Got a box full of Norman N cranks the other day, and had to smile. A blast from the past for me, but maybe not for some of you.
I have a bunch of crankbaits. I have no idea how may, or even how many hundred I have. I sorted them out a few years back. I've been on a fruitless quest to trim down my tackle for a long time. I have a magnum size Cabelas bag devoted to cranks. Depending on which boxes I load into it, I can get up to 13 3700 size boxes in the main compartment, one in the back and three 3600 boxes in in sides and front. That's a lot of cranks. After sorting, I came up with over thirty boxes full of different cranks, basically sorted by running depth. So, then I could choose which boxes to load for each differnent trip, making decisions based on where and time of year.
The bag, spare boxes, and sacks full of cranks still in their original packaging have been in a tote, in the garage, ever since the day long sorting process. Been fishing plastics almost exclusively, with the occasional spinnerbait and jerkbait.
I had decided that this year would feature a return to crankbait fishing, a decision triggered by a new rod I built which turned out to be a just about perfect crank rod.
So, more sorting, because I did not want to lug around that huge Cabelas bag, and I received a nice set of Plano bags, one of which holds four 3600 boxes. I thought to myself, self, that should be enough for a three day trip.
so, what did I end up with in the new bag? A box of DD22s, a box of spooks and poppers, a box of jerkbaits, and a box of Ns. I had to chuckle when I opened the package I received and found a bunch of new Ns. I made room for them in the newly loaded bag. And I am looking forward to renewing my acquaintance with cranks this year.
I've been a fan of the Ns since I read an interveiw with Rick Clunn, in which he stated the deep little N and deep Baby N were his go to crankbaits. I thought, if they're good enough for him, they are certainly good enough for me. My first trip using them was a very good trip. The Deep Little N tore em up that trip, and have continued to produce for me year after year. The Deep Baby N has been a particular favorite of mine. Included in the package were Tiny Ns, and Middle Ns, neither of which I have previously used.
I had to do a quick search of an online tackle store, just to see what cranks are out there, and what the going prices are. i have not shopped for cranks for a long time. A roigh estimate suggests crankbait prices average about $10. Current price for the Ns is $6.49. No idea what kind of hooks are on these, but I can tell you they are sticky sharp.
I have'nt read anywhere lately somebody saying they tore em up on a Deep Little N. Wonder why that is? They are still in production, which suggests people are still buying them. Have they fallen out of favor? Has all the chatter about the $20+, highly detailed cranks eclipsed their fame as excellent fish catchers? Don't know. I know there was a time when all the Ns and Os and As and Bs, and some others I've likely forgotten, were all lumped together and call by the rather disparaging name "alphabet plugs". Maybe that turned off some folks.
I'm looking forward to trying out the new version of the olds favs. And here's a thought for ya. Instead of buying four Megabass, or Jackall, or Luckycraft baits; why don't you shop on the other end of the price range, buy a box of Ns, and go catch a bunch of fish.
