Just like the title says, I like cranks and fish quite a few. My only issue is that I am *cough* thrifty, some would say cheap. I know there arenlots of options, lookjng for something in the 12-15ft that is above average for comjng through cover. I know its inevitable when fishing brush piles especially with Christmas trees but I also know some are better than others at not getting hung up. I have retrievers, hound dog and a telescoping pole but sometimes with the boar traffic and wind its just not going to happen, lol.

Ones I have been fishing that are inexpensive but work well are the old school Bomber Fat Free Shad but I have some dual hardcore and other brands but just wondering what others may be throwing that catch fish and are above average for not gettjng hung up.

Duel Hardcore Crankbait 3+ and 4+ are some of my favorites, Yozuri makes a similar crank, the 3DB Series Deep Crankbait, but it doesn't have the weight transfer system that duel hardcore does. The Norman NXS is a winner, definitely one to consider if you have not already.

https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Yo-Zuri_3DB_Series_Deep_Crankbait/descpage-YZ3C.html

https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/search-tackle.html?start=0&count=20&searchtext=norman+NXS

When tacklewarehouse had the dual hardcore on clearance I bought quite a few. Just something about the bill seems to get hung up more, but I need to throw them some more. I do not have any Yozuri but have heard good things but they are usually out of my price range....I have one of the old norman lures but need more time using it....

In that depth range my favorites are the OSP blitz max dr and blitz ex dr. Not cheap but they work very well. I don’t fish brush so can’t tell you how they come through it. They come through rock well.

On 6/8/2026 at 12:15 PM, bishoptf said:

sometimes with the boar traffic and wind its just not going to happen, lol.

We all make occasional typos, but some are just better than others. I like this one.

As for your question...I don't throw crankbaits as much as I should, but I mostly use SK XDs, or Rapala DTs. DSG puts those brands on a buy 3 get 3 sale pretty regularly. They're good lures, and they're cheaper that way so it hurts less if/when you lose them.

Hybrid Hunter

1 hour ago, Junk Fisherman said:

Hybrid Hunter

I have at least one HH but I think its a shallow crankbait, do they make a deep diver HH?

Just now, bishoptf said:

I have at least one HH but I think its a shallow crankbait, do they make a deep diver HH?

No. 3'-5' is about what it covers. But it comes through brush great.

5 minutes ago, Junk Fisherman said:

No. 3'-5' is about what it covers. But it comes through brush great.

Yup thats what Inthought since that is the one that I have, wasn't sure if they had newer ones that ran deeper. I am primarily looking for 12-15ft....

My experience, though limited, is that the fat free shad does good coming through cover.

5 minutes ago, Bazoo said:

My experience, though limited, is that the fat free shad does good coming through cover.

Agree it does pretty well, just was wondering what others may be using....

Berkley Dredger has treated me well in that range. It's get's down quick and comes through fairly clean.

4 minutes ago, SAL321 said:

Berkley Dredger has treated me well in that range. It's get's down quick and comes through fairly clean.

I have a dresger 8.5 but havent fished it much but will have to give it a try...

You'll probably want the Dredger 14.5

The Frabil lure retriever pole will save you many dollars. It extends to 15ft

8 hours ago, GReb said:

The Frabil lure retriever pole will save you many dollars. It extends to 15ft

I have both a hound dog and a telescoping pole, you would have to see one of the lakes I fish on. Lots of wake boat and ski boat traffic plus wind. When the boat is rocking and near objects like boat docks etc it can be quite challenging to use either one of them. Honestly I have had more luck with the telescoping pole but again unable to always use it.

5 minutes ago, bishoptf said:

I have both a hound dog and a telescoping pole, you would have to see one of the lakes I fish on. Lots of wake boat and ski boat traffic plus wind. When the boat is rocking and near objects like boat docks etc it can be quite challenging to use either one of them. Honestly I have had more luck with the telescoping pole but again unable to always use it.

Same. Retrieval can be impossible, and dangerous. Not worth messing up a boat, or risk falling overboard for a lure. I used to think that there could never be anything more annoying than a teenager on a jet ski, but then wake boats came along. 😤

Favorite: DT6 - every so often I get a DT6 that suspends or ever so slowly sinks. 👀

Yeah - those ones are the special ones. Hang on to those ones.

Also great: frittside/speed trap/OG slim/bandit 200/fat free fingerling/5Xd/Money Badger/wiggle wart etc etc

4 minutes ago, Pat Brown said:

Favorite: DT6 - every so often I get a DT6 that suspends or ever so slowly sinks. 👀

Yeah - those ones are the special ones. Hang on to those ones.

Also great: frittside/speed trap/OG slim/bandit 200/fat free fingerling/5Xd/Money Badger/wiggle wart etc etc

I tend to purchase more than I need, i pretty much have all the above that you have listed. Although most you have listed outside of the 5xd are 5-10ft range and I guess when I said mid depth I was talking 12-15. I was just wondering what folks were having luck with that seemed to come through brush piles better than average.

To get the DT6 to suspend or slow sink just upsize the hooks, I usually swap to a size 4 ewg short shank hook at least on the front and once doing that almost all will suspend or slow sink with the bigger hook.

Just now, bishoptf said:

I tend to purchase more than I need, i pretty much have all the above that you have listed. Although most you have listed outside of the 5xd are 5-10ft range and I guess when I said mid depth I was talking 12-15. I was just wondering what folks were having luck with that seemed to come through brush piles better than average.

To get the DT6 to suspend or slow sink just upsize the hooks, I usually swap to a size 4 ewg short shank hook at least on the front and once doing that almost all will suspend or slow sink with the bigger hook.

I think I started coming through brush piles better when I started to fish moderate rods with heavy monofilament and burning the bait more rather than working it slowly.

So it kind of boiled down to gear and technique for me!

17 minutes ago, Fishlegs said:

Same. Retrieval can be impossible, and dangerous. Not worth messing up a boat, or risk falling overboard for a lure. I used to think that there could never be anything more annoying than a teenager on a jet ski, but then wake boats came along. 😤

Yeah, my other concern is having my rod and reel go overboard then I would be really upset since while my rods are usually nothing special my reels are decent. One of the lakes is only 600 acres and when the boats are going the waves go back and forth it's literally like the ocean. Is what it is in the summer....along with the heat, lol.

1 minute ago, Pat Brown said:

I think I started coming through brush piles better when I started to fish moderate rods with heavy monofilament and burning the bait more rather than working it slowly.

So it kind of boiled down to gear and technique for me!

Agree on the rods and I only use moderate rods for crankbaits, does make a difference along imho ewg hooks. We have so much brush I usually am afraid of the burning the bait since I seem to get snagged more often.

I fish mono also at least leader, what size mono do you usually fish? I think right now I am using 15lb mono since 12 was just not lasting due to abrasion. I know I lose some depth with the thicker line but seems to work.

Try a big pool and 20 lb big game for deeper than 10 ft divers and you should be good.

That loss of depth is just part of the technique IMHO. They kinda become more like high power mid divers which is what I want them to do anyway for brush.

Try cranks that hit the cover but don’t dig into it - they work the best for burning and brush.

2 hours ago, Pat Brown said:

Try a big pool and 20 lb big game for deeper than 10 ft divers and you should be good.

That loss of depth is just part of the technique IMHO. They kinda become more like high power mid divers which is what I want them to do anyway for brush.

Try cranks that hit the cover but don’t dig into it - they work the best for burning and brush.

A big pool?..maybe spool?

Yeah exactly what I have been trying to figure out cover depth and crankbait depth, sounds like I am on the right path just need to get better at judging depth and not be lazy about swapping out lures. The problem I have with being *cough* older is that the deeper diving cranks are also bigger and tend to wear on me, lol....will look into picking up some 20lb mono and seeing how that works.

Best deep diver I own is the Strike King 5xd and they are usually on sale for $6.

Allen

6th Sense Cloud 9 in C10 or C15. The bill is a bit wider than many baits and they deflect well. The Luhr Jensen Hot Lips is another excellent bait but they’re getting harder to find.