Norman DD 22s

[robalo78]

I'm going to work on deep crankin this summer but I have never used a Norman DD22 or Rapala DT16. I usually fish plastics and jigs.  My question is...do you catch fish on these?  And if so, how do you use them?  I've fished cranks before but when I saw the size of the DD22 I was surprised at how big it was compared to the Baby 1- and Bandits I normally use...

Are all DD22's that big or are there some the smaller like the size of a Rapala DT10 for example?

[Siebert Outdoors]

The dd22 is one of my favorite cranks.  Just about the only one I throw for main lake points.

How I fish it:

Fan cast a point.  I crank the bait as slow as possible but to where it still dives to max depth and I can feel the bait hitting the bottom or the bait wobbling.

Once you learn this bait you wont throw much else in the hot summer on points.

[lovecranking]

I would also suggest that you have the right rod & reel. When I first started casting the Norman DD22's and Lucky Craft D12's & D20's, I was using a Shimano Curado 7.0:1 on a St. Croix medium rod. It felt like the reel was really straining as I cranked. I talked to my local bait shop and he suggested I use a Curado 5.0:1 with a St. Croix TBC Big Cranker rod. What a difference! It was so much easier to cast the big cranks. When you do cast, I get a lot of my fish on the stop & go retrieve. Good luck, hope this helps.

[roadwarrior]

A few techniques require special equipment, or makes fishing certain lures easier and more effective. With jigs, sensitivity, backbone and a firm tip are crucial. For big, deep diving crankbaits a rod with Slow Action and a reel with a low gear ratio are required if you are going to fish this gear for hours. Skeet Reese worked with Lamiglas to design the SR705R glass rod. I have this rod matched with a Shimano CTE200GT (5.0:1). In addition to the DD22, I fish Mann's +20 and +25, Lucky Craft Pointer 128 and a couple of other lures with this rig. Although my gear is VERY technique specific in this case, it makes fishing big baits a breeze.

[Gorgebassman]

For deep water cranking I have never used the Norman Cranks I personally use the Luhr Jensen Hotlips or the Baby Hot Lips and have been known to catch fish on a Power Dive Minnow. Might give them a try as well.

[Daniel My Brother]

Yeah, the DD22 will flat wear you out. But it's a big bait with a wide wobble and it gets down deep. This might sound crazy, but If you don't like casting it, try trolling it in deep water. You will get hung up some, but we've caught some nice fish trolling in strip pits and reservoirs.

[Brad_Coovert]

The DD22 is one of the best deep diving crankbaits on the market.

Like RW said, you need the right tackle for big, deep divers or you're wrist, arm and shoulder are gonna pay for it later.

Also, working these baits through deep cover takes some practice.  They can hang up easily, but with some practice, you can learn to fell them through or over cover.

Brad

[Stringjam]

Deep cranking is the bomb - - if you get good at it you will put some big strings in the boat that the C-Rig boys won't - - but, as was mentioned earlier, the right gear is needed to do it all day.  

I use an 8' graphite stick with a slow action (actually a saltwater rod I bought at a BPS outlet store... ;D).   I used to use fiberglass rods until I finally figured out that I hate them.   They're very heavy and sloppy, and there are things you can get your bait to do with a graphite stick that you can't do (or are way more difficult) with a glass rod......like the way a Jackall 15+ will flop around on itself if you drop it a bit of slack and pop it.    

Practice - - that's the only way to get there and gain confidence.  One day you'll pull up on a point an nail a 20 lb. string and you'll be set..

BTW....the DD22 is a good bait, but by far not the only one.   I prefer the Poe's 400 Plus, Competition Cedars 4400 and 4500LR, Bomber Fat Free Shad, and the Jackall Muscle Deep 15+.    

[FishTank]

I got to go the Norman DD 22s.  My favorite use to be the Rapala DT-16's but this year the DD 22 has been the most productive.  One thing though, I have had to tune each one of the DD 22's I own.

[robalo78]

thanks for all the tips...I hope I catch some on these so I'll build my confidence in deep crankin'

[bunkerbstr]

I agree the DD22 is a fine crankbait with the correct gear.  I use a heavy action "crankbait" rod and a 5.0:1 reel for this set up.  A few other comparible baits include, Mann's deep divers, Poe's, Strike King Series 5, 6 and of course the Rapala DT series.  

The DT crankbaits are growing on me the past couple of years, they've give up some nice bass, aren't outragously priced, have good hooks and nice paint jobs.

Mix up your retrieve and spend time fishing them.  Once you get the confidence with them, you'll do much better.    

[blade]

The best crank for deep crankin you can buy, try burnin one on a 6.3 to 1 reel and you will get some hard reaction strikes.  It is deadly here on kentucky lake when it gets HOT.  I have caught more 8+ pound fish on this then any other technique. it will wear you out but it is worth it if they are bitin it, you can load the boat in a HURRY!

[bassnleo]

My boat never leaves the dock in summer without DD22's. I may not catch alot but when I do catch em, they are big.

[Rattlinrogue]

I use both of the baits you mentioned,and yes they do work.They're both great summertime baits.I fish them mainly along deep channels looking for cover.I also like to fish a point(especially a windy point).I even catch bass along the dam where lots of wood cover has been dropped and the depth ranges from 8 feet to 18 feet.A deep diving shad Rap in Silver W/black back is excellent.

[CJ]

I agree with RW's equipment tip.Don't get the impression you have to have expensive gear to fish them,you don't.7 ft. med action rod and a lower geared reel(actually I like and old Abu 4600)works great.

DD22 are fish magnets on the right days.Another good tip I noticed is that most Norman lures need some sort of tuning.I favor the DT16 and the Bomber Fat Free Shad.

Don't be scared to throw big cranks.They catch big fish and smaller fish too.Try different retrieve speeds from slow to lightning fast.I have caught more quality size bass speed reeling a big crankbait than I have slow rolling it.I believe I am drawing a reaction strike alot of times,that is something a slower plastic presentation doesn't do as well.

[detroit1]

I love those dd22's also, but i use them from april to nov. 7'6" medium action flippin stick a 6.0 :1 baitcaster. When i first started with these big cranks i used a Quantum 3.8 : 1 reel, and you couldn't even feel the bait resisting. With the 6.0 reels, i crank them down and then mostly move the bait with the rod, and wind the slack. I get a better feel of the weeds or bottom while "pulling".  But sometimes, they just want it cranked fast. Although it looks like a big lure, the body is still only 3" or so....get out there and sling it around.

[lubina]

I'm going to work on deep crankin this summer but I have never used a Norman DD22 or Rapala DT16.

I use both of them, great lures. If I want a smaller profile lure I go with the Jackall Muscle Deep or Z-Bait Z-75

[Branuss04]

I just started using the DD22's and love them.  I actually use them more at night, i've had more luck than the day time.  I like to bounce them off of the bottom and other structure, this is where most of my strikes come from.  Also using a stop and go retrieve works well as well.  I think that for the price, they are a good deal, but they don't have a lot of color choices like other brands.

[Guest avid]

Deep water ?

What's that  

[Joel W]

I mostly use a Rapala DT16 for cranking down to 12-14 ft so I know that I'm bouncing it off of literally all the rocks etc on the bottom.  I use a Team Daiwa Advantage 150-A with a 5.2 to 1 coupled with

a 7 ft All Star Med/Med action tip rod. For fishing deeper then 14 ft I usually drop shot, pitch jigs, of wt'd plastics.