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Bomber or Bandit Crankbaits?

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I'm a bit new here and I'm in the market for a few Crankbaits to use on the Delaware River in Penn for Smallmouths. I fish year round in all conditions and I've been looking at the Bandit and Bomber lures, which one would you reccommend? Thanks,

Bandits they seem to run truer out of the box.

  • Super User

Bandits if you are cranking shaloow-mid and bomber fat free shad if you are going deep

neither, i prefer rapala and spro.

  • Author

Carrington, which Rapalas?  I like them, just not sure which ones to use.

  • Super User
Bandits they seem to run truer out of the box.

Try a few Wiggle Warts, too!

:)

  • Super User
Bandits they seem to run truer out of the box.

Try a few Wiggle Warts, too!

:)

X2 - I've had some good days with Wiggle Warts the last couple months... 8-)

I have never, ever owned a Bomber that didn't run true out of the box.  Try the Square A, Fat A, or the Flat A.

In Bandits, try the Footloose if the water is shallow or the 100 and 200 series.

I would go with Bandit.  They have great colors and they seem to have good quality baits.

  • Global Moderator

I like the Bandit 100, 200, and Flat Maxx. Bomber get's my vote if I'm going deeper running, I've had some 300 series Bandits that didn't run true out of the box. If you're fishing for smallmouth I have to agree with R.W. and get yourself some wiggle warts. When the water gets cold, crank them slowly along the bottom. Not usually a numbers game but I've caught some of my biggest crankbait smallmouth on the crawdad patterned wiggle wart. They are about the same price as the Bandits or Bombers too.

It depends on your style of fishing. Try a few of both and decide for yourself which is type best for you personally.

Best producing crank bait for me this year has been the Storm big bass in texas craw color.

Norman, Rapala DT, and Spro little john

Out of the two mentioned though, I would have to say bandit. As said earlier they are truer right out of the box.

I have never, ever owned a Bomber that didn't run true out of the box. Try the Square A, Fat A, or the Flat A.

In Bandits, try the Footloose if the water is shallow or the 100 and 200 series.

At one time, I would have whole heartedly agreed, but of late I've had more Bombers that needed tuning right out of the box than one's that ran true.  The only brand I've never had to tune is Rapala.  Once you've tuned a crank or two however, it's not that big a deal...it certainly wouldn't be a reason for me not to buy a bait.

One of my best baits this summer was a Bandit 200 in the pearl w/ chart back color.  Banged that thing through timber all summer.  Caught alot of fish on it.

  • Global Moderator
One of my best baits this summer was a Bandit 200 in the pearl w/ chart back color. Banged that thing through timber all summer. Caught alot of fish on it.

I fished with an older guy in a tournament one time that swore by bouncing Bandit cranks through trees. He said "Only thing that climbs a tree better than a Bandit is a squirrel".  :)

As a fellow PA smallmouth guy....Bandit in the brown/orange craw and the yellow/orange craw (we call it spring craw...but not sure that's the color.

I can PM you if need some more help.

Land it with Bandit

    -gk

Yeah, I have plenty of Bombers, never got anything with them.  Bandit, fish with a few times, caught some good fish.  so, Bandit for this guy!

  • Super User

Either.

Depends on the style and colors that I have at the time.

I do have a lot more Bandits as if you lose one they are not expensive to replace and you can find them at all tackle shops.  :)

Bandit hands down. They have an awesome color selection and object deflection is much better in my opinion.

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