Bandit crankbaits (2") for a reservoir with all three black bass but the vast majority of them being smallies? Or am I opening myself up to getting strikes from smaller fish? BPS has these bandits on sale at the moment and I was thinking of picking up a handful.

 

What crankbaits are good for targeting smallies?

Luhr Jensen hot & tots absolutely crush smallies. 

The Spring Craw color 200 and 100 series Bandit has caught a lot of smallmouth for me. I've caught tons of largemouth on them, and for some reason the walleye here really like them too. 

My favorite color bandit has always been splatterback but the older I get the more I think crankbait color is moot. I’m sure it matters sometimes but I troll them 2.5 mph and it sure seems like reaction strikes that I get. I painted some crankbaits all white once with a paintbrush and they worked just as well as before. Hand painting crankbaits is absolutely huge in East Tennessee, and they want a pretty penny for them. With all the gadgets people will buy to catch a bass, I’m thinking it’s one of those things to catch a fisherman by the wallet 

Bandits in rootbeer and redcraw will deffinately not I repeat NOT crush the smallies just don't even waste your time

Idk what the color is called but the brown craw colored back with the chartreuse belly has always been great for me in the Susquehanna and potomac . Series 100 &200

My favorite squarebill for smallmouths is the Bomber Square A.  The 1 5/8" size is perfect for the small river I fish.  They do catch some dinks, but I also catch more large fish on the smaller size.  Many, many by-catch opportunities with white bass, walleyes & catfish.  They aren't expensive, so I'm willing to throw them in risky places, which can pay off.

 

The best pattern for me is firetiger; shad, Foxy Mama & white/chartreuse back also score well.

Bandit 100 and 200 in silver minnow, craw, and ole matte lite are my 3 best SM crankbaits.

 

Allen

Bandit does make a killer smallie crank! Spro RkCrawler is my absolute favorite smallie crankbait however. Just works when others seem to fall short.

Bandit Crankbaits I’m a huge fan. Got into them when they first came out and have fished them since. It’s a shame they stopped making some of the vintage patterns. 

 

Buy a few patterns you feel good about and fish them. They’ll produce. 

 

I do not see where the targeting SM would be any different than with a Rapala, Strike King or Bomber though. They also have fantastic Smallie patterns. 

 

Have fun. Good luck.