Brand preference for cranks?

[wishin4fishin]

After several years I've moved from the city back to KY and started fishing heavily again, and I wanted to add a few cranks to my old tackle box. I've been looking at Bass Pros XPS series, Yo-Zuris, Excaliburs and a few others.

First off - dang things got expensive in 10 years.

Secondly, do any of these 15 dollar baits consistently outperform, outcast, - out-fish - the good ole' Rapalas, Storms and Rebels that I threw back in the mid 90s?

If so, which brands /models do you prefer for Topwater, Minnows, Lipless Rattlers, Stickbaits, etc.

Sorry if this is already covered in a sticky somewhere.

[Ohio_Lunkers]

i would never buy anything but the old timers like rapala, rebel or cotton cordel the shallow shad rap has put way toooo many in the boat to change and the old fast trac (the ones that are discontinued) are easy like catching a minnow with a dip net

[jdw174]

Bill Norman, Cotton Cordell, Bandit.....they're good lures that won't break the bank for just one.

[Raul]

Welcome to the forum !

Something to think about:

- Been fishing for bass a little bit over 2 decades ( 27 years to be more precise )

- Started as a RT fisherman 34 years ago

- Caught my first trout on a Rapala Original Minnow ( which I still have )

- Caught countless trout on Rapalas

- Caught my first bass on that very same Rapala Original Minnow

- Caught my first 10+ pounder on another Rapala Original Minnow

- Caught my PB on a Rapala Shad Rap

- Roughly 85% of all my 600+ plus cranks are Rapala

- The only Rapala I have something bad to say about is the Long Cast minnow ( don 't purchase that one )

So if I were to purchase cranks based on my experience Rapala would be my first choice and at 5-7 bucks a pop they aren 't really that expensive, taking in consideration that I 've caught thousands of fish with them.

[roadwarrior]

Yeah, but the 15% that aren't Rapalas are unique Japanese exclusives that have a value of something like 2X the combined cost of the 85%. :

Here are a couple of "must have lures"

Norman Fat Boy

Bagley BII

Norman DD22

Rat-L-Trap

[wishin4fishin]

Bill Norman, Cotton Cordell, Bandit.....they're good lures that won't break the bank for just one.

That's just what I thought. And in another 10 years they'll be making 30 dollar baits, because somebody out there will be willing to fork it over.

Still, some of these new things - like magnetic weight transfer gizmos to aid in casting - have sparked my interest a little.

[wishin4fishin]

Yeah, but the 15% that aren't Rapalas are unique Japanese exclusives that have a value of something like 2X the combined cost of the 85%. :

OK Raul - the cat's out of the bag thanks to your good buddy. What about these unique Japanese baits?

I figured as much about the Rapalas, I loved 'em then, I love 'em now. And I'll always throw 'em.

But is there anything to all the Japanese stuff out there? These magnetic weight transfer systems to aid casting, etc? You guys have put more time on the water than me, does any of that stuff make a difference?

[Raul]

Yes, the magnetic weight transfer does help a lot in the flying abilities of the bait, for ex, Shad Raps are great, but not exactly the best flying bait out there, the MegaBass Deep X  or the Lucky Craft US Shad have similar profile but cast like if you were casting a rock:

See that submerged brush over there ? man get closer or steer in a better position so the wind helps my Shad Rap to fly over there ....... grab a Deep X and reaching that brush is no problem.  

Many Japanese baits incorporate things you wish you had in your baits, like the weight transfer system, others have distinctive shape that makes them move in a completely different way, like the MegaBass Flap Slap, it doesn 't look like much at first glance: what ? 20 bones for a jerkbait ?!?  , oh yeah but when you study it on more detail you discover that the bait is not symetrical, one side is flatter than the other, this causes the bait to move sideways in a sharpest angle, roll on it 's side and glide when jerked, it 's still a jerkbait but it moves like no other jerkbait does. Don 't know why many bad mouth the Live Pointer ( yup, that multisection japanese jerkbait ), it 's a great producer for me, in few ocassions you can see fish traveling a long distance to strike a bait and that one causes that reaction.

Not saying that you won 't catch fish with the common cranks, they still catch fish and I fish them most of the times but there are times that those 15-25 bones japanese baits are worth every penny you paid for them. Having some of them in your T-box doesn 't hurt.  

[Fish Man]

for a lipless crankbait get the Bass pro shops XPS tri vibe in gold shiners,,my go to crank

[wishin4fishin]

Not saying that you won 't catch fish with the common cranks, they still catch fish and I fish them most of the times but there are times that those 15-25 bones japanese baits are worth every penny you paid for them. Having some of them in your T-box doesn 't hurt.

Thanks Raul.

As long as those performance features do make a difference for somebody, I can understand the higher price point.

I just wanted some feedback on whether anybody out there really has experienced that performance difference.

I know guys who are into racing who will spend hundreds of dollars on an upgrade to a go-kart just to shave off two tenths of a second from a lap time. To them, the difference is worth every penny.

[wishin4fishin]

for a lipless crankbait get the Bass pro shops XPS tri vibe in gold shiners,,my go to crank

Good as an original Rattl Trap?

I've never actually bought BPShop baits before

[Fish Man]

tons better.although a little steeper in price around 7$ i think, you can adjust the depth that it runs from shallow, to medium, to deep, its equally loud,better paint,sharper hooks

[wishin4fishin]

tons better.although a little steeper in price around 7$ i think, you can adjust the depth that it runs from shallow, to medium, to deep, its equally loud,better paint,sharper hooks

Thanks Redneck.

Seems like just about everything is 7 bucks and up now days.

My uncle always said, it's an inconvenient thing to be poor and a dumb #!!  all at the same time. But I come by it honest.

[Red]

i dont throw cranks a whole lot, i just got into LMB fishing this year....so far i have thrown, rapala, norman and LC baits...LC has been my only producer, so i am sticking with them

Cliff

[Rocketbass88]

I personally have mostly Rapalas for everything with a lip.  My lipless are all Rat-L-Traps.  Although, last week I decided to see what the hype was with these $15-$20 Lucky Craft cranks and picked up a Baby Bass in perch.  The first thing I must say is that these lures are absolutly beautiful and they feel great.  They cast very well and have a nice motion in the water and I've yet to get it caught up(2 days of fishing: an hour and a half of it on my line total).  All this being said, I don't have any more confidence in them than I do in my Rapalas.  If I were you, I'd bite the bullet once (when you have a little extra cash) for your favorite type of crank and give it a try.  If you really look at it, $15 isn't that bad of a risk.

Good luck in whatever you choose.

[T-rig]

I agree with Raul, Rapala's work great but I find that japanese baits do have an edge for the reasons mentioned above. The Megabass Flap Slap is one of the most unique baits out there!

[T-rig]

Rocketbass88, which lure are you talking about? Baby Bass in perch? :

[paleo]

bomber and bandit preform well for me bomber is my best crank i love them they work here is the proof

[T-rig]

bomber and bandit preform well for me bomber is my best crank i love them they work here is the proof

Man, that's a pretty fish! Beautiful! Northern or florida strain?

[Rocketbass88]

Rocketbass88, which lure are you talking about? Baby Bass in perch? :

Doh!  I guess I was thinking about a lipless I bought the same day that's color was "baby bass".  What I really meant was a "Fat CB" in a perch color.  Sorry.

[Tpayneful]

I have fished Rapala minnows and broken backs for a long time.  Last fall I put a lot of effort into learning crankbaits.  I figured out that I can't throw many of the Rapala crankbaits on a baitcaster.  So I started trying other manufacturers baits.  The Bomber fat free shad was the first bait that produced well for me and it doesn't look goofy and cheep like the bomber A.  I have since added Bandit baits.  I have found that they cast really well but have a smaller profile than other baits.  I just can't justify the $15 for a crankbait yet.  Maybe I will sometime but not right now.    

[RoLo]

One day on the forum, I made the comment that there'll be plenty of days when an X-Rap

will outperform a $17 Lucky Craft Pointer. Someone immediately fired back, "In Your Dreams!".

Well, I must have a sleep-disorder then, because it's a "recurring dream" ;D

If you're looking for the best bang for the buck, I don't know of any way you're going to beat Rapala.

Rapala offers a broad array of cranks, they produce quality lures and there's very little sticker-shock.

Roger

[Ky_Lake_Dude]

Strike King and Bandit crankbaits are my favorite.

[Baconstrip]

Not saying that you won 't catch fish with the common cranks, they still catch fish and I fish them most of the times but there are times that those 15-25 bones japanese baits are worth every penny you paid for them. Having some of them in your T-box doesn 't hurt.  

Thanks Raul.

As long as those performance features do make a difference for somebody, I can understand the higher price point.

I just wanted some feedback on whether anybody out there really has experienced that performance difference.

I know guys who are into racing who will spend hundreds of dollars on an upgrade to a go-kart just to shave off two tenths of a second from a lap time. To them, the difference is worth every penny.  

Actually, if you are even thinking for a second that 15 dollars is too much money to spend on a bait, then don't buy it.  Reason:  if you do pony up the cash for it, you will never throw it in heavy cover where there is even the off-chance that you might not get it back.  Storm's wiggle wart is like 3 bucks in most stores around where I live.  I would fair to say you would have no problem tossing something like that on a dropoff covered with downed timber.  If you are not willing to lose lures, then you will never be as good as fisherman as you could be, and I wouldn't blaim you one bit if you weren't willing when the lure costs you $15 dollars.

[Baconstrip]

I have fished Rapala minnows and broken backs for a long time.  Last fall I put a lot of effort into learning crankbaits.  I figured out that I can't throw many of the Rapala crankbaits on a baitcaster.  So I started trying other manufacturers baits.  The Bomber fat free shad was the first bait that produced well for me and it doesn't look goofy and cheep like the bomber A.  I have since added Bandit baits.  I have found that they cast really well but have a smaller profile than other baits.  I just can't justify the $15 for a crankbait yet.  Maybe I will sometime but not right now.    

What size and action rod are you using?