How To Determine Crankbait Qualities....

[hooah212002]

There is a house on my way home from work owned by a widow who is selling her since deceased husbands fishing gear. The amount of lures she has is simply astonishing. This one man had more lures than I have ever seen at even Walmart, and they all looked to be in new condition. I asked her about this and she said he would buy them, then un-package them for easier storage.  He was a custom jig maker and she has something like 30 jig molds for $18 apiece (that is a good deal, right?).

 

Anyways, what I want to know is: how do you know what sort of properties a crankbait has just by looking at it? Obviously, you can tell if it floats...by putting it in the water. I have always thought the longer the bill, the deeper the dive. I picked up some Rat-L-Traps and some of them in packages that claimed to be "deep diving", but they are lipless?? I picked up some "square bills" but I don't know if they qualify as actual square bills.

 

What makes a jerkbait, a jerkbait? Are they just the crankbaits that are long and skinny with short lips? What about the long skinny cranks with large/long lips? 

 

This question is probably easy for you guys with boats because you can go out in the middle of a body of water and cast and see how deep it goes, but that can't be done from shore (or I just don't know how).

[Paul Roberts]

Get a catalog like BPS or Cabelas and familiarize yourself with the stats on the various configurations.

[hooah212002]

Get a catalog like BPS or Cabelas and familiarize yourself with the stats on the various configurations.

 

Does that help when buying baits that are not in packages or labeled in any way?

[rockchalk06]

Most cranks I've used that were older were either marked some how or I remembered them by sight. Several are still around and can be found at places like BP, TW and other places of the such.

Look at the hooks. Are they sharp? Are they thick wire or look like trash. How flimsy are the bills? How's the paint quality.

By the way you described his set up, shop etc, I would assume he has some good stuff. Most guys like that don't buy elcheapo junk.

[hooah212002]

 

Most cranks I've used that were older were either marked some how or I remembered them by sight. Several are still around and can be found at places like BP, TW and other places of the such.

Look at the hooks. Are they sharp? Are they thick wire or look like trash. How flimsy are the bills? How's the paint quality.

By the way you described his set up, shop etc, I would assume he has some good stuff. Most guys like that don't buy elcheapo junk.

 

Here are some pics of what I bought. Everything I bought was brand new as far as I could tell.

 

 

[rockchalk06]

You've got two rattle traps in the boxes. A 1/2 oz and a 1/4 oz. they don't have the new MVD hooks, but rattle traps were the first lipless cranks made. Good stuff. I have several and used them alot. 

The Bomber is decent larger top water popper.

The rest of the cranks are all shallow runners. I recognized bream and what looks like rootbeer colors. I'd have to look and the bills and body's to see if there are any markings, but my guess is Bombers. All look like quality cranks

[hooah212002]

You are correct on all accounts (they are bombers). However, she has LOTS more. I just grabbed square bills and lipless for today because those are my needs for now. I want to know how to look at a crank and determine it's use.

[BassinB]

those shallow squarebills don't look like bombers to me. they look like bandit 100's

[Hooligan]

In general, the length of the lip on cranks is the factor that determines their depth. The position of the line tie in conjunction with the width of the bait will give some clue as to how wide the bait wobbles. It isn't a guarantee but it gives a clue. Generally baits that have the line tie closer to the bait are going to have a wider wobble and less roll. Baits that are further down the bio are generally tighter with less roll.

A jerkbait is a jerkbait, regardless of it being floating, suspending, or sinking. Jerkbaits are in a minnow body shape. Determining their suspension float or sink is about fishing them.

Modern squarebills aren't like the old bandit 100 that you have there. They're have a much steeper angle and the bait rolls far less.

Don't get me wrong, these are all general terms. There is not great delineation in this small entry to give adequate description to the way a bait is built in regards to its actions.

[Bluebasser86]

Here are some pics of what I bought. Everything I bought was brand new as far as I could tell.

All your baits not in the package are Bandit 100's without a doubt. They were the first squarebill crank I owned and the only crank I used for a few years because they are cheap and effective. They have a pretty unmistakable look when you know what you're looking for. They all have that little line indention that runs from under the chin to midway back on the bait. 

[rockchalk06]

I have limited knowledge of cranks as I don't use them like I probably should. I'm more of a jig guy.

Squarebills are designed to be run into and through cover. The wide bill aides in keeping it from getting hung up. When it hits the log brush pile etc, it triggers strikes. They run shallow from 0-5 feet.

Medium divers run 5-10 and some have a wide bill that makes a large wide wobble like the bait fish is hunting or feeding. Skinnier bills less wobble.

Deep divers are 10 plus. Same as mediums.

Then you have suspending jerk baits. They run Anywhere from 0-16 feet depending on the size of the bill. Mainly for cold water they work best on a slack line with a jerk.

I

Like I said, my knowledge is limited on them. Hopefully more people will jump in.

[Paul Roberts]

Yes. First, what's important to look at (adding on to what's been said by others above):

 

Depth is achieved by bill length (longer the deeper), bill angle (straighter out from body nose the deeper). Also, body shape can affect depth with narrow plugs cutting water better than fat plugs. Also, big heavy plugs will usually go deeper, and this is in part what helps some extra-deeps to get down. Further, balsa being more buoyant than most plastics tends to run shallower.

 

You can break plugs down into rough depth potential:

0-1ft (supershallow)

2-4 (shallow)

3-6 (med)

6-9 (med deep)

8-14 (deep)

14-20+ (xtra deep)

 

The reason there is a range not a precise number is bc line diameter, how far you cast, and how fast you retireve affects actual depth achieved.

 

Now, the catalogs:

 

It's not important you know the precise rating of each plug bc some might rate a plug 3-6 while another might rate a similar plug 2-5. These are close enough that both would fill the role of a med crank. Check the catalogs and look at the bills to familiarize yourself with various plugs bill style, overall size, and composition (balsa or plastic). Then check the table provided by each manufacturer in the catalog for the depth rating for each plug. Usually larger catalogs show a picture of each plug so you can see the plug and look at its rating.

 

So when you look at any plug, box or no box, you'll have a good ballpark idea of where it fits in your tackle box.

 

The plugs shown in your photos are Bandit 100's. A BPS catalog says Bandit 100s run 2'-5'. The 100 Squarebill it says runs 4'-6' -very slightly deeper bc of the slightly longer bill. Both would fill the role of a med crank, but, the squarebill is a bit more snag resistant due to the wider, cornered, bill. I've been able to walk round bills through cover pretty well too though.

 

Hope this helps.

[hooah212002]

Thank you. That helps tremendously.

[hooah212002]

Hope this helps.

 

It most certainly does. Thank you.

[Paul Roberts]

Awesome.

 

Hey, cool avatar btw. Misty morning pond hop.

[Fishes in trees]

Opportunities like this don't come around very often, go back and buy all the gear.    Do it now.  All of it.  Molds and everything.   If there are rods & reels, buy them.   Don't pass up this opportunity.  It would be a shame to see this guys collection broken up when it doesn't have to be.  Guys who have this much gear have other stuff as well.   There is probably a high dollar rain suit ( maybe 2) in his gear closet, which might fit you.  Probably some mid-range to high dollar fishing clothes also.  Ask about all of it.

[hooah212002]

Opportunities like this don't come around very often, go back and buy all the gear.    Do it now.  All of it.  Molds and everything.   If there are rods & reels, buy them.   Don't pass up this opportunity.  It would be a shame to see this guys collection broken up when it doesn't have to be.  Guys who have this much gear have other stuff as well.   There is probably a high dollar rain suit ( maybe 2) in his gear closet, which might fit you.  Probably some mid-range to high dollar fishing clothes also.  Ask about all of it.

 

Loan me a few thousand bucks and I'll be glad to.