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Crankbaits can be a versatile lure to have in your gear box. But you’ll probably find there are many different options to choose from, which can make it difficult to find the right one.
We have put together a guide with some of our favorite bass crankbaits so you can discover a little more about when and where to use them.
Top Picks:
- Rapala Dives-To Crankbait
- Strike King KVD Squarebill
- Band-It 200 Series Medium Diving Crankbait
- Berkley Hard Bait Freshwater Bait
11 Best Bass Crankbaits
1: Rapala Dives-To Crankbait
- Weight: ⅜ ounces
- Length: 2 ½ inches
This Rapala Dives-To crankbait is a small lipped crankbait that is designed to dive to around 6 feet. It is made from balsa wood for added buoyancy, which can also mean it is lightweight and can be cast long distances, up to 150 feet.
It features a low profile polycarbonate lip and has a realistic wobble when worked under the water. It comes in a range of colors to suit various conditions and allow you to choose the best color to match your local baitfish.
2: Strike King KVD Squarebill
- Weight: 7/16 ounces
- Length: 3 inches
This Strike King KVD Squarebill is designed for targeting bass in the shallows. It features a square lip and can dive up to 3 feet. It has a slender profile, which can create a tighter wiggle that can be ideal for faster presentations.
It can be great for fishing around cover because of the square bill, which can help it bounce off of rocks and other hard surfaces.
3: Band-It 200 Series Medium Diving Crankbait
- Weight: ¼ ounce
- Length: 2 inches
This Band-It 200 Series crankbait is a medium diving crankbait that features lead weights built into the body. It’s a lightweight lure that can dive to between 4 and 8 feet.
It can be a good lure to use to cover water in search of bass, particularly during spring and fall, when bass could be between shallow and deeper water. This 2 inch long lure comes in a range of colors and features two treble hooks.
4: Berkley Hard Bait Freshwater Bait
- Weight: ¼ ounces
- Length: 2 inches
This Berkley crankbait features a large lip to help it dive, with a diving range of around 5 feet. The lure has a realistic wobble under the water with both body and tail action. It is designed for trolling and could be a good option for long casting.
This crankbait is designed to imitate a swimming baitfish when retrieved or trolled and features Mustad ultra-point treble hooks for improved hook setting power.
5: Rapala Shad Rap 07 Lure
- Weight: 5/16 ounces
- Length: 2 ¾ inches
The Rapala Shad Rap 07 is a crankbait designed to dive to around 5 to 11 feet. It can be a good choice for both casting and trolling and is designed to be fished both fast and slow, so could be a good option for a range of conditions.
The lure is made from lightweight balsa wood and is built to replicate the movement of a wounded minnow. It has a natural baitfish profile and comes in a range of colors to suit your fishing conditions.
6: Strike King Pro-Model 5XD Series Crankbait
- Weight: ⅝ ounces
- Length: 2 ½ inches
This Strike King Pro-Model 5XD Series crankbait can be ideal for using when bass are holding out in deeper water. This is a deep diving crankbait that can dive up to 15 feet. It features a large curved bill that means it can dive at a sharper angle and it is also designed for improved tracking even after hitting the bottom.
This lure comes in various colors for bass fishing in different seasons and conditions and features a medium body for a realistic wobble.
7: Norman Deep Little N
- Weight: ⅜ ounces
- Length: 2 ½ inches
The Norman Deep Little N is a deep diving crankbait that can dive to depths of between 12 and 14 feet. It comes in a wide variety of colors to let you choose the best one for your local lake.
The lure is made in the USA and features a large lip, two treble hooks and a baitfish-like appearance with a gel coating for added durability.
8: Bomber Model A Fishing Lure
- Weight: ⅜ ounces
- Length: 2 ⅛ inches
The Bomber Model A Fishing Lure is a medium diving crankbait that is designed to dive to around 4 to 8 feet. It is designed for all types of freshwater species and is built for long casting.
It features an erratic movement underwater when retrieved, which can give it the appearance of an injured baitfish. This lure also comes in a range of sizes as well as colors for a more tailored fishing approach.
9: Lucky Craft LC 1.5 Silent Crankbait
- Weight: ½ ounce
- Length: 2 ⅖ inches
This Lucky Craft LC 1.5 crankbait is a shallow diving crankbait that can reach depths of around 3 to 4 feet, so it can be a good choice for targeting bass when they’re closer to the shallows.
It is a floating plastic lure that is designed for durability. It is also designed for targeting bass in areas with rocky bottoms. It features a square bill and a realistic baitfish profile to attract hungry bass.
10: Strike King Red Eye Shad Bait
- Weight: ¾ ounces
- Length: 2 inches
The Strike King Red Eye Shad is a lipless crankbait that is designed to sink rather than float. It features 3D eyes and has free floating rattles built into the body so that it can attract more attention when retrieved.
It is also built to have a realistic movement when it’s falling, so that it can mimic an injured shad. It features two treble hooks and comes in a variety of colors.
11: Yo-Zuri 3DS Minnow Suspending Shallow Diving Crankbait
- Weight: ¼ ounces
- Length: 2 ¾ inches
This Yo-Zuri 3DS Minnow is a shallow diving crankbait that can reach depths of around 2 to 5 feet. It is designed to mimic an injured baitfish with an erratic movement and realistic appearance.
It features an Internal 3D Prism finish which helps to create flash to attract attention and can be ideal for use in both freshwater and saltwater conditions.
What Is A Crankbait?
A crankbait is a type of lure that has a lip at the front. This lip enables the lure to dive down under the water as you reel it back in. The depths that they can dive to depend on the individual lure and whether it’s rated as a shallow diver, medium diver or deep diver.
There are also crankbaits known as squarebills that, as the name would suggest, have a square lip, which means they can stay closer to or just under the surface as you reel them in.
Another type of crankbait is a lipless crankbaits, which, unlike the lipped crankbaits, they tend to sink. Lipless crankbaits can often be more versatile in terms of how they are fished, and can even be fished vertically.
What Features Should I Be Looking Out For?
Profile
Crankbaits are designed to wiggle and wobble as they are retrieved. But they don’t all wiggle the same. This depends on their profile.
Crankbaits with a slimmer profile will generally have a smaller, or narrower wobble. These types of crankbaits can generally be fished faster. Crankbaits with a wider profile will tend to have a wider wobble, which can be better suited to a slow retrieve.
It can also be a good idea to look at what your local bass are eating, as this can help you choose the right size of lure for your particular conditions. Matching the size and color of the crankbait to the size and color of the baitfish can make it easier to catch bass with this type of lure.
Diving Depth
When you’re choosing a crankbait you will need to decide how deep you want it to dive. This means you will probably need to work out where in the water column the bass will be, which can be affected by the water temperature and seasons.
Crankbaits can be used to fish for bass all year round, which can make them a great addition to your tackle box. Deep diving crankbaits can be good for summer and winter but for winter fishing you may want to opt for a slimmer crankbait for a narrower wobble. Summer crankbait fishing will also generally require a faster retrieval speed than in winter.
Generally, deep diving crankbaits can be fished usually deeper than 12 feet. Medium divers are usually ideal for depths of around 8 to 12 feet, with shallow divers being designed for around 2 to 8 feet. Squarebills are usually better designed for very shallow water up to 5 feet deep.
The depth that the crankbait can dive will usually depend on the size of its lip, with the larger lipped crankbaits being able to hit deeper areas than smaller lipped ones.
How To Tie A Crankbait
A Palomar knot can be a good way to tie your line onto your crankbait. Most crankbaits will have an eye on the top of the lip.
Here’s some steps to help you tie your own, with a video below…
Step 1: Double Your Line
To tie a palomar knot, double your line so that you have about 6 inches of line and pass it through the eye on the crankbait.
Step 2: Overhand Knot
Tie an overhand knot in the double line, just like you would tie your shoe.
Step 3: Loop Over The Crankbait
With the loop you’ve just created, pull it over the crankbait.
Step 4: Cinch Your Line
Wet your line and cinch down your knot.
Video: Tying A Palomar Knot With Crankbaits
How To Fish A Crankbait
A long cast can be a good start, letting you get maximum distance to work the crankbait by reeling it back towards you. Reeling it in slowly can improve the performance of some crankbaits and a reel with a slower gear ratio could be beneficial.
As well as simply reeling it back it, you can also twitch your rod every so often to give bass a chance to notice the lure and generate a strike.
Video: How To Fish A Crankbait – Westin-Fishing
Wrapping Up
Crankbaits can be a great go-to bass lure for year round fishing but choosing the right size and depth can be key when it comes to catching bass. Remember to think about how deep the bass are likely to be and what they might be feeding on, as this can give you an idea of the color and size of lure that might work best.
Another thing to think about is the speed of your retrieve and the wobble of the crankbait, as a slower retrieve may be better in colder water.
Is a crankbait your go-to bass lure? Tell us about your techniques and share this to help out your fellow bassers.
