Do you find crank baits to be any more effective than soft paddle tails for river/creek smallmouth?

[Ohioguy25]

On lakes I can see the wide wobble being necessary to cover water and draw strikes from afar, but in narrow streams I wonder how much difference it would make in terms of reaction strikes.  
 

I guess the reason I’m asking is that I see quite a good deal more people throwing cranks than paddles, I’m wondering if this is simply a result of the general bass fishing industry being more geared toward largemouth due to them being more widespread or if they are really more effective?

 

I find them sort of a chore to retrieve ultimately, and repeatedly casting/retrieving paddles much smoother and easier. I also think they look more natural but what do I know I’m not a fish ?

[TnRiver46]

Some days 

[KP Duty]

29 minutes ago, TnRiver46 said:

Some days 

 

Lol.  Yep...and this answer will work when comparing any two baits in our arsenals.

[Mbirdsley]

How deep of water and water clarity are we talking  ? 1-3 ft deep yes very difficult unless your using a regular rapala like a crank bait.  Probably go with swim baits. 
 

3-6 ft depending on water clarity and time of year would dictate between two.  1.5 square bills and bandit 100’s work well stained to dirty water.  Clear water swim bait. Toss up 

 

deeper than 6ft pretty much all cranks start coming into play in stained to dirty water.  I’d prefer a crank in this situation. Clear water probably the swim bait 

[Ohioguy25]

47 minutes ago, Mbirdsley said:

How deep of water and water clarity are we talking  ? 1-3 ft deep yes very difficult unless your using a regular rapala like a crank bait.  Probably go with swim baits. 
 

3-6 ft depending on water clarity and time of year would dictate between two.  1.5 square bills and bandit 100’s work well stained to dirty water.  Clear water swim bait. Toss up 

 

deeper than 6ft pretty much all cranks start coming into play in stained to dirty water.  I’d prefer a crank in this situation. Clear water probably the swim bait 

Is it the rattle that helps in stain or wobble covering water?

[Mbirdsley]

36 minutes ago, Ohioguy25 said:

Is it the rattle that helps in stain or wobble covering water?

I believe it’s both helping the fish to locate the lure.  But, here is a wrinkle some days the little John with circuit board lip does very well and it doesn’t rattle 

[bowhunter63]

Sometimes. The best Crankbait for small River Smallie is the Rebel crawdad. I have caught a lot of fish on that over the years. 

[Munkin]

Crayfish colored crank that dives deeper than the water you are fishing. Grind it through the rocks and it looks like a crayfish scurrying along the bottom. I catch way more SM in moving water than LM in lakes.

 

Allen