# crankbait selection question.



## claytonhaske (Apr 16, 2010)

I'm starting to get into bass fishing more, and need a better selection of shallow, mid, and deep running crankbaits. I was thinking of the rapala DT-4, 6, and 10 series, and bandit 100, 200, and 300 series. I mainly am looking for a couple natural baitfish color patterns, a couple craw color patterns, and a couple bright color patterns. I will be fishing from a kayak, so I need to keep colors basic. I don't need 10 different colors, just the basics to cover water clarity, and weather conditions. I appreciate any, and all help. Thanks, Clayton Haske.


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## jake222 (Dec 26, 2014)

Well for shallow cranks pick up some KVD 1.5s. Deep cranks I like Normans and the strike king XDs. The colors I like are shad, sexy shad,chartreuse black back,sunfish,craw. I also got s kayak and used a Plano bag to store all my tackle I have 4 boxes and about 60 bags of plastics. Eventually I'll go to a backpack and put a leash on it. I also have extra rods inside of the kayak. I hope this helps!


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## Mr. A (Apr 23, 2012)

Im a huge fan of the DT series cranks. I would suggest the parrot color, the craw color, and the shad colors. The cast a mile and don't pull hard enough to wear you out either. 

The fat free shad are also a go to bait for me. The copper colored craw and the blue/chart are my favorites.

Have fun!


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## NCbassattack (May 5, 2014)

I would suggest KVD or Rick Clunn Square bills, especially in Sexy Shad color. Also, Bomber's Fat Free Shad is a killer, especially in citrus color.
Gotta get something in "Homer" color.
I have a Bagley's B2 in Homer, and when I really need a fish, that comes to the forefront of my cranks.


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## Bassbme (Mar 11, 2012)

For a medium running bait you might want to take a look at the Spro Russ Lane Fat Papa 55. It runs about 8' on 10# fluorocarbon. I have it in the bluegill and olive craw colors. It's a little pricey at $10.99 each at Tackle Warehouse, but they have beautiful finishes and comes equipped with Gamakatsu treble hooks, so you won't be needing to change the hooks. It's a good little bait that I've caught some decent fish on.


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## claytonhaske (Apr 16, 2010)

Bassbme said:


> For a medium running bait you might want to take a look at the Spro Russ Lane Fat Papa 55. It runs about 8' on 10# fluorocarbon. I have it in the bluegill and olive craw colors. It's a little pricey at $10.99 each at Tackle Warehouse, but they have beautiful finishes and comes equipped with Gamakatsu treble hooks, so you won't be needing to change the hooks. It's a good little bait that I've caught some decent fish on.


I'll be completely honest....I don't feel confident enough in my skill level to purchase baits over $6-7....so a $11 bait is out of the question for me. I know you get what you pay for, but I have a hard time spending that kind of money on hardbaits.


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## Cajunsaugeye (Apr 9, 2013)

Bandits flat out catch fish.For the money,they can't be beat.All you need in an assortment of colors.


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## NCbassattack (May 5, 2014)

Cajunsaugeye said:


> Bandits flat out catch fish.For the money,they can't be beat.All you need in an assortment of colors.


Agree on the Bandits, they are great baits. I have a few, and they always will catch fish.


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## Bassbme (Mar 11, 2012)

Clayton, I definitely understand where you're coming from. And there are some great baits that are half the price of the Fat Papa's that I mentioned. The Bandit cranks mentioned are good baits, and while I don't use them, I've heard great things about Bill Norman cranks. And one of my favorites and an inexpensive bait is the Bomber Model A.


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## NCbassattack (May 5, 2014)

Some of my favorite 3/4 oz Fat Free Shads. Tequila, Sun Parrot, and Citrus.


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## jake222 (Dec 26, 2014)

The good thing about the square bill crankbaits is they are cheep and can get the crap beat out of them and work fine. All the other shallow divers are ok but can't take a beating. If the fish are hiting cranks I will have a KVD 1.5 tied on. They make a 1.0 and a 2.5 but the 1.5 is a good size not to big not to small. They are like 5.00 a pice don't know exact price maybe 6.00.


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## claytonhaske (Apr 16, 2010)

jake222 said:


> The good thing about the square bill crankbaits is they are cheep and can get the crap beat out of them and work fine. All the other shallow divers are ok but can't take a beating. If the fish are hiting cranks I will have a KVD 1.5 tied on. They make a 1.0 and a 2.5 but the 1.5 is a good size not to big not to small. They are like 5.00 a pice don't know exact price maybe 6.00.


The kvd square bill is awesome!!! But I was referring more to mid range to deep divers. I know there are literally thousands of options here. And not having any experience with mid to deep divers, I have no point of reference. I know I need to just buy some and try them, but its hard to choose, for me at least. The cranks I have used in the past with success are ssr7's and kvd square bills. But those are shallow cranks, and the ssr7's ain't cheap.


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## tiell22 (Sep 15, 2012)

I have caught my biggest crankbait bass on strike king baits. I prefer the 5xd and 6xd series. I don't think you can go wrong with the DT's or Bandits. Just throw what you have with confidence and don't be afraid to lose a bait, I know it is hard to think that, but that is where the fish live.


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## Govbarney (Jan 3, 2011)

I like the KVD Squire bills , and Bandits (Bandit 100 and 200s also work great for dog days of summer crappie.)

More important then color IMO is the wobble, you should get a few Crankbaits with a tighter wobble like Strike Kings Flat Shad, and a few with wide wobble such as a Storm Wiggle Wart.


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## young-gun21 (Mar 14, 2006)

I would stick with the Strike King line if cost effectiveness is a factor. They make good baits from 0' - 25'. I typically change out the hooks but some guys would tell you that it's not necessary. As far as colors, that depends on the lakes you fish.


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## RiverRunner88 (Jun 15, 2006)

Love the KVD 1.5 in chartreuse for shallow also like Spro Little Johns in the Convict color. Deep divers I like the Rapala DTs in Ike Smash and Spro little john DDs is convict


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## JamesT (Jul 22, 2005)

take a variety, and be sure to include some tgat are foiled. On the rare occasion that you aren't catchin, change baits!:B:B:B


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## JamesT (Jul 22, 2005)

I got a tip this weekend that the big smallies, up to 23" in the local flows, eat crayfish(not shad). Maybe I should fish this more


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## JamesT (Jul 22, 2005)

Lol I need to swap out the "insta release" hooks (back one, rattle trap style, etc).


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## NCbassattack (May 5, 2014)

Check out Poe's line of cedar crankbaits. Series 300 and 400. Very good baits.


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## Bassbme (Mar 11, 2012)

Ever since I switched to a crankbait specific rod I've hooked almost every fish on the front hook. Logic would tell me that the slower action of the rod allows the bait to go deeper into the fishes mouth. Also my guess is if you fish crankbaits on braid (which I don't) you'll end up with more fish hooked on the tail hook as well.


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## JamesT (Jul 22, 2005)

Enough of the custom cranks. Here is one I love, about $5. Cant remember brand or model, dives about 3 feet, real paint, great clearcoat(glitter, etc), gorgeous lures, built like a tank/bombproof, great rattle, river smallies love it when the water is up, etc....also comes in a variety of colors

Can someone refresh my memory?

Thanks!


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## JamesT (Jul 22, 2005)

Ipad mini 3 cameras are built for right handers? This this is pissing me off.


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## JamesT (Jul 22, 2005)

Who ever said ipad was user friendly. Shouldnt i just be able to "twist/turn the images with my fingers" ?!?


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## NCbassattack (May 5, 2014)

This brings back memories. Might order me one.
http://thumbs4.ebaystatic.com/d/l225/m/mCSkz35yUOWZBtMeQCCKHQA.jpg

In case any of you young 'uns don't know what you're lookin' at, that's a Storm "Fatso". One of the best shallow cranks ever!
Hard to find these days, Storm don't make them anymore, I think. But occasionally you can run into a dealer that has a few.

More. One sold for $61 on ebay.
https://images.search.yahoo.com/yhs...002&va=storm+fatso&hspart=btbar&hsimp=yhs-002


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## JamesT (Jul 22, 2005)

Dicks bargain bin, about $2.50.....

I hear you loud and clear NC.

My fave poes, is somewhere (hopefully I had a couple tackle boxes stolen from my car a few years back, couldnt find it just now...)

The series 300 you mentioned, blue back, "silver glittered sides- flat surfaced, yet blingiest/gliterist glitter ever", Im sure you the one.

We are on the same page (other than puke)

In the meantime I found the "smaller 300", not sure where my rc-2 is, but yes! ive got a bunch more even some new in package but I moved over the summer and all my stuff is in ot very well labeled boxes.

I do totally love fishing he poes in my local flows. The rc-1 and 2 with their okd school klunkster coffin lip provides quite the thump and something the fish around here dont see much. i doubt anyone other than me a
Has thrown the 300 in the skeyotuhrubhblin in the past 5 years other than me (eyes love the blue back mentioned above but I need for the water to be flowin good to fish it (too shallow).

Thanks!

Oh and thats a sexy shallow shad rap5


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## JamesT (Jul 22, 2005)

nice! about the storm thin fin fatso....in bass.......have one nip,somewhere....

I learned about it because I found one in a tree while fishing, but in a different color....did I say I love lures, especially older cranks?!?

Or the bagleys deeper diving honey bee in bass, etc, etc, etc.

Thing is......its soooooo tough to fish some of them.....

But I have....


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## JamesT (Jul 22, 2005)

Thanks NC! Storm "fatso".


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## JamesT (Jul 22, 2005)

Shallow fat rap, not shad rap. Discontinued but available new in Japan (or for high dollar on the internet).


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## NCbassattack (May 5, 2014)

Good article here about some of my friends, David Fritts, Gerald Beck, and David Wright.
Fritts won the Classic in '93.

http://r.search.yahoo.com/_ylt=A0LE...p?id=506/RK=0/RS=Hk1paFANouTk3X1V0BMdvowrAwE-


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## NCbassattack (May 5, 2014)

I am looking for any Lohr's crankbaits, if anyone knows of someone that may have some. Jerry Lohr stopped making them a while back, they were the original flat sided deep divers.
He and David Fritts used to "doctor" them and Bagley's DB3s make them run deeper by drilling a small hole under the lip and filling it with lead, file it down, and touch up the paint. I actually saw David do this at his shop behind his home in Lexington.


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## JamesT (Jul 22, 2005)

I dont fish deeper divers much, mostly just 1-6 foot divers. As far as comercially available inexpensive cranks, I like the square bill bandits, the square bill basic strike king(cheapie in rootbeer), and the smaller bombers (square bill, 1/6 oz and 1/8 oz). A lot/most of the the time I dont think it matters what you are throwing, but it definitely can.....at least where I like to fish.

Thanks for the great read!

Havent seen that one before but have read about the NC and Tennessee crankbait makers before. Good stuff!

Does Jerry screw his hook hangers into dowell rods, then glue the dowell rods in? I know those cranks are hard to find, expensive and supposedly "awesome fish catchers". 

Left column mbaits (do you know who makes mbaits?), middle basshunter (like one on top (little jon?), not huge fan of action of lower 4(wide rolling wobble, little wiggle), and on right side thundershads (really nice).

Did I say I love cranks?


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## NCbassattack (May 5, 2014)

I don't think Jerry used dowell rods. I think that may make his baits more bouyant, and he was all about depth. I had three of his cranks, paid 12 dollars a piece for them, and man, for summer time cranking, they were awesome.
My cousin Rick and I fished a two day tourney at High Rock, and at the end of day one, we were in third place with a five fish bag of 21 pounds and 7 oz. Caught all our fish that day on Texas rigged red shad Culprit worms. Day two dawned very hot (hit 96 that day) so we went to beating offshore cover with our Lohr's cranks. We caught 24 pounds and won, including a seven I got on my "Homer" colored Lohr's.


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## NCbassattack (May 5, 2014)

Unless you're talking about Lucky Craft pro Marty Stone, who has a line of BIG M baits.
He's another local boy from here, my home town of High Point.


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## JamesT (Jul 22, 2005)

No, not anything LC/Marty Stone related that I know of. Those 3 in the left column are labeled "mbaits" on the bottom, but I cant find much info on them. They are probably 20 years old and I doubt they have made in a while.


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## JamesT (Jul 22, 2005)

Shallow shad rap in sizes 9 and 8 (discontinued size) followed by 7. I also like using rapala countdown 11 and 9 "essentially like a crank bait"


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## AxE216 (Aug 23, 2013)

If you need a more cost effective square bill, the bomber square bills aren't bad. KVD 1.5's are worth the money and cheaper (though not by much) to Rapala. Strike king makes good lures and they all aren't really outrageously expensive. If you fish from the bank, square bills work real well.


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## AxE216 (Aug 23, 2013)

Also, when it comes to saving a few bucks order them off of ebay. Usually they're a buck or 2 cheaper than retail a lot of times. Good luck this year!


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## Rooster (Apr 8, 2004)

Thunder Shad Model 175 (0-5) and model 310 (0-10) in Sun Granny and Root Beer are the only crankbaits that I carry on the yak.

Not super cheap ($12), but take a beating and last forever. Actually save money since you don't need anything else. I just fish them with 30LB braid so I don't lose them to a snag.


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## Tim67 (Mar 21, 2013)

I use the DT Dives To series, quite a bit, they are exellent baits. I have had great success with this bait and would recommend them any day any time. Another lure I use and have great success with is Luckycraft Rick Clunn RCSTX Suspending Jerkbait. They are well worth the cost both are durable, quality made lures, let me know how they work for you. Tim 67


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## NCbassattack (May 5, 2014)

Fishing our first tournament of the year tomorrow.Me and my friend Guffy are fishing the March tourney at Randleman Lake. Got a Clunn square bill tied on, and it is gonna get a workout early. May switch to a Rogue or shaky head worm later, but we'll see. I am in it to win it, so what ever works..lol


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## JamesT (Jul 22, 2005)

:b:b:b:b:b <== Five BIG fish!!!


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## NCbassattack (May 5, 2014)

Thanks, James. Heard there are around 40 boats pre registered, and should be a few others. Weather is supposed to be 72 and sunny, light sw winds. It's 5 a.m., and 50 right now. Waiting on Guffy, should be here at 0530. Anticipation...lol Sat up late changing lures..lol


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## NCbassattack (May 5, 2014)

We won!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
No big fish seemed to be biting for anyone, but we found five keepers, and took first with ten pounds two oz. 
One guy got a six three for big fish, but luckily for us, was his only keeper. Water temp was 50f, kinda stained, and a nw wind blowing made it tough.
Fish were caught on shad raps, Rick Clunn squarebill, Shaky head trick worm, and one on the Rattlin' Rogue.
I caught my first fish on a square bill in sexy shad, then Guffy got a fat two pounder on a shad rap. The shad rap produced most of our fish, we both got 3 fish each on them, although several were too small. My biggest, a three pounder, came on the shaky head. All in all, we managed ten fish total. Not bad for a post cold front day, even though temps warmed to 72 today.


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## JamesT (Jul 22, 2005)

Congrats NC!!! That is awesome and I am very proud of you and your fishing partner, very impressive! Just super sweet to get first place among probably 50 boats, not to mention first tourney of the season! Wow and thanks for sharing all you do on here!


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## NCbassattack (May 5, 2014)

Thanks, James. It was a blast!
Side note:
The old High Point City Lake, where I posted the big fish numbers from in an earlier post, gave up two fish today over eight, an eight six and an eight fourteen!
May go again tomorrow, I am off and it's supposed to be 77!


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## jake222 (Dec 26, 2014)

NCbassattack said:


> We won!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
> 
> No big fish seemed to be biting for anyone, but we found five keepers, and took first with ten pounds two oz.
> 
> ...



Congratulations on the win! Those fish looked pretty healthy. What lake did you guys fish?


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## NCbassattack (May 5, 2014)

Randleman Regional Reservoir. South of Greensboro. As lakes go, it's less than 10 years old, but one of the best in the state.


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## BassariskY (Sep 8, 2006)

JamesT said:


> Enough of the custom cranks. Here is one I love, about $5. Cant remember brand or model, dives about 3 feet, real paint, great clearcoat(glitter, etc), gorgeous lures, built like a tank/bombproof, great rattle, river smallies love it when the water is up, etc....also comes in a variety of colors
> 
> Can someone refresh my memory?
> 
> Thanks!


That is a Bill Norman 'Fat Boy'. One of my favorites for fishing rivers and small streams. Bounces off rocky bottoms with ease.


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## Tim67 (Mar 21, 2013)

NCbassattack said:


> Fishing our first tournament of the year tomorrow.Me and my friend Guffy are fishing the March tourney at Randleman Lake. Got a Clunn square bill tied on, and it is gonna get a workout early. May switch to a Rogue or shaky head worm later, but we'll see. I am in it to win it, so what ever works..lol


Well wish you the Best!!!!! Up here in Toledo, Ohio it's startin to warm up but Lake Erie and the rivers are all still froze solid. Can't wait until I can get out on the water. But anyhow wish ya Luck and hope you all have a Great time (I know when I get out early in the season, I have a lot of success with suspending jerkbait) like Rick Clunn RCSTX. Just thought I'd toss that out, any lil' suggesstion cant hurt. Let us know how ya finish. Tim67:B


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## NCbassattack (May 5, 2014)

Tim67 said:


> Well wish you the Best!!!!! Up here in Toledo, Ohio it's startin to warm up but Lake Erie and the rivers are all still froze solid. Can't wait until I can get out on the water. But anyhow wish ya Luck and hope you all have a Great time (I know when I get out early in the season, I have a lot of success with suspending jerkbait) like Rick Clunn RCSTX. Just thought I'd toss that out, any lil' suggesstion cant hurt. Let us know how ya finish. Tim67:B


Thanks. Your post is a bit late, but we won (see my earlier post).


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## Tim67 (Mar 21, 2013)

Thats great Congrats!!


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