Aluma-Bass Posted January 25, 2012 Posted January 25, 2012 Going to get more into deep water cranking this year, and was wondering what are your favorite deep water cranks to use. Deep around here is prob 10-25ft? Quote
Packard Posted January 25, 2012 Posted January 25, 2012 Ima Beast Hunter 6XD's DD22 Spro Little John DD Fat Free Shad I am new to deep cranking as well. I can't wait for my Sebile D&S Cranks to arrive. Quote
Super User Hooligan Posted January 25, 2012 Super User Posted January 25, 2012 It's so subjective, they're all tools that I use based on where I am. The 6XD is one of the most versatile, but it's terrible in wood and chunk rock. I love Little John DD and Baby DD for banging rock and wood, but they're really superb for moving across flats and ledges that have a lot of depth change. I Dig the heck out of Bombers BD8F for soft cover, it rips through weeds and grass like nobody's business. The 5XD is a SUPER bait for deep rock, when you're in that 13-15 range, I have no clue why it's so much better than it's bigger brother in rock. The Lucky Craft BDS XD cranks are simply incredible on shell beds, deep ledges and dragging down deep points... They're all tools and they all serve purposes for me. Some are better in situations and other excel in different conditions. I think that's one reason I've never been tied to a specific bait. I really don't think I could choose a single bait to be limited to in that all too often asked, "if you could only have one..." Quote
KevO Posted January 25, 2012 Posted January 25, 2012 Little John DD's are my favorite, but your day can turn quite expensive real quick cranking stump rows. LOL. I also like the 6xd's after I tune them and replace the hooks. My least favorite is the DD22, because they are much lighter than the other two and casting distance is much shorter. This year I plan on trying the Rapala DT 20's. Quote
Vinny Chase Posted January 25, 2012 Posted January 25, 2012 The key is to get a variety of baits in 3-4 confidence colors, because you NEVER know what the fish are going to want on a paticular day. Depth is another deciding factor on what I throw. If I need to get down to the 19-20 range, I am picking up my DT20's because I know they are going to get down there in a hurry. If you are talking 10-12 ft, there is imho NOTHING that touches a deep little N. I have caught so many of my bass (and they are generally better fish) on this bait when nothing else is catching a cold. It comes down to trial and error and learning what action they want, the depth they are at, and like Holigan mentioned, the best crank for the conditions. Quote
flippin and pitchin Posted January 26, 2012 Posted January 26, 2012 Vinny Chase and I are in agreement on the Normans Deep Little N. I also like the DD22. One bait that gets no love at all is the Luhr Jensen Hot Lips. I throw the 1/4 and 1/2 oz. models. There are times the Yo Zuri Hard Core is the only bait the smallmouth will bite. These are the baits I have extreme confidence in. Vinny, do you have any DLN's in Goby ?? Quote
Vinny Chase Posted January 26, 2012 Posted January 26, 2012 Vinny Chase and I are in agreement on the Normans Deep Little N. I also like the DD22. One bait that gets no love at all is the Luhr Jensen Hot Lips. I throw the 1/4 and 1/2 oz. models. There are times the Yo Zuri Hard Core is the only bait the smallmouth will bite. These are the baits I have extreme confidence in. Vinny, do you have any DLN's in Goby ?? I use a VERY similar color that works well in my neck of the woods Quote
Super User ww2farmer Posted January 26, 2012 Super User Posted January 26, 2012 6xd's and 5xd's for me. I toss the 5xd when I want to ride the out side weedline in 10-12 fow, and the 6xd when I want to get down and bang around isolated cover outside the weeds in 12-16 FOW. I don't go wild and buy all the colors SK has, just a few. Some thing with chartruese in it always seems to get bit. Quote
Super User iceintheveins Posted January 26, 2012 Super User Posted January 26, 2012 1. Bandit 300 series 2. Excalibur Fat Free Shad Jr. 3. Luhr Jensen Hot Lips 4. Manns 15+ Quote
Primus Posted January 27, 2012 Posted January 27, 2012 Most of my deep cranking is done with 6XD & the Spro Little John DD. I've also done well with the Bandit 700 series. I sometimes will turn to the Jackall Muscle Deep 15 plus when I want a smaller profile. Quote
Super User J Francho Posted January 27, 2012 Super User Posted January 27, 2012 Lucky Craft CBD20. Quote
bigbassctchr101 Posted January 27, 2012 Posted January 27, 2012 Doesn't POE have a cedar bait that is suppose to reach 22ft? Does anyone know if it will actually hit that depth? I like the 6XD's but I have found that the Spro's and Lucky Craft's have a more finese application (the spro due to the rattle-not the action at all, and the LC's due to action) The 6XD's work well, but I don't like the way they come out of cover... A DD22 will actually back up when given slack, the 6XD, not so much. The DT20 is a heck of a bait, but I always seem to throw it in more open water. I don't trust the bill (because of other DT series being fragile) and it seems like it will reach out and get hung up more so than other baits. I never gave the bandit 700 much of a chance because I never thought it would fully reach it max diving depth. I like really banging more baits into rock, brushpiles, etc... so the norman gets the thumbs up when it comes to that. The DT20 for open water stuff like running against a ledge. The Spro DD is my new number one bait though. The rattle is good for a more subtle sound, but it has enough action to get a schooling bite going. Its made REALLY tough and will cast a mile. DD22 gets the nod for color selection though. I wish I could get the Spro and DT with the gel colors of firetiger, and couple of the other sweet colors. Quote
Super User ww2farmer Posted January 27, 2012 Super User Posted January 27, 2012 The Spro is on my list of new baits to try for this year. Before I switched over the SK Xd's, I used alot of Rapala DT's...broke a ton of bills off of them, ticked me off too, cause the pieces of junk catch fish. Quote
Global Moderator Bluebasser86 Posted January 28, 2012 Global Moderator Posted January 28, 2012 5XD is about as deep as I ever get, and catch fish anyways. The second biggest bait in the Fat Free Shad series catches me a few fish ever year also. Quote
Super User Hooligan Posted January 28, 2012 Super User Posted January 28, 2012 5XD is about as deep as I ever get, and catch fish anyways. The second biggest bait in the Fat Free Shad series catches me a few fish ever year also. I've been throwing the new Bomber a lot and it will hit 20ft on a long 10lb cast. It's a considerably tighter bait than the other Fat Frees, too. Francho, some thing are sometimes better left unsaid. Quote
mikeeasttn Posted January 28, 2012 Posted January 28, 2012 I also use the DT 20 crank. Have started using the Spro DD crank but have not really used it enough to give it a fair chance yet to compare it to other cranks. Quote
BobP Posted January 28, 2012 Posted January 28, 2012 The only commercial crank I know that will get down to 22 ft in independent testing is a 3/4 oz Luhr Jensen Hot Lips Express on 10 lb mono. I sorta trust a Rapala DT-20 will get to 20 ft because the DT series baits are one of the few that actually dive to their advertised depths. Quote
Super User Hooligan Posted January 28, 2012 Super User Posted January 28, 2012 The only commercial crank I know that will get down to 22 ft in independent testing is a 3/4 oz Luhr Jensen Hot Lips Express on 10 lb mono. I sorta trust a Rapala DT-20 will get to 20 ft because the DT series baits are one of the few that actually dive to their advertised depths. Quite a few baits will make the 20ft mark now, even 22. When you're using fluorocarbon line and upsize hooks you add weight to the bait and add dive depth. On long casts, the baits will gain an additional 1-2 feet on the retrieve. I have a pair of 6XD that will hit 23' without fail, LC 3.5XD cranks that will hit the same. It's all about tuning them and making as long a cast as possible. Quote
Crankenstein Crony Posted January 29, 2012 Posted January 29, 2012 My favorites are Strike King 5xd's and 6xd's, Lucky Craft CBD20, and the Rapala DT20 Quote
BradH Posted January 29, 2012 Posted January 29, 2012 I love the DD22. Regular, suspending and silent. They have a great color selection. I also started fishing the Rapala DT20 last fall. It's listed as a floater but it has a slower rise than the Norman DD22 suspending, which in truth just rises slower than the regular DD22. Thr DT20 is also made of plastic and has rattles unlike the other DT lures. It may not have the bill breakage issues due to its different construction but I have not fished it enough to really know. I've only broke one DT-anything bill anyway. It does catch fish. Quote
Super User 5bass Posted January 30, 2012 Super User Posted January 30, 2012 Jackall Muscle Deep 15+. Get one. Quote
Vinny Chase Posted January 30, 2012 Posted January 30, 2012 Jackall Muscle Deep 15+. Get one. Have you used the 7+ and 10+? As good? I bought a bunch of em, but haven't had the chance to throw them yet. Quote
Super User roadwarrior Posted January 30, 2012 Super User Posted January 30, 2012 I guess I'm just old school, but the DD22 has been a consistant producer for me. For "medium deep", 10'-12', the LC Staysee rules! Quote
Super User 5bass Posted January 31, 2012 Super User Posted January 31, 2012 Have you used the 7+ and 10+? As good? I bought a bunch of em, but haven't had the chance to throw them yet. Yeah, I use the whole Muscle lineup. Quote
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