GO-TO/Favorite hard bait companies? (crankbaits)

[FishInTheDesert]

You all know I come in here to ask every question I have....but hope you all dont mind it too much! lol

I recently realized how many people throw strike king square bills and bomber crankbaits...particularly the white color. I, prolly like everyone else started with SK since its readily available at walmart and big box stores....and theyre relatively cheap. Well I passed by a couple boats with people I met/talked to at the boat ramp....just rec fishermen too....and all of them had at least 1 SK or bomber shallow diving crankbait tied on that they were throwing while we passed one another. So I think EVERYONE is basically throwing the same thing...and I really do think the fish get conditioned and smart to the baits look, sound, profile, etc...

I also just so happened to have pretty good luck on a Spring Gill colored 6th sense squarebill these last couple trips. So I think the different brand, and color may be helping me out. Prolly gonna place a TW order on the 4th of July if they have a sale....and im wondering what are some good companies to look at for crankbaits? 6th sense is great, but pricey...which isnt too bad if theres a sale...so Im gonna try them out.

So far my list is basically just lucky craft and 6th sense. Who do you all recommend?...the cheaper the better!!! lol

[jmiller21511]

Not necessarily cheaper, but I love SPRO hardbaits.

[g2072]

Bad to throw a medium diving crankbait in the river around here and to me the strike king series three feels better on the bottom than any other med diving bait I have thrown. I used to throw the older Bandit 200 series with the mustad triple grip hooks but for me the series three feels better on the bottom. I also like a bomber 6A for this. For shallow square bills 90% are custom wood or Lucky Craft or Megabass. Although I do have a few 1.5 and 2.5 strike kings in my boat I honestly don't remember ever catching a fish on them just because I'm always throwing something else. I do add good hooks/split rings to most of my baits that don't come equipped with them.

[FishInTheDesert]

Not necessarily cheaper, but I love SPRO hardbaits.

they have a lot of colors too! I hear the mcstick is a good jerkbait...and its "only" $12 too. Might have to pick up a few spros....but ill definitely look them up (ill grab at least one of the little johns since ive heard good things about them too). Thanks.

[FishInTheDesert]

Bad to throw a medium diving crankbait in the river around here and to me the strike king series three feels better on the bottom than any other med diving bait I have thrown. I used to throw the older Bandit 200 series with the mustad triple grip hooks but for me the series three feels better on the bottom. I also like a bomber 6A for this. For shallow square bills 90% are custom wood or Lucky Craft or Megabass. Although I do have a few 1.2 and 2.5 strike kings in my boat I honestly don't remember ever catching a fish on them just because I'm always throwing something else. I do add good hooks/split rings to most of my baits that don't come equipped with them.

Ive never tried the "regular" number series crankbaits...I always grabbed the XD versions. ill look them up....but im trying to stay away from bomber and sk since theyre the brands everyone throws at my lake. Really trying to get something different to fool the fish! Had a giant grab that 6th sense squarebill on me....didnt boat him....but he was hooked up. I really think just a slightly different look is gonna be key to getting more bites daily.

[FowlZurk]

Op you should really take a look at Bandit baits.

[ECobb91]

Bandit and Bagley are my favorites. Always have a strike king 1.5 ready though

[g2072]

If you are going to fish Bandit baits I firmly believe the older triple grip baits are better. I bought a 6th Sense Curve 55 that I've throw a little and I like it. I haven't tried a square bill.....yet. I do fish the Spro medium baits a little and have caught fish on them also. I do own some of the XD Strike King baits but fish the regular series three a lot more. I also like the series five for the same reason I like the series three. It feels great on bottom.

[okiebass]

Strike king ---Berkley

[98 Elite203]

Only lucky craft and Megabass squarebills for me... actually, it’s pretty much that way for any crankbait.

[FishInTheDesert]

Only lucky craft and Megabass squarebills for me... actually, it’s pretty much that way for any crankbait.

definitely checking out the B's on tackle warehouse....bagley, bandit and berkley. Are the berkley any good....i never bought any since i dont really see them as a crankbait company, and think theyre more heavy in the soft plastics categories. they have a deep diver with a weighted bill (if i remember correctly) thats supposed to really get down there....might finally have to give it a shot.

I gave up on megabass squarebills when I lost my S-crank! lol I lose squarebills more often than my other crankbaits

[98 Elite203]

definitely checking out the B's on tackle warehouse....bagley, bandit and berkley. Are the berkley any good....i never bought any since i dont really see them as a crankbait company, and think theyre more heavy in the soft plastics categories. they have a deep diver with a weighted bill (if i remember correctly) thats supposed to really get down there....might finally have to give it a shot.

I gave up on megabass squarebills when I lost my S-crank! lol I lose squarebills more often than my other crankbaits

i have no experience with the B cranks. I use pretty much lucky craft d20s. They run 20’ even on a half ass cast. Awesome cranks.

i don’t care for bass pro shops, but they hit a home run with lucky craft on these cranks...


https://www.basspro.com/shop/en/luck...bill-crankbait

[Grundy]

For squarebills WEC E-1 is still the best imho, stupid expensive now but Black Lable Tackle Ricochet Jr. is a great balsa squarebill.

[jerrysfishing]

Lucky Craft RC and LC is what I like

[bilgerat]

definitely checking out the B's on tackle warehouse....bagley, bandit and berkley. Are the berkley any good....i never bought any since i dont really see them as a crankbait company, and think theyre more heavy in the soft plastics categories. they have a deep diver with a weighted bill (if i remember correctly) thats supposed to really get down there....might finally have to give it a shot.

I gave up on megabass squarebills when I lost my S-crank! lol I lose squarebills more often than my other crankbaits

Berkely makes very good baits, don't let anyone tell you different.

[eyra_kid]

Lucky Craft and 6th Sense are great baits, but for cheap and good, its hard to beat the Academy h2O xpress line of baits.

[coreynov902]

The Bandit 200's are really good, but they aren't a true squarebill. I mainly fish them around rock because I'm afraid they'll get hung up more in wood because of the rounded lip. I also really like a Mann's Baby Minus 1 when the fish are really shallow. The Mann's C-4 squarebill has been really good for me along defined weedlines. One more I'll mention is the Norman Fat Boy. All of those crankbaits can be had for a decent price. I also love the WEC E1 and Megabass S-cranks, but they are very pricey.

[wtrwsel]

Academy has their own brand H2O express, and about the same quality as Lucky craft at half the price plus they are always having a sale. They are absolute fish catchers as well.

[kadas]

Lucky Craft RC and LC is what I like

^^^^

[Tarheel14]

Bandit crankbaits are pretty good and have tons of colors.