Flat sided crankbait craze - options and experiences?

[snake95]

I am a rookie compared to a lot of you guys who regularly comment, but I know enough of bass fishing history to know that there is nothing new about flat sided cranks.  For the longest time, I was buying Rapala DT Flats, Bomber Fat Free Shads, and even an old Poe's with a coffin bill.  

 

Since about 2019, Rapala (OG series), Strike King (Chick Magnet), and of course Berkley (Frittside) have gone crazy with flat sided bait offerings (maybe others?).  You can get Frittsides in every depth and color imaginable.

 

Any experience with any of these new lures that represent genuine innovations or improvements?

 

 

[EWREX]

i don't crank much, but when i do it's usually prespawn in the spring up shallow. my personal favorite flat sided crankbait is the jackall bling 55. alternatives i like are the frittside 5, and rapala OG

[A-Jay]

The 6th Sense Crush Flat 75X Crankbait has been catching bass for me for many years.

Added the OG Slim this spring, so we'll see how that goes. 

 

A-Jay

[rtwvumtneer6]

I think there's something to be said for throwing a bait that they haven't seen a ton of.  

 

My go to is the 6th Sense Flat 75X, but I also got an order of OG Tiny 4 that I'm looking forward to testing out in skinny water.  

[Deleted account]

I have a bunch of old ones that I like, and a few of the newer ones are also very good. If I could only have one it would one that lives in Sherwood Forrest, or maybe one that is a note I could hit on my clarinet...

[FishTank]

I have been using Lucky Craft's Flat Sided Mini for about 15+ years.  It was unique at the time but now there are a ton of options.  The LC is still my favorite. 

[tander]

I don't know if they are much different from any other flatside but the Frittside caught me a bunch of fish all year long last year. Probably my number 2 crank.

[DitchPanda]

For years my only cold water crank was a shad rap...a few years back I worked the frittside into the rotation and have been happy with the results.

[Mbirdsley]

They work very well in water 50-70 degrees. Shad raps I’ll fish 45-55 degrees .   So a spring and fall bait for me either after the shad rap bite or right before the shad rap bite

. They are a multiple species catcher for me Green bass, walleye, pike, and perch like to munch on them 

 

this one came on a spro chart blue back little John 2nd week in November. The bass choke it sideways.  

[SmugOne]

OG Slim and a Little John produced throughout the fall for me.  

[Bluebasser86]

The Frittside is weighted very well so it cast great and then rises slowly, a very nice feature for cutting through the wind and then allowing for a slow or stop and go retrieve. They're silent also for those neutral cold water fish. 

 

The Spro Little Jon has been around quite a while now and has a lower sounding single knocker instead of BB's, which is what I prefer in a cold water crank. 

 

The OG Slim was pretty good for me last winter but can't get touched on it this winter. The water was down last year so I think it was just able to get where it needed to be and can't do it this year. The regular DT6 has been the better crank this winter.

 

The Strike King KVD HC Flat Side 1.5 has been my #1 big fish crank for about 4 years in a row now, including catching my only fish over 6 so far this year as well as another over 5. 

[snake95]

9 hours ago, FishTank said:

have been using Lucky Craft's Flat Sided Mini for about 15+ years.  It was unique at the time but now there are a ton of options.  The LC is still my favorite. 

Thanks @FishTank I have accumulated a few of these beauties and not thought to fish them yet.  I will do that.

 

5 hours ago, Mbirdsley said:

They work very well in water 50-70 degrees. Shad raps I’ll fish 45-55 degrees .

Thanks for this basis of comparison, was watching an Ott Defoe video fishing the shad rap and the question on my mind is when does he give up the shad rap to fish "his" OG slims?  This probably answers it.

 

8 hours ago, tander said:

I don't know if they are much different from any other flatside but the Frittside caught me a bunch of fish all year long last year. Probably my number 2 crank.

Very interesting.  Mr. Fritts himself was doing a nice job showing off the fancy Berkley display at the classic this year; I don't have any yet but they look great.

 

@Bluebasser86 thanks that is helpful and very interesting. I like the idea of the better casting Frittsides.  I also have some SK HC flat sides.  A very nice looking crank and I look forward to throwing them.

[Columbia Craw]

1 hour ago, Bluebasser86 said:

The Frittside is weighted very well so it cast great and then rises slowly, a very nice feature for cutting through the wind and then allowing for a slow or stop and go retrieve. They're silent also for those neutral cold water fish. 

 

The Spro Little Jon has been around quite a while now and has a lower sounding single knocker instead of BB's, which is what I prefer in a cold water crank. 

 

The OG Slim was pretty good for me last winter but can't get touched on it this winter. The water was down last year so I think it was just able to get where it needed to be and can't do it this year. The regular DT6 has been the better crank this winter.

 

The Strike King KVD HC Flat Side 1.5 has been my #1 big fish crank for about 4 years in a row now, including catching my only fish over 6 so far this year as well as another over 5. 

What he said.

[Basseditor]

The Chick Magnet did the trick at our last event when nothing else was working (except for one on a SK flat side). First place and big fish! This was the first time we used it. 

[padon]

i like the fritside, been using the flat75x for several years. it does well any time fish are shallow around grass for me. regardless of season. the strike king 1.5 flat is a great little bait too. although it casts better for me on a spinning rod.

[BassHRL119]

I throw a lot of custom balsa baits. But for off the shelf, you can't beat the frittsides. I have about every color they make!

[Mbirdsley]

I want to get some rapala OG’s.  

[Spankey]

I fish a lot of crankbaits all season. I find that a flat side gets bit spring, summer and fall on the river and the lake. The older Rapala flat side is my favored but was discontinued long ago. I fished the OG Slim last season and picked up fish on it. Will continue to keep throwing it. Was a bit skeptical about the thin lip. I have not had problems with the thin lip. I’m fishing them in rock. 

[snake95]

20 hours ago, Mbirdsley said:

I want to get some rapala OG’s.

Bass Pro and Cabelas (of all places) have them on sale for $7.19 right now.  If you find somewhere that price matches (Field and Stream, Academy, etc), you are in business.  Good luck!

[GetFishorDieTryin]

Flat cranks are great, but a lot of the older balsa baits dont cast well in fair conditions much less poor conditions.  Many of the newer baits have weight transfer systems or are just heavier so it doesn't feel like your trying to cast a peice of bread into the wind.

The heavier weight/plastic also gives the baits a slower rise.  In cold water that makes a big difference.  I've spent hours pouring lead into shad raps trying to get them to suspend or just barely rise.  What makes it harder is every shad rap is different, some need more weight some dont. It's nice to have a bait that you can just add suspend strip to and be done.

The computer chip bills are a nice upgrade as well.  I feel like they give you a little more sensitivity.  They're supposed to last longer too, but I generally lose or retire a plug before the bill wears out.

 

[BassHRL119]

9 hours ago, GetFishorDieTryin said:

Flat cranks are great, but a lot of the older balsa baits dont cast well in fair conditions much less poor conditions.  Many of the newer baits have weight transfer systems or are just heavier so it doesn't feel like your trying to cast a peice of bread into the wind.

The heavier weight/plastic also gives the baits a slower rise.  In cold water that makes a big difference.  I've spent hours pouring lead into shad raps trying to get them to suspend or just barely rise.  What makes it harder is every shad rap is different, some need more weight some dont. It's nice to have a bait that you can just add suspend strip to and be done.

The computer chip bills are a nice upgrade as well.  I feel like they give you a little more sensitivity.  They're supposed to last longer too, but I generally lose or retire a plug before the bill wears out.

 

It also helps to throw the balsa baits on the right gear. Really a medium light spinning set up unless you have a BFS type casting reel.

[GetFishorDieTryin]

On 3/18/2022 at 9:57 AM, BassHRL119 said:

It also helps to throw the balsa baits on the right gear. Really a medium light spinning set up unless you have a BFS type casting reel.

I use MLs exclusively for shad raps.  I have a 9' JDM sea bass rod that can get a shad rap out there in ideal conditions.  The problem is no matter the gear your using you still throwing a bait with a large amount of surface area for its weight.  I use them the most in late winter/early spring when the wind always seems to be blowing.  It cuts the distance down dramatically no matter what gear you use.

[scaleface]

I use to fish the Mississippi a lot .Targeting  Rip Rap banks and rock dykes mostly  . The Bomber Flat A in chartreuse was my bait .One day  I caught seven species on a single dyke . Largemouth , walleye , white bass , crappie , pike , drum and bowfin .