What is your favorite crankbait color from the custom lure manufacturer's (Flat Shad, Big M, etc.)? I'm looking for unique named colors mostly like Coachdog, Plemmons and Horton for examples.

Please include a general description of water clarity where you prefer each color pattern.

Thanks.

Steve

either bandit 1oo in perch or chartuce black back.

Bomber all sizes in the citruse color

Flat-Shad:

I believe this is called "Yum"

Neon Shad

Ghost Neon

"Bubblegum Pearl" from FD has been VERY good to me.

And this one from FD, which is a dark purple back, black base with abalone shell sides is hands down the coolest finish I've ever seen on a crank.

It's the coolest thing coming through the water...when the sun hits the abalone it flashes a lot of green - - it really reminds me a large metallic insect or something. For some reason, this bait attracts a lot of different species......I caught a walleye, a cat, and a largemouth off the same point with it one day.

"Plemmons" is a standard (a RAM Pig Dawg in this pic)

This is a RAM original......"Ohio River Special". It's foiled with a black back, and a translucent chartreuse over the foiling. It's a subtle effect....the bait appears very silver, but when it flashes (as flatsided baits are soo good at) it throws off a yellow glow. Awesome.

Marty (Big M) has a killer take on "Chartreuse Shad".....and ANYTHING involving purples!

Marty doesn't have a name for this, but it is a gorgeous spinoff of a "Lavender Shad"

I forgot what Craig Cole (BlackJack, or Nomad Lures) calls this, but it's gorgeous in clear water.

A bait from Bobby Kelly in "Shellcracker"

"Mellow Yellow" ranks in my top favorites in life

Pretty much every custom crank maker offers their take on the classic Mellow Yellow......I think Zoom WEC is probably my favorite version. It's subtle, yet very visible.....I throw it in absolutely ANY water condition.

I love pretty much any thing from Zoom...

"Classic"

"Chartreuse Classic"

stringjam;

    dude,that is a awsume lineup of costum cranks.I did not ask this question,but thanks for the pictures.There where great!

Lucky craft's Ghost Minnow has been money for me in clear water.

I pruchased a few Sexy Shad seeing KVD throw them and haven't caught anything on them.  I can't even manage to get them snagged on something.  That super color doesn't work for me very well.

Colors that represent Bluegills are my most productive

The best all around color for me in clear or stained water is tennesse shad.

For customs I like bluegill colored baits mostly. Recently I have been collecting custom painted RC 1.5 baits.

Well I have 3 of those cranks Where do I get one of those Ohio River specials from?

Allen

This is my favorite.... Bluegill / Golden shiner hybrid....... Killer here in FL.....

Lucky craft's Ghost Minnow has been money for me in clear water.

I pruchased a few Sexy Shad seeing KVD throw them and haven't caught anything on them. I can't even manage to get them snagged on something. That super color doesn't work for me very well.

X2. Ghost minnow has been very good to me. My tackle box is now full of them.

Stringjam, those are some gorgeous cranks. A few look too fine to fish! ;D

Awesome cranks Stringjam, look too pretty to fish. I've done well on Lucky Craft RC cranks in the Ghost color along with the Ghost Sunfish  with the BDS cranks & pointers. I have 2 remaining Fat Free Guppy baits that has a black back, white belly with transluscent scaled sides that covered a reflective insert, I believed it was their old Advantage series. This bait has been a fish catching machine in clear water fished on 8 lb line. I would do almost anything for a few more of these baits.

Awesome cranks Stringjam, look too pretty to fish. I've done well on Lucky Craft RC cranks in the Ghost color along with the Ghost Sunfish with the BDS cranks & pointers. I have 2 remaining Fat Free Guppy baits that has a black back, white belly with transluscent scaled sides that covered a reflective insert, I believed it was their old Advantage series. This bait has been a fish catching machine in clear water fished on 8 lb line. I would do almost anything for a few more of these baits.

You've probably done this, but try looking on eBay. I go on there to find the old Excalibur Fat Free Shads.

The best thing you can do is understand what forage is present in the body of water that your fishing and try to replicate that a closely as possible. In case you dont know what forage is its just the food that the predatory fish feed on. fathead minnows, shad, sunfish, crayfish etc etc. Try to throw something that resembles whatever is present in the lake and that what you think they are feeding on depending on the time of year. Of course if the water is clear you should throw more natural colors and go with brighter colors if the water is stained. I really really like the new rapalas that are comming out. great colors and action.  Have not fished with the brand thats mentioned. They look nice though

Lucky craft's Ghost Minnow has been money for me in clear water.

agree 100%

I looking for custom bait colors and combinations and not mass produced colors as I am not looking for recommendations of colors for myself more of interested in popularity of custom cranks and when choosing custom cranks what colors people are choosing.

Horton

Dolphin

Plemmons

Foiled baits

Etc.

Thanks.

Steve

Where do I get one of those Ohio River specials from?

Allen

Allen,

That is a "Shakeyman," made by Richard Manley (aka RAM Cranks).....Richard has ceased production for awhile, but indicated to me that he would be getting back into it sometime in the future.  

I hope sooner than later....Richard was carrying on "Ron-E-Bee" designs (he was his apprentice).   His baits are murder.  

#1   crawdad pattern

#2   firetiger

#3   chrome

#4  blugill color

#5  tenn. shad

#6  bandit  ( mistake)

#7  sunfish

#8  chrome   black back

#9  chrome   blue back