Favorite Deep Cranks for smallies

[StarBoard7]

Hello all,

I am looking at purchasing some new deep cranks.
I mainly fish the ohio side of Erie (Islands).

I have tried and had success with 6xds,Jackall muscle 15+,DD22's.

I was just anxious to see what you guys prefer as I have not really found one crank or color that really kills em but I seem to do best on DD22's anything with orange.

Thanks all.

[thedude]

i've been having some luck with the spro DDs.

[djkimmel]

My best crankbait over the years on Lake St. Clair and once in a while on Erie (I don't fish it much) have been the various sizes of Fat Free Shads. I usually use Pearl Shad though I do experiment a little. I know a Fat Free Shad won the Bassmaster Northern Open there last year. Watched him do it.

[Revtro]

I'm very interested to see how this topic goes.  I fish a lot of Bandit cranks and some DD22's with some success.  I just tried a couple of Live Target cranks this weekend, but didn't get around the fish, so the jury is still out.

[YpsiBass]

Curious what technique for retrieve you guys are using on these to catch fish.  Been fishing deep cranks on Belleville without much luck. 

[bigjc]

I too have had some luck with Fat Free Shads on both St. Clair and Erie, as well as Det. river. 

[djkimmel]

Usually just lightly skipping it along the bottom. Sometimes ripping it through the tops of the weeds. Most of the time, strikes come when it deflects off of or rips out of something. I have had a few hit the bait when I was snagged and knock it off the snag (LOVE those fish!!).

I try to experiment. Some days they hit them while I'm just swimming them along in open water. Some days they want a stop and go retrieve. In cold water, I use suspending cranks and try delays for as long as I can stand or until they get nailed, whichever comes first.

Some days I have had to real the lure really, really fast. I've had my butt kicked really bad a couple times by speed trollers who were trolling faster than I can reel. Probably should do that one more often. Once in a while, really digging bottom hard works too.

Once in a while, a real slow retrieve, almost like worming, was needed. They're a tool like anything else. You should never stop trying variations or new things with any tool (lure).

[FishermanJohn]

I've had only a little success with Norman DD22s in the past so lately I have been throwing Rapala DT-16 and Strike King 6XDs and both have been producing fairly well.  I've had most success with a constant retrieve - both slow and burning it along bottom/cover.

[Anthony Adams]

What size Fat Free Dan?

My best luck has come on the DD22 Normans, Bandit 300 & 400 series and the DT14 & 16.

I have had some limited success on a C Flash as well.

I find my best retrieve is a quick reel down until I feel the bait hit bottom. Reel slowly dragging the bait right on the bottom, pause reel slowly pause, steady medium retrieve in. Most times they hit on the first pause and often times they will hit as the bait ascends towards the surfice. When i notice they are hitting on the upward retrieve I will switch to a floating instead of a suspending crankbait because I feel this means the bass are suspended off the bottom a little more. I then change my retrieve to a quick reel down until a hit bottom, longer pause, twitch, twitch reel quick until I hit bottom again longer pause, twitch a few times and medium reel in.

[Firefighter Jeff]

   I don't have a lot of experience with diving cranks, but this spring in 8 to 12 feet of water I did pretty well on Series 5xd out on St. Clair.  They were custom painted in a perch pattern by Bassfan581.  I caught fish when bouncing it off the bottom, but I found I got a lot of fish by making a cast and reeling it down about as fast as I could and just paused it..... Bam  !!!  Now that was fun  !!!

[djkimmel]

I use all sizes of the Fat Free crankbaits series. Just depends on what size seems to be working best and how deep I think I need to get it.

[dashaver63]

I just bought some more deep divers for Erie today and I really like the deep diving fat free shad in the citrus shad color. I also throw 6xd's, they have some color patterns in that model you can't get in the regular series 6 baits. I also bought a new set up today for throwing the big crank baits, the Tour KVD signature rod, 7' MH and the Browning Citori 5.4:1 reel. It feels alot lighter than the e glass rod I have been using.

[Skulley]

I use several different cranks when fishing Erie and St. Clair.  I have had my best luck on Norman DLN's as well as some of the Fat Free Shads.  I tend to stick with more of the natural colors in both models.  I use a lot of other cranks also.  One of the cranks that has been really producing for me this year on St. Clair is S.W.A.G. Big Dog Shad.  I designed it for S.W.A.G. and it really has been my "go to" crank this year.  I originally tested it in the Hot Pond at the end of last year with the owner of the company and was surprised how well the prototype produced.  Then when the fish on the mile roads moved up, I started really catching them pretty good.  I still did throw my old stand byes and did well on those.  I have also used some magnum wiggle warts over the years and some of the colors that are not made anymore produce very well.  Also the big Bomber Cranks which are 10 or 12 a's worked well for me too.  I am somewhat of a self proclaimed crank bait expert and am not afraid to use them any time of year in any kind of conditions.  You really have to have confidence in them if you would really like to be successful.  I also designed a spinner bait for S.W.A.G. too and that has put some nice fish in the boat for me too.


BD                           

[Mojo]

If you aren't throwing the ol gizzard shad , yer missing fish. ....... 

[Skulley]

If you aren't throwing the ol gizzard shad , yer missing fish. ....... 

Gizzard Shad is included in "natural colors" as indicated in my post. I will tell you, you're missing fish if you are not throwing the S.W.A.G. Big Dog Shad. I threw both colors side by side all spring and caught more on the Big Dog Shad. I am not saying the gizzard shad didn't produce.....it did.....but not like the Big Dog Shad. There could have been a lot of reasons for that too from rattle sound, to wobble, to color, whatever. All I can tell you are about results at the end of the day.


BD.                           

[Mojo]

No no no ....  not Gizzard Shad ..... Dave, Cheetam and I developed ..... just for  Lake St Clair 15 - 19 fow in August ...... the WORLD FAMOUS  -----

Gizzard Perch !!

[Skulley]

If balderdash were music, you would be a brass band, Mojo.   .  .  You crack me up man.  


BD.                    

[djkimmel]

I don't believe I've ever heard of a gizzard perch?? I must hang out in the wrong places.

[Revtro]

LOL.  I've seen the ole Gizzard Perch.  It's quite a concoction.  I don't remember seeing it catch a fish, but it's got some legend behind it.   

[Cheetam]

No no no ....  not Gizzard Shad ..... Dave, Cheetam and I developed ..... just for  Lake St Clair 15 - 19 fow in August ...... the WORLD FAMOUS  -----

Gizzard Perch !!

(Of course you have to cast with a 7 ft Mojo rod, while listening to Mojo in the morning, and drinking a cup of (mo) Joe) ..... hmmmmm

Oh yeah, I forgot about that one!  That one was a true, one-off custom that will never, ever be reproduced.  From the mind of a madman (Mojoman?) comes...THE GIZZARD PERCH.