The Lucky Craft RC cranks

[Smells like fish]

The rc cranks was before my time as far as fishing or having this bait monkey but he was telling me the other day I should look into getting ahold of one. I’ve read that the made in USA models are a far cry from what came from Japan associated with Clunn and priced 3x higher. Looking on the auction sites they want a pretty penny for them. Are they something that every lure lover and bass fishermen needs to experience? Tungsten weight and rattling vs lead in the USA models, is this true? Are there any other interesting things you can tell me about the LC RC series to make me wanna hit that buy it now button? 
 

If any here can post any pics of theirs I’d love to see your collection big or small 

[rangerjockey]

I have several of the RC 1.5's both the Squarebill and the DD. The DD was the bait that didn't get talked about much . There is a time around here that they will get off the Wiggle Wart and bite a deeper bait. Everybody used to throw the deep or middle N and the DD was kind of a secret.

 I pick them up when I can and I have a perfect phantom green craw but it makes me nervous to throw it. The prices are getting pretty high, anything under $ 25 is a good deal.

 There seems to be some in Japan but the shipping can be a concern.

 I personally have never tried the USA models.

When Rick Clunn parted ways with Lucky Craft, Luck E Strike made a 1.5 copy with his name on it and may still. They aren't the quality of a LC but not bad.

 

[Bluebasser86]

They're good baits, but I don't think I'd spend the money people are getting for them. I still have a few, and when I lose them they'll be replaced with something else.

[camman]

I had a bunch of them and ended up selling them.  I fished them along with some of the newer 1.5’s and didn’t see a difference in my catch rate.  So when the price was crazy I sold them.  I agree I don’t think they are worth the money now people are wanting.  Also the quality of other manufacturers have increased tremendously and have caught up or even surpassed LC which was not the case when the original LC RC 1.5s came out 

[Spankey]

Sounds to me that you want a few to try. I go with that. Get a few that you feel good about and try them. You most likely will not be disappointed. Go with your gut.

 

A year ago about this same time there was a bunch of hype, bs and hoop-la about Googan and 6th Sense Baits. I knew nothing about either. Still know little about both. And for all I know they could be the same Chinese company. But I picked up a couple of each in patterns I felt good about. I caught fish on all of them. Really wasn’t trying to prove anything. Felt the quality of each was equal and results were equal. Did not become a Googan or 6th head. Did not sell off all or any of my Rapala and Bombers either. Just got hung up in the small bait circus. Go for it. Only a few buck in the full scheme of things. 

[Silas]

I definitely think the Rick Clunn Lucky Craft are the best 1.5s. 

       Lots of wood in these bayous, and those baits ran through what others wouldn't, and bounced off submerged tree limbs, where the fish would hit them. 

           One of my standard crankbaits, I have a dedicated rod and reel for it: a Kistler Argon and a black Morrum round reel. 

    

[Munkin]

RC 1.5 silent is the best crankbait I own period. I bought some of the newer models and caught fish on them. Are the new as good as the old I haven't fished them enough to know?

 

Allen

[FishTank]

I use to have several of the Lucky Craft RC baits but never did that well with them.  I was told that they were produced outside of the regular LC baits and were considered a sort of knock off by the Lucky Craft Company.  I didn't totally believe this at the time until BPS started carrying them under the Lucky E Strike name and even their own for a brief time.  I have a couple of the originals that have the Lucky Craft name on the bottom and they are still made today under the Luck E Strike name...  Here is an example below. 

 

 

 

 

[Smells like fish]

I have some of the luck e strike rc1 and rc2 as well as a couple of the freaks with the deep diving bills but had not considered a connection between the 2 company names. 

[Smells like fish]

I think Luck E Strike just copies who ever they can get by with. Like the RC Stx jerkbait that mirrors the Vision 110 by MB or whoever Clunn goes “his” designs go with him?

[Team9nine]

Original RC LCs were pretty special at the time, especially the shallow divers. Still have some left, mostly deeper divers. If you drop the coin for a couple, go shallow 1.5, and/or maybe a 1.5 DD. Seem to be the most practical size and a great starting place to see whether you like them or not. Have flat worn a few of them out over the years. Honestly haven't bought or tried anything new since Rick's name came off them. They went to Tak's name for a while, maybe still do. Still hanging on the originals until they're gone.

 

[Munkin]

21 hours ago, Team9nine said:

Original RC LCs were pretty special at the time, especially the shallow divers. Still have some left, mostly deeper divers. If you drop the coin for a couple, go shallow 1.5, and/or maybe a 1.5 DD. Seem to be the most practical size and a great starting place to see whether you like them or not. Have flat worn a few of them out over the years. Honestly haven't bought or tried anything new since Rick's name came off them. They went to Tak's name for a while, maybe still do. Still hanging on the originals until they're gone.

 

 

Top left Copper perch is the best crankbait I own.

 

Allen

[zell_pop1]

I think the TO LC lures are the same with maybe a few colors being different. Clunn himself said when the Luck E  Strike ones came out said they were not a premium bait like the Lucky Craft ones.

[Primus]

On 12/28/2020 at 12:49 AM, Silas said:

I definitely think the Rick Clunn Lucky Craft are the best 1.5s. 

       Lots of wood in these bayous, and those baits ran through what others wouldn't, and bounced off submerged tree limbs, where the fish would hit them. 

           One of my standard crankbaits, I have a dedicated rod and reel for it: a Kistler Argon and a black Morrum round reel. 

    

 

 

There is a gazillion of plastic square bill crankbaits on the market so it's impossible to try them all. That said what makes the RC 1.5 special is that it is much more buoyant than any other plastic square bill that I've used similar to a balsa bait but they tend to be more durable. My other favorite plastic squarebill would be Strike King KVD which tend to run a little deeper . Also, don't sleep on the Lucky Craft BDS series which is another kick ass bait.