Do you have a favorite flatside that runs deep? Or is there an alternate presentation I can put at 7-9 that will be subtle in movement and sound? I'm hunting 'biggest fish of the year', if that matters. I wouldn't have normally turned to a crank for that, but it has been working for me in colder water.

 

A flatside has been a really good presentation for me in the early prespawn, call it 55-57 degrees. Usually fished as slow as I can stand it, and it hasn't mattered whether I'm hitting anything or deflecting.  Very tiny/subtle rattle. 

I'm going to hit this area a little earlier, best guess would be 51-53 degrees. Weather here is volatile so it could be warmer. Really hoping is back over 50 though. 

My hunch is that the fish are going to be a little deeper, and I'm going to need to present at 7-9'. 

 

 

Lipless baits have flat sides 

And they work great at that water temp & depth

A-Jay

Look at SPRO Little John MDs. Use 10lb line and you’ll hit 7-9.

 

If you’re into the whole Red lure thing they have a nice transparent red variation. Cell Mate gets bit too.

Agree with A-Jay, 1 oz Bill Lewis Mag Trap runs this depth and appeals to big bass.

Tom

PS, Bone color w/ light over spray of purple back.

 

8 minutes ago, A-Jay said:

Lipless baits have flat sides 

And they work great at that water temp & depth

A-Jay

Fair point. I may be overly concerned about having to go slow in the low 50's. 100% will make sure I have one on. 

For a lipped crank, I like Strike King's KVD 1.5 Flat Side. It'll run down to 9ft. on a long cast with 10lb. fluoro.  Bomber's Deep Flat 'A' is another, although it runs deeper.

I wouldn't rule out a deep jerkbait like a Rapala deep shad rap or a Lucky Craft Pointer XR. Both are designed for getting down to those depths and are proven, cold water producers.

 

R2Sea Tactical crank bait, not flat sided but catch big colder water bass.

Tom

The Bill Lewis MR6 will tick 8ft on a long cast with light fluoro.

Frittside 9

SPRO Little John MD

Based on what you are describing, I would just slow roll a baby bull shad or something similar, and pretend it has flat sides and a lip if that's a requirement for some reason.

3 hours ago, FishinBuck07 said:

Frittside 9

Kentucky Blue looks good?

Tom

3 hours ago, FishinBuck07 said:

Frittside 9

For me the Frittside is the best bait that has come out in years!!  Don't tell anybody but they are a year around bait!! ?

SR-9

https://6thsensefishing.com/collections/******-70x-lipless-crankbait

I've caught so many big winter time bass on this bait, including my 5 and 6 pounder last Saturday. One of my 7's last year fell for one also. 

https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Strike_King_KVD_HC_Flat_Side_15_Crankbait/descpage-SKKVDFS.html

And this is how my tackle pile keeps growin' even when I thought I was mostly done.

 

Appreciate all the suggestions, there were a lot of good ideas in here, and it gave me a bigger range to think about for these almost-prespawn fish at that depth range. And I remembered that I had some Curve 55's which will get me to 7-8 ft and not be too wild, and I found the Duo Realis in ~1oz too.

 

Learned a bunch this year with crankbaits, particuarly how picky the fish can be about little stuff that hasn't seemed to matter as much in other presentations, like "today we'll bite yellow but not chart"

 

21 hours ago, Bluebasser86 said:

I've caught so many big winter time bass on this bait, including my 5 and 6 pounder last Saturday. One of my 7's last year fell for one also. 

https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Strike_King_KVD_HC_Flat_Side_15_Crankbait/descpage-SKKVDFS.html

yeah i gotta agree. that bait catches em . frittside 9 is good too.

A dt10 on 15-17lb line will run at the depth you want and you’ll have a little extra muscle should you actually hook a giant. It’s not a flatside but dt’s are known for being subtle.

13 hours ago, tander said:

For me the Frittside is the best bait that has come out in years!!  Don't tell anybody but they are a year around bait!! ?

Yea, I decided I needed some when I noticed TW was sold out of 80% of them and they were a 'best seller'.  I felt left out, lol.

A chartreuse ,  long lipped Bomber Flat A on Mississippi river dikes or rip rap banks is deadly .