I’ve been experimenting with lots of different crankbaits trying to find which comes through grass/weeds he best. So far I’ve had best luck with bandit 100, the 200 did better early on before the weeds started growing again. Any suggestions you guys like? Fishing in the 2-6’ range with mixed grasses and milfoil
I like the 1.5's for that. A little deeper and the Bomber A series work as well as any crankbait could.
I made a thread on this last year or the year before, got a lot of good input. For shallow stuff, I'm with RFeyo on the 1.5s. Specifically, I've had the best luck with the KVD 1.5s and Lucky Craft 1.5s - I think the Lucky Crafts come through best, while I have several buddies that think the KVDs come through best. Spro Little John also does pretty well.
For deeper water, the DT series has always been a staple with the DT-6 getting the most work from me. At the suggestion of someone on this board I picked up some of the new Berkley Dredgers to try. While the Digger is basically a DT clone, the Dredger as a metal disk in the lip that keeps it down and it really seems to help with fouling and they really seem to rip through cleaner than any deeper runner I've ever tried, even after upsizing the hooks. I really like those things.
2011 Skeeter ZX225
225 Yamaha HPDI Series 2
Minn Kota Ultrex 112 52"
Console: HDS 16 Carbon
Bow: HDS 12 Carbon, Solix 12 G2, Mega 360, Garmin 106 SV, LVS 34
Haven’t tried the dredger or the little Jon.. the1.5 works fair but I prefer the rounded bill in the milfoil . Thanks for the replies
The Little John is your squarebill replacement if you like the rounded bill.
2011 Skeeter ZX225
225 Yamaha HPDI Series 2
Minn Kota Ultrex 112 52"
Console: HDS 16 Carbon
Bow: HDS 12 Carbon, Solix 12 G2, Mega 360, Garmin 106 SV, LVS 34
What about 1 minus crankbaits
has anyone used with success
Yes they are good for ticking the tops of submergent weeds but are far from durableOriginally Posted by Squarebillbud
I have only had the 3 Lil Johns I have for a few months but they’re producing really well for me. They seem to hit that 5-7’ range that a squarebill can’t buy they’re small enough to catch everything! They cast really well but I wouldn’t say they go through weeds very well at all!
2006 Triton SP-185, 2006 Evinrude Etec 90, PowerTech NRS3, Garmin Echomap Plus 73CV & 93SV
I throw an Echo 1.75 under the conditions you named.
BassCat Sabre FTD
Mercury 150 Optimax
"It's just fishing"
Those must be those damn Florida weeds....
Honestly I like a squarebill better for the "stringy" stuff like milfoil, eelgrass, or an invasive we have around here called curlyleaf pondweed. The more "crispy" and "bushy" stuff like coontail the Little John seems to do a bit better, but it will grab the stringy weeds worse. Mostly we're looking at milfoil around here, and even though the squarebill doesn't do as well as a round bill like the Little John in coontail it still does well enough for that to me my go to. No hydrilla that I'm aware of.
I've done straight braid on a fast action rod when they're really buried in it and ripping a crankbait through is getting bites. The landing ratio plummets, but that braid and faster rod really allows you to "mow the lawn" and fish it way more efficiently.
2011 Skeeter ZX225
225 Yamaha HPDI Series 2
Minn Kota Ultrex 112 52"
Console: HDS 16 Carbon
Bow: HDS 12 Carbon, Solix 12 G2, Mega 360, Garmin 106 SV, LVS 34
Yes Drew I am speaking of “stringy” weeds, and wood! Every piece of wood a Lil John goes over I catch with the front hook. I fish a squarebill a lot faster than I do my Lil Johns...the fish down here seem to like it that way right now. When using braid I’m usually throwing it on a 7’ med-mod but when in the thicker vegetation I throw them on the same action as you with a 7’ med-fast.
Just like a chatterbait the hits will come once you rip the lure free. I’m not a patient fisherman, I prefer moving techniques and reaction bites but I was showing someone the other day how I hold a rod when setting the hook and a fish about pulled my rod out of my hand. The Lil John had to have been sitting still for at least 10 seconds.
I have tried to let it sit and rise naturally every few casts while searching for what speed the fish want that day but I cannot get myself to let it sit for a 10 count. I guess I should show kids how to fish more often, makes me slow down apparently.
2006 Triton SP-185, 2006 Evinrude Etec 90, PowerTech NRS3, Garmin Echomap Plus 73CV & 93SV
What about Spro little john
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