Stringjam

Barely the tip of the iceberg, but I'll try to keep it to two or three per category (though I strongly object! ) Top: Chug Bug Shallow: (tie) Flat-Shad Sonny B, Big M "M-Flat", JawJacker Model B, Zoom WEC Hicky.....okay, okay....I have a hard time stopping here.... Mid: Rapala DT-6, Storm Wiggle Wart Mid/Deep ('10): Big M "Tapp" style, Poe's Comp Cedars 4300 Deep (low-mid teens): (tie) Rapala DT-16 and Poe's Comp Cedars 4400 Mag Deep (18+): Big M Cedar Sub, Poe's Comp Cedars 4500 LR I have no preference for lure construction (wood vs. plastic).

Congrats to Fritts who took the Guntersville FLW with a Rapala DT-10. Also recently won the Clarks Hill in October on the DTs (blowing away 2nd by over 10 lbs.!) I don't understand it....he's just using plain old yellow and shad colored Rapalas.....how could he possibly blow away the competition without any "Sexy Shad" cranks? ;D ;D ;D Maybe one day he'll learn....

How about a 3-way tie... Jackall TN-70 Cordell Super Spot Air Viper Risebacker (sound-less and sound-lo)

What kind of hooks? For typical soft plastics stuff, my fav is the Mustad Ultra-Lock For trebles, I think Owner probably makes the best one out there.

The biggest leap in my bass fishing knowledge came from reading books and publications - - - this was before the internet age. It took a lot longer to learn or get confidence in techniques, because you really had to figure out a lot of stuff for yourself. I believe the internet has been the biggest advance in the transfer of knowledge - - - not just in fishing, but in everything. Now you don't have to rely on just reading something that an outdoor writer layed down, you can talk on a daily basis to guys who are experts in almost every field. You can ask specific questions to help you out that might have taken you a LONG time to figure out for yourself (back in the dark ages). That's righteous! I also believe one of the most important boosters of my own catch rate on my home waters was (and still is) paying close attention to local tournament anglers. The old publications and books were great for general knowledge base, but when it came down to being consistent and learning patterns on my HOME WATERS, I think this might have helped me the most.

+1......telescoping pole = no more lost baits.

They are GREAT little cranks!!! Sometimes the smaller ones are a pain to keep tuned, but they flat out catch fish.

Actually, the ones I posted about were the Ti lipped baits.......I haven't tried these........ yet..... So many crankbaits!!!!! ;D

Get a telescoping pole. I've spent lots of time using both methods....IMO the pole is vastly superior. It gives you direct contact and manipulation of your bait.

Here's a contact list I compiled.....list

Am I retarded or are the bars on each end of your name new? Maybe both I guess. They've been there for awhile......the software wouldn't allow me to use the same name for my login as my handle, so I had to alter my handle with something.

LC Staysee 90 has been my top producer in cold water this year.

If you all want a bait that hunts, just pick up a Lucky Craft Flat CB SR off of eBay and put a lighter hook set on it. The bait is really pokey and has a very sensitive balance. I have at least a half dozen of these and none of them can make it all the way back to the boat without poking out of line a few times. I think "hunting" is WAAAY overrated anyway. I have some baits that naturally hunt, and it's nothing I can't do with similar baits using my rod tip. Some cranks respond better than others. The baits I have that hunt aren't any more productive (to ME) than the others. I would rather have a bait that responds well to my rod and retrieve rates than the fabled "hunter." Believe it nor not, I've gotten pm's from people asking me not to talk about certain baits. Crankbait fishermen tend to be very secretive about their baits. I'm not....I couldn't care less. ;D Life's short and I'm not that worried about the masses running out and buying productive baits.....there's far bigger problems in the world. (one reason I never got along with some of the tournament fishermen I know.....they're just too friggen possessive and obsessed with their "secrets".......c'mon! Lighten up and have some fun.) There are a few baits I don't mention, but only because the person who hooked me up with them requested that I not (and I don't, out of respect for their kindness) or in a few instances, the builders themselves ask me not to talk about them. Believe it or not - - some crankbait builders make baits just for the love of the craft, and would rather not be bombarded with business.

I've caught some fish on them, but I haven't really spent much time with them. The main reason I bought them was for fishing mud flats from 1'-3' that bass tend run around on in the fall.

A lot of good ones already mentioned. Love the old Bomber metal-lipped cranks and the Arbogast Mud Bugs. Also the Creme straight-tailed worms. Bagley's DB3's, KB1's and B-Flats A little less known - but the Pete Reynold's "Little Petey" Among the first shallow, flatsided balsa cranks - and has been copied/modified many times since......still well worth the $ when you can find them. This bait is KILLER.

I believe thinking of it in those terms (production vs. small volume/custom) might be a little problematic. I find it best just to think in terms of effectiveness. Making the decision to buy a $15 crankbait from big company "A" as opposed to small custom builder "B" simply boils down to which one performs better, and best suits your conditions/expectations. And FWIW, consistency isn't something you need to worry about from the GOOD custom crank companies (Nomad, JawJacker, Marty, Flat-Shad, Zoom WEC, RAM, Kelly Lures, etc.etc.)....and if you do get a bait that doesn't act right, there isn't a single one of them that I deal with that wouldn't take the bait back and make it right. Obviously, wait time is going to vary - and you could end up waiting a good while from some of the makers on the list.......that doesn't bother me at all.....it may others. I've waited as long as 2 months for a crank. ;D So, my short answer for that questions is.....buy both. A Lucky Craft Flat CB SR has an action and appearance that no custom bait I've ever used matches......it is unique in the way it performs, and that's why I bought it. Another "production" company bait that I gladly pay for is the O.S.P. HPF spec 2. Same goes for: Big M Subs Flat-Shad Sonny B's Zoom WEC Deep Stumpy, Hicky, Z-Flats RAM Luv Plug and Petey's Kelly Shellcrackers GULPs JawJacker CK's, Model B's and straight-lip mid divers (the tightest action crankbaits you can buy). Some of these makers also make models that don't appeal to me at all......just like the big companies. It takes some figuring out and experimenting to establish what works best for you and your personal style. I've picked up some very expensive baits that haven't really produced for me and don't work well for my waters......and I've picked up some very expensive Japanese production baits that don't either. People are in too big of a hurry.....we have the rest of our lives to fish. Chill out and get a nice crank every now and then. People ask me how I can afford to get so many expensive crankbaits.......simple --- I didn't buy them all at one time!!! ;D I just pick one up every now and then and eventually the collection just grew. You weed out the ones that don't work and you get really good at using a plug-pole for the ones that stay. One thing I noticed mentioned at times - - comments about how the bait doesn't really matter to the fish. I disagree....the lure does matter -- sometimes it matters a l lot! I get the gist of the saying, though.....and there's some truth in it. You could give Mario Andretti a beat up old open wheel car and he would still turn in incredible lap times and make normal people look weak.......but you give him exactly what he wants, and that performs exactly the way he wants it to, and he's gonna go ill-matic on everybody's a@@. Crankbaits are no different.

I actually got mine at a BPS outlet (clearance items, returns). I don't think I've actually ever seen them inside the main BPS store, but somehow they ended up with some stock of them out there. Pretty sweet.....I only paid $6 each for them.

I caught a lot of fish on the smaller one (about the size of the DT-6). It was way better at negotiating cover than a Shad Rap - and that's where I spent most of my time throwing it. In all, I think the DT-6 does a great job at replacing it......I don't feel like I'm missing out. I still have several of the old Ristos.......maybe I'll spend some more time with them this year to relearn their ways.

Daiwa has some good designs......I'm only familiar with the T.D. stuff. The deep Hyper Cranks are a cool bait. Have also done very well with the T.D. Dartist suspending jerkbaits.

I have some BPS Rattlin' Shads. They're very good baits! The action is on the aggressive (very snappy) side, and they work well at any speed. Just not for bottom fishing, though.....they fall over. At the price Bill Lewis is putting on his new design - it better be good.....but I had to put on a long set of rubber boots just to read through all the lame marketing BS on the website.

Mud Bugs (AND the old Bombers) are still awesome. They have that funky profile and erratic kind of twitchy action. One particular little red Bomber ALWAYS gets smacked when fish are on shallow chunk rock. I also have one of the monster-sized Mud Bugs that some of the Texas guys like to throw. (I call it the Abominable Mud Bug) Seeing that thing come through the water is almost scary - - it looks like a psychotic rabid alien. If I were a bass I'd be scared as hell seeing that thing bouncing along... BTW...that "little" plug above is a Lucky Craft BDS 3

Mine have been worth every penny. Here's some standards in my box that you can't go wrong with. Flat-Shad Sonny B - - one of the finest flatsided baits out there. Toss it in cover where other guys are throwing spinnerbaits and fat cranks.......you'll begin to understand what it's all about. Flat-Shad Classic PT: Excels in cold water. Tight, subtle action. You pretty much can't go wrong with anything Flat-Shad makes. They're a fantastic company with great prices. Next up.....forum member Marty Burns: Big M "M-Flat": Works in just about any situation - - very versatile bait and great around cover. Big M Custom Tapp-style: Marty makes these in various depth ranges and lip designs. I wore the lake out last fall with these things and I was caught and convicted of bass assault in the 1st degree. Zoom WEC Hicky: JawJacker Model B: if you like little round Bagleys or the LC RC 1.5...try this!~ Rob makes a lot of different baits - - let him know what kind of conditions you want to throw it in and he'll hook you up. John Mills (used to be a forum member here) makes this bait - - I don't know what he calls it, but it murders. It's 1/2" stock balsa with a very tight action. Great cover bait - - reminiscent of the Sonny B.

Excellent post, RW. I've been through a lot of lipless baits trying to figure out what I really like in a bait and what attributes make one productive over another. I think the drop rate has a lot to do with what makes some baits produce over others in certain conditions. I also think that in burn situations, the really tight action baits (e.g. XCaliburs, Daiwa T.D.Vibrations, etc.) tend to shine at their best, while being a little lame in situations when you need to slow it down. I'm pretty happy with a Spot and a Jackall TN/70 - - it covers most of the ground I fish. I still whip out the Risebacker when I want a silent bait with a really slow drop, or the Daiwa when I really want to burn, but the Jackall is no stranger to that, either. The more the merrier......I dig the vibes.

Yes - don't buy it. For the same $15 you can get numerous other round baits that outperform it. JawJacker Model B (particularly!) Big M Custom (forum member here) LC RC 1.5 Bagley KB2 or KB1 Zoom WEC Sand Flea or Wobbler Shoot - - I'd take a Bandit 200 over my MC/60, and it's only what -- $4? My MC/60 has been a big disappointment. It doesn't perform up to the standards in the class.

Lip design generalities are just that - - generalities. I really don't pay much attention to them. I have just as much success fishing heavy cover with round-lipped cranks as square. I think, for a large part, it's just something that gets repeated over and over and over (especially from outdoor writers) until everybody believes it as fact. Much like many other concepts in bass fishing. It makes me wonder how the Bagley DB3 has managed to become the finest deep nasty brush crank ever made with that obviously inferior round lip. ;D Same for the round-lip KB1......one of the best brush cranks you can throw. The lip angle has more to do with the action than how wide it is....the straighter the lip angle, the tighter the action (there are obviously other factors in the design that also contribute to the action). I have crankbaits with enormous lips that have a very tight action, and cranks with narrow lips with a wide action.....there's way more to it than just lip shape. My suggestion - - don't base your purchases on a lip style. Just because somebody puts performance tires on an SUV doesn't mean it's going to handle great. Best thing to do is buy a good series of crankbaits and fish the paint off of them.....you won't go wrong with the Rapala DT's in any depth range you need to cover. My simple suggestion. Oh yeah, don't be afraid to throw them in nasty cover - - even with those (gasp!!) round lips.