Bandit Crankbaits for targeting Smallies?

[TotalNoob]

Bandit crankbaits (2") for a reservoir with all three black bass but the vast majority of them being smallies? Or am I opening myself up to getting strikes from smaller fish? BPS has these bandits on sale at the moment and I was thinking of picking up a handful.

 

What crankbaits are good for targeting smallies?

[Dwight Hottle]

Luhr Jensen hot & tots absolutely crush smallies. 

[Bluebasser86]

The Spring Craw color 200 and 100 series Bandit has caught a lot of smallmouth for me. I've caught tons of largemouth on them, and for some reason the walleye here really like them too. 

[TnRiver46]

My favorite color bandit has always been splatterback but the older I get the more I think crankbait color is moot. I’m sure it matters sometimes but I troll them 2.5 mph and it sure seems like reaction strikes that I get. I painted some crankbaits all white once with a paintbrush and they worked just as well as before. Hand painting crankbaits is absolutely huge in East Tennessee, and they want a pretty penny for them. With all the gadgets people will buy to catch a bass, I’m thinking it’s one of those things to catch a fisherman by the wallet 

[Hower08]

Bandits in rootbeer and redcraw will deffinately not I repeat NOT crush the smallies just don't even waste your time

[padon]

Idk what the color is called but the brown craw colored back with the chartreuse belly has always been great for me in the Susquehanna and potomac . Series 100 &200

[Black Hawk Basser]

My favorite squarebill for smallmouths is the Bomber Square A.  The 1 5/8" size is perfect for the small river I fish.  They do catch some dinks, but I also catch more large fish on the smaller size.  Many, many by-catch opportunities with white bass, walleyes & catfish.  They aren't expensive, so I'm willing to throw them in risky places, which can pay off.

 

The best pattern for me is firetiger; shad, Foxy Mama & white/chartreuse back also score well.

[Munkin]

Bandit 100 and 200 in silver minnow, craw, and ole matte lite are my 3 best SM crankbaits.

 

Allen

[cashmoneyrat]

Bandit does make a killer smallie crank! Spro RkCrawler is my absolute favorite smallie crankbait however. Just works when others seem to fall short.

[Spankey]

Bandit Crankbaits I’m a huge fan. Got into them when they first came out and have fished them since. It’s a shame they stopped making some of the vintage patterns. 

 

Buy a few patterns you feel good about and fish them. They’ll produce. 

 

I do not see where the targeting SM would be any different than with a Rapala, Strike King or Bomber though. They also have fantastic Smallie patterns. 

 

Have fun. Good luck.