Need a Norman Crank expert assist

[HeddonFrog]

I’m hoping there is a real Norman crankbait aficionado here or a lead to someone who is. In the early 2000’s I started fishing southern Lake Michigan smallmouth tournaments so I needed to stock up on smallie baits. I came across a set of Norman cranks in “Goby” color and thought “sure, why not” but other than the DD14 did not tie on the, Deep little N, Deep Baby N or Mad n crank (I don’t think they were called that back then) so three new and one probably tied on once. The question is...how rare is this color? I’ve never seen it since nor have I met any crankbait or die hard smallie guys who’ve seen it before either. It would probably be a better choice now rather than back then when gobies had just entered the scene. Any assistance would be greatly appreciated. Btw these were purchased new in factory packages. Definitely not repaints. 

 

Thanks

 

Dave

[soflabasser]

Nice lures I am sure smallmouth bass will hit them.

[burrows]

Deep litte N are my favorites but the paint jobs on Norman baits are very nice I have that goby color on one of my normon fat boys it’s a nice looking bait. Good for clean water you should try some of their other colors you would be very surprised on how nice the paint jobs are and they are extremely effective baits for me. I lost a box of them a couple years ago because I left a rod and tacklebag in my car but I’m in the process of making a new box of deep little  Ns.

[Mobasser]

Good looking baits. I used to like Norman Deep N years ago. One of my more productive crankbaits. I've never used the Goby color, mostly always chrome or shad shades. I don't remember seeing many of those. Could be somewhat rare now. I always threw them for largemouth bass

[Harold Scoggins]

According to their web site, Goby is now only used on the Fat Boy.

https://normanlures.com/lures

[Log Catcher]

Since Norman is under new ownership it will be a crap shoot on what colors they keep. Bandit also has the same new owners. They made a goby colored bait but it did not luck anything like yours.

[Boomstick]

Not a Norman expert by any means although I do fish the fat boy a lot and they are my goto brand for medium and deep drivers , but the Goby color is not the usual colors I see on Norman's baits by any means. I bet you'll have some luck with these as many bass never saw them before!

[J Francho]

21 minutes ago, Log Catcher said:

Since Norman is under new ownership it will be a crap shoot on what colors they keep.

Norman has been owned by Pradco for a number of years now.  You can find colors they're producing using the site @Harold Scoggins linked to above.  The list of Praco brands is here: https://www.pradcooutdoorbrands.com/

They pretty much have every segment of bait category covered.  Been using many of their brands for years.

 

OP: That a VERY cool collection of baits.  I wish there was a Heavy DD22 in that color.  Would be killer up here!  The closest to a goby pattern is GG Tilapia, and that's a stretch.

[Spankey]

Pretty nice looking. It will work if you believe strongly enough that it will. 

 

The base color alone will catch the heck out of smallies. (Solid olive green) One of my most productive Bandits. I can't say the Goby Bandits are a must have. They caught fish but not a great pattern. Like you I just had to try it. I don't believe they see that as a goby. Just my opinion. Just a lure they reacted to. 

[Log Catcher]

26 minutes ago, J Francho said:

Norman has been owned by Pradco for a number of years now.  You can find colors they're producing using the site @Harold Scoggins linked to above.  The list of Praco brands is here: https://www.pradcooutdoorbrands.com/

They pretty much have every segment of bait category covered.  Been using many of their brands for years.

 

OP: That a VERY cool collection of baits.  I wish there was a Heavy DD22 in that color.  Would be killer up here!  The closest to a goby pattern is GG Tilapia, and that's a stretch.

The O P had baits from early 2000. Pradco has owned them for about 2 or 3 years now. I personally stay away from Pradco baits as much as I can. I feel like they have ruined every company they have acquired and gotten rid of all the colors that worked best for me. They usually move operations to Mexico, cheapen down the baits, and then raise the prices.

[J Francho]

Pradco acquired them in Nov. 2015.  They operate from Pradco’s Fishing Division in Fort Smith.  Sorry you take issue with them.  Every company has had to evolve.  Not sure where you can buy a nice, well made super deep diver like a DD22 with a great finish for $6.49 that isn't made outside the US.  SO far from what I've seen the quality is the same, and they've added new baits.  I still hate their speed clips, as is well known here, lol.

[whitwolf]

@HeddonFrog,  go to facebook and look for the Norman group That's run by Bill Bailey. He knows his stuff about Normans.

@HeddonFrog,  go to facebook and look for the Norman group That's run by Bill Bailey. He knows his stuff about Normans.

[WRB]

Limited production kit made for the northern Smallmouth region.

Easy color to duplicate by several custom lure painters.

Tom

[MickD]

I used to use DBN's ALL the time, and the gel-craw was the best bass color I tried. Didn't see or try the goby, but it simply has to work on smb.  I found for some reason that the DBN outfished the DLN in identical colors.  Their retrieve depth worked great in 4-8 feet water depth.

[Spankey]

1 hour ago, Log Catcher said:

The O P had baits from early 2000. Pradco has owned them for about 2 or 3 years now. I personally stay away from Pradco baits as much as I can. I feel like they have ruined every company they have acquired and gotten rid of all the colors that worked best for me. They usually move operations to Mexico, cheapen down the baits, and then raise the prices.

 

1 hour ago, J Francho said:

Pradco acquired them in Nov. 2015.  They operate from Pradco’s Fishing Division in Fort Smith.  Sorry you take issue with them.  Every company has had to evolve.  Not sure where you can buy a nice, well made super deep diver like a DD22 with a great finish for $6.49 that isn't made outside the US.  SO far from what I've seen the quality is the same, and they've added new baits.  I still hate their speed clips, as is well known here, lol.

They are Guaddy made now with Bandits. They have been going down hill. Not sure if they even put the little American Flag in the package anymore. Should not if they come from Guaddy. Bandits use to be made in Mississippi. I'm pretty sure. That Company took a bad turn after that. But hats off to the old crew at Bandit. I love my older patterns. They'll never bring those back. 

[burrows]

Goby fat boy square bill... sweet!

[Boomstick]

7 minutes ago, Burrows said:

Goby fat boy square bill... sweet!

Does the Goby color produce well for you?

[burrows]

13 minutes ago, Boomstick said:

Does the Goby color produce well for you?

Yes, it does ??

[Boomstick]

Just now, Burrows said:

Yes, it does ??

I might have to try that.

[Harold Scoggins]

6 hours ago, J Francho said:

I still hate their speed clips, as is well known here, lol.

You sure? I've got a bunch I don't use.

[Log Catcher]

6 hours ago, Spankey said:

 

They are Guaddy made now with Bandits. They have been going down hill. Not sure if they even put the little American Flag in the package anymore. Should not if they come from Guaddy. Bandits use to be made in Mississippi. I'm pretty sure. That Company took a bad turn after that. But hats off to the old crew at Bandit. I love my older patterns. They'll never bring those back. 

Saw an article a while back. The new Bandit baits were so bad and had so many complaints they had to take some old baits and make new molds from them to get them back the way they were. That tells me they are ruining them if they can. Wonder who the rocket scientist was that thought the needed to destroy something they already owned and was working really well?

[J Francho]

I have four Bandit Rack-its, and the colors are nice, and they all work well, and I've caught a few nice fall smallies on them.  These are the only Bandit bait I own, though.  I can't comment on the rest of the line, but I can see issues during the turnover, but to intentionally ruin a product?  That's the dumbest business plan I've heard.

[Brett's_daddy]

Outlet Bait & Tackle have a Deep Little N in Goby color...https://www.overstockbait.com/products/norman-3-8-oz-deep-little-n-crankbait?variant=13691165868134.

[Spankey]

20 hours ago, Log Catcher said:

Saw an article a while back. The new Bandit baits were so bad and had so many complaints they had to take some old baits and make new molds from them to get them back the way they were. That tells me they are ruining them if they can. Wonder who the rocket scientist was that thought the needed to destroy something they already owned and was working really well?

It wouldn't surprise me. I've recently (for this season) bought spares of some of my more productive patterns and they are not made as well. Solid black is a good pattern. Bandits are good lures still but not what it was.

 

Why in their right mind would they stop making the Firetiger Craw pattern. They still have a firetiger pattern but its not the original. Some of the old special run colors are my favorites. It's just the way of the world with everything these days.  

[WRB]

One of the most productive off the shelf crank bait for me was Bomber 7A in the original rainbow trout color that was ugly olive green very faded coral lateral line and cream white belly. Bomber changed the rainbow trout color a few years later to watermelon green with bright coral lateral line and whiter belly, looked 100% better and couldn't catch a cold with it.

It's in the eye of the bass that counts!

Norman colors that work for are Lavender Shad and Black/red craw. Lavender Shad is a real sleeper, the purple lavender looks brownish pearl glow in the water and very productive color. The back/red craw is a killer crawdad color in low light or night.

Tom