Anyone Still Using Flat Sided Cranks In The Cold? I Never Hear Them Mentioned.... 2025
primetime reply :
I was wondering if anyone still throws shad raps, Flat A's, or the New Strike King Flat sided squarebill. I know most companies make a few models with flat sides for a tight action which is usually my preference in the cold, and was looking to buy some new one's on a Tackle warehouse order I am getting ready to place.
I only throw Shallow shad raps, Shad rap #5, #7, Glass shad raps suspenders and flash, and the Bomber Flat A, and a few Banits that I carry as well. I also use the DT Flats, and just purchased a strike king flat crank, but want to get a few in crawfish and bluegill patterns. Once the First Cold front passes through Florida and unless we have a few warm days, I always have the balsa shad raps on my spinning rod, and Flat A on my casting cranking rod, and rarely do I switch to a my favorites again until Spring, although sometimes I do well with the standard DT's and Strike King cranks which have a wider swimming action since they do want that on some days. I know alot of guys use the Storm Wiggle warts in the cold but I have never had success with them, lack confidence to throw them in the cold, but what are some other good cold water cranks with a tight shimmy?
Thanks in advance. I am looking to find a flat crank that can run true at a high speed in 4-6' of water, kind of a flat Speed Trap if it exists, as I can burn the speed trap crank pretty quick and it will not roll.
BasshunterJGH reply :
My favorite squarebill is the spro little john 1/2 ounce. I recently bought a 1 ounce DD with flat sides and I'm excited to try it out this weekend. I think the spros are worth the extra $ just because of how durable they are. I've never had the computer chip lip crack and the finish is super durable. One time I made a bad cast too a dock and it smashed into the metal dock I thought it would be ruined but the paint wasn't even chipped! The colors are cool too.
aavery2 reply :
A newer one that works well is the Spro Little John, and a classic that works well is the Poes RC1. I don't work flat sided cranks that fast as I am usually fishing them in colder water.
J Francho reply :
I always considered the visual aspect of a flat sided crank being more of a "flash" of color, than I did tight action. I've tried out the Sebile Squarebill Sunfish, and had good success, though I'm not sure it can keep up with a speed trap. I usually onluy burn lipless baits.....might have to rethink that.
Alonerankin2 reply :
6th sense flat, plus as said the Spro is worth the money! I haven't tryed the 6th sense yet, but a couple of great fisherman on here I won't say ajay's name or 00mods name, lol.. Like them really well and have done well.. They can be tough to find, as I found out.
A-Jay reply :
On 11/21/2014 at 5:37 AM, Alonerankin2 said:6th sense flat, plus as said the Spro is worth the money! I haven't tryed the 6th sense yet, but a couple of great fisherman on here I won't say ajay's name or 00mods name, lol.. Like them really well and have done well.. They can be tough to find, as I found out.
I don't know who that guy is referring to . . . . . . 
But I threw that 6th Sense Crush Flat X75 squarebill bait all season.
It worked for me from the opener with w/t temps in the mid 40's through the rest of season and right back to the cooler water again.
Super Bait.
A-Jay
Sam reply :
Yes, I throw Shad Raps.
Have good results.
Also throw Flat A's some but really like the KVD Red Eyed Shad series more.
Flat sided baits throw in colder water with the exception of the KVD Red Eyed Shad which I throw all year.
rangerjockey reply :
Yes, I throw Brian's and the WEC flatsides.
5fishlimit reply :
I like the Rapala DT Flat line of lures, or just a good old rattle trap style bait.
roadwarrior reply :
On 11/21/2014 at 1:09 PM, A-Jay said:I don't know who that guy is referring to . . . . . .
But I threw that 6th Sense Crush Flat X75 squarebill bait all season.
It worked for me from the opener with w/t temps in the mid 40's through the rest of season and right back to the cooler water again.
Super Bait.
A-Jay
#1 on my list of new lures to buy!
WRB reply :
You might want to consider Yo-Zuri 3DB Vibe, Prizim silver and gold black backs. These are lipless lures that are 1/2 oz and 2 5/8" compact tight wiggle lure that run fast.
Tom
Catch and Grease reply :
On 11/22/2014 at 12:46 AM, roadwarrior said:#1 on my list of new lures to buy!
Same here! Well maybe not number one...
Crankinstein reply :
As mentioned above the Spro little john series has a lot of great flat sided crankbaits plus they come with good hooks and have a large color selection. I use the little john md almost year round.
The Crush crankbaits are great too from what I've heard. I just ordered a bunch from TW but haven't gotten to fish them yet. They look solid though
smalljaw67 reply :
DT Flat 7 and the Flat 3 in addition to the #5 and #7 shad raps. The flat 7s are good in in the low to mid 50 range and are also good for banging around wood in warm water. The Flat 3 is my follow up square bill, if I get a follow or a barely hooked fish on a regular square bill, I'll throw the Flat 3 and 99 times out of 100 it will produce fish, the tighter action seems to be preferred at certain times especially during mid spring and mid to late fall.
J Francho reply :
Am I the only one that gave up on DT Flats due to only getting the bill back after a few casts? It wasn't just one either.
A-Jay reply :
On 11/22/2014 at 6:38 AM, J Francho said:Am I the only one that gave up on DT Flats due to only getting the bill back after a few casts? It wasn't just one either.
No Sir -
However, I was sampling the inaugural run of baits and quickly exhausted my initial supply.
Perhaps the subsequent production was improved.
Either way, went another way and haven't looked back.
A-Jay
primetime reply :
Thanks for all the ideas, I have been eyeballing those Yo-zuri lipless cranks, I have a few Spro Square bills which are flat and I have not really messed with them yet but it sounds like I should.
I mentioned fishing fast as I like to use flat sided cranks all year long, so if I can get one that can be worked quickly I find it a plus, but I understand certain lures are not meant for burning. I have had success on cold days fishing fast and fishing super slow. I know it is against the grain but I have had some success finding active fish by covering alot of water in the cold with lipless cranks, flat sided tight swimming cranks, but I agree with the one comment about Flash as well. I like a flat rap for a topwater presentation since it has a different look than the regular Rapala Minnows and I always try to do something a bit different and lately I am in love with adding feathers and dressed trebles on lures, although it is not as easy to get the right amount of dressing to not mess up the action, or attract more short strikers....
6th sense...Never checked them out, I think I am going to need a few more extra large tackle bags. I have noticed yo-zuri is really targeting the freshwater market and I am glad as I have been fishing banana boats and their wake baits-ss minnows, and lipless silent vibes which are small yet 1 oz and are great for ripping grass and giving fish a new look, although it sinks really fast which makes it tough for shallow fishing which I prefer and feel at home. 15' and less is where I feel good, any deeper and I just do not enjoy cranking.
THanks for the advice, looking to get alot of new stuff for the upcoming season and want to start practicing with some new lures in the pool now...
primetime reply :
On 11/21/2014 at 5:28 AM, aavery2 said:A newer one that works well is the Spro Little John, and a classic that works well is the Poes RC1. I don't work flat sided cranks that fast as I am usually fishing them in colder water.
I usually fish them slow in cold as well, but I use flat cranks all year long and any day when the lake is full of cranks and rattles being ripped, so I kind of focus on them in Fall and winter, but also pull them out as finesse cranks and sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't., I have done well in the winter in both Ny and Fl in the cold working a lure fast and it usually happens by accident after a bad cast. I like the suggestion of the Little John and Poes cedar, I have been wanting to try the spro and that is a square bill so should be a good choice. I have 3 I never opened that I picked up on a closeout last year, and I put them away and just never thought about using them as I have enough square bills in my box but looking at it is flat which I missed somehow....Good call, Hopefully it helps out next month when I get back on the water after a few weeks of just little trips.
primetime reply :
On 11/21/2014 at 7:19 PM, Sam said:Yes, I throw Shad Raps.
Have good results.
Also throw Flat A's some but really like the KVD Red Eyed Shad series more.
Flat sided baits throw in colder water with the exception of the KVD Red Eyed Shad which I throw all year.
Do you find the silent lipless cranks more effective in cold? I fish the silent red eye shad and sebile flatt shads fast and slow in cold water, I have done well both ways and awful both ways as well.I am not sure if silent is better or not, I find most people never fish the silent, and some say One Knockers, I guess the fish is not moving far anyway so may as well be loud and hopefully trigger an anger strike....
primetime reply :
On 11/22/2014 at 6:38 AM, J Francho said:Am I the only one that gave up on DT Flats due to only getting the bill back after a few casts? It wasn't just one either.
I have had bill problems with the regular Dt series, but the Dt Flats I have are older, they seem to be built well, but I have heard this alot and thought it was just a random issue in a batch from this area. I have only lost 2-3 bills on the dt's but I just figured it was a defect in one batch, I need to research this to see if Rapala fixed the issue as I would hate to lose a fish because the bill breaks off.
I agree with the flash and I have wanted to try the new Sebile line, I like the price point and now I have a reason to try a few. Thanks for the tip. I like Sebile even though they get alot of negative reviews, not sure why....
Montanaro reply :
I've thrown the spro john all year. Flat sides aren't just for cold water.
Hogsticker reply :
Check out Evolves flat sided crank. I haven't got any yet, but I'm fixing to order a few along with the square bill.
primetime reply :
On 11/22/2014 at 5:27 PM, Hogsticker said:Check out Evolves flat sided crank. I haven't got any yet, but I'm fixing to order a few along with the square bill.
I have been checking those out and when I went to look at the 6th sense which looks really similar, I keep seeing those new Evolve cranks and someone told me the topwater is really good as well and every comment is super positive just like the 6th sense lures. I don't usually go by comments since everyone fishes differently, but rarely do you see people raving about the lures in this thread, not sure anyone bashed the spro on TW either. I love the colors 6th sense offers, but I am getting some Evolve lures for sure. I used to use the vibra grub and was a cool drop shot bait just expensive and tear easily but it will catch anything that swims, really small. Great Smallmouth Dropshot lure, they love those things.
5fishlimit reply :
On 11/22/2014 at 6:38 AM, J Francho said:Am I the only one that gave up on DT Flats due to only getting the bill back after a few casts? It wasn't just one either.
I've not had this issue. I've read about people who do, but maybe I got lucky?
smalljaw67 reply :
I was getting some stuff organized and put away, stuff that won't be used until spring and I found another flat side crank I use but I only use it in warm water. The Koppers Live Target Bluegill crank, that thing swims like a bluegill and when bluegills are spawning it is the deadliest crank made.
Bluebasser86 reply :
Shad rap #5 with suspend dots on the belly is an awesome little cold water bait.
I've also jumped on the 6th Sense Crush 75 bandwagon, and I getting back off! 
aavery2 reply :
Nice baits, I have a few but mine are deep divers.
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