 4


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## JShort (Sep 16, 2011)

Bad Bub said:


> Between Japanese baits and "more affordable" American baits? Everything from the quality and consistency of the plastic, hardware and hooks, down to the state of the art paint jobs. Is it necessary? Depends on your preferences. For many people, a basic ford or chevy truck without all the bells and whistles is enough to get the job done. Others prefer a 1 ton diesel with 20" wheels, 6" lift, deep tread tires and heated seats. It's about what your willing to pay for, and what you expect in return from your investment.
> 
> posted using Outdoor Hub Campfire


Exactly. The Japanese baits almost always run straight right out of the package as well. For cheaper baits the Bombers seem to be the most consistent and they usually run straight.


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