Best Shallow Running Crankbait 2024
JCrzy4Bass reply :
Hey guys, not a huge fan of crankbaits, but I do like shallow water cranks or topwater. Some of my favorite are the original rapala floating lures (although I can't cast them very far (with light line)). I like the action these lures have and the variety of retrieves I can use as far as twitching, shallow slow runs, and quick runs to get a few inches under the surface. I'm looking for some other lures like these by other common companies I may see in boaters world, walmart or sports authority. This way I have a couple of different kinds on hand that have different actions for situations where they may not be biting one due to the action or the unrealistic look of the lure I'm currently using.
Any suggestions about what to try out? I usually just run these around rocky shorelines or shorelines that have stumps and logs in the water. Mostly run them during period of time when water is clear or slightly stained. I like pearl, minnow, firetiger, and white colors.
CJ reply :
Not to get too technical but a Rapala floater isn't really a crankbait.Some would call it a jerkbait.
As for your question,I like a bagley's Bang-O-Lure.And for shallow crankbaits I like a Bandit 100 or a Lucky Craft RC 2.5.Crankin' these down and running them hard into the stumps can draw very aggressive strikes.
JCrzy4Bass reply :
Yea... I def didn't know that CJ. As far as technical knowledge goes and all I'm not to that point yet. If guys on here are gonna get on me about it though I'll pay more attention next time? lol. Not trying to be a pain just I had no clue it was a jerk bait honestly. I run it like a jerk bait at first for a couple twitches, then run it shallow very slowly or really fast depending on water conditions. Thanks for the info on those two lures though, a lot of people I know like the bandits, including my father so I may look into them. Lucky Craft is out of my price range until I get better at running lures and such. Still a newb at crankbaits really. Only ones I have run are Rapala Shad Raps, Rat-L-Traps and sometimes Countdown Minnows.
I'll probably pick up a Bandit or two before I head up tommorrow. Those are mostly good for warmer water conditions right? Because the wide wobble? That works fine here cause most of our water temps are in the 80s.
koko36265 reply :
Try the Mann's Baby -1.... They run 12" or shallower and have great action.... I tear them up in March and April with these things... You can purchase them at Wal-Mart or any local tackle shop should have them....
http://www.***.com/descpageMANNCRANK-MB1.html
JCrzy4Bass reply :
I have a Mann's -1 Elite series shallow runner but I haven't used it much, and when I have I don't think it's been in the right situations. I'm gonna continue to throw this bait and try and get used to it. Where do you find you have most of your success with this bait? I like the action on it and the wake it creates, I just haven't generated many strikes on it, actually closer to none at all haha. Gotta stick with it though til' I understand it. That's how I am about all my lures at least until I know exactly how it works and what situations to use it in. I hear its a quality bait so... keep chuckin'!
roadwarrior reply :
I like Bomber Square A, Mann's 1- and Norman Fat boy. Although not quite as shallow, the Classic was won a few tears ago by Tak fishing a Bagley BII. The LC Rick Clunn series looks GREAT to me and I own a few, but I haven't fished them.
My PB was caught on a Norman Fat Boy, bluegill pattern.
FishTank reply :
Lucky Craft Moonsault CB-50 in Ghost Minnow.
New 2 Bass reply :
A baby n in a white color has worked for me occasionally. Thats not saying much since I've caught only about a dozen on the cranks. Rat l trap in chartruse works sometimes too.
3125gauge reply :
I fish the Strike King series 1 crankbait for my shallow cranking about 80% of the time that I am crankin. In clear water I like the rootbeer and in stained water I like white with a black back or firetiger.
TrickyVT1887 reply :
Mann's Baby 1- minus the original haven't used the elite series but i don't really like the finishes on them, tear them up on the real thing though. Anything deeper than 1' go with a Bandit
TrickyVT1887 reply :
Mann's Baby 1- minus the original haven't used the elite series but i don't really like the finishes on them, tear them up on the real thing though. Anything deeper than 1' go with a Bandit
Jimzee reply :
Since you are like the Rapala brand try the Dt Flat series. They dive to three feet and have a coffin lip for bouncing off stumps. They cost around $6.99, are pretty hard to hang up, not to mention they have great paint jobs that are durable. I use one quite a bit. 
Straiten_Hooks reply :
RedFins are awesome for what your talking about they fit the profile and the action. I don't know if its one word or two, but I do know I have only found them at Wal-Mart. Their are long, jointed and look like a jerk bait. You will find them in a dump bin usually.
Rebbasser reply :
Another vote for the Bandit 100 Series. I LOVE throwing those in flooded timber.
cbfishalot reply :
The bandits are the way to go on a budget. If you come across some extra cash the RC 1.5, GDSs, and Skeet Mini's have all been great for me this year.
Stringjam reply :
Rapala Shallow Shad Rap
If you're catching fish on a little silent jerkbait, and not catching them on a wide wobbling shallow crank, than it would seem that you're fishing an area where fish may be pressured or in clear water, and prefer a more natural, subtle lure. I've generally done better with those fat, hard kicking lures in stained to dingy water (there are exceptions, of course).
A Bagley Killer B II is as close to a Lucky Craft RC 1.5 as you can get without spending $15 (they are $10).
Chris reply :
I tend to throw a bunch of wood cranks around cover. I feel that I get the best action and response out of a crankbait if it is made out of wood. The bait tends to react to cover better when it is made out of wood and tends to get un-hung more so than plastic. It floats off cover better in my opinion. I spent a lot of time on the water helping to create a lure that that I feel fits the bill when it comes to fishing around heavy cover. If your just looking for a Wally special then Norman fatboy, Bandit, 1- Manns, Bomber, Rebel, all make crankbaits that you can get at Walmart that will catch fish. But if your wanting something a little more refined I like the CS 4x4 by JM-Woodcraft.
jdw174 reply :
Bandit - Series 100, Footloose
Bill Norman - Mad N
twors reply :
Bomber Square A's and Norman Fatboys
Avalonjohn44 reply :
Bandit 100 (2-4 foot diver) or Bandit footloose (0-1 foot diver). Both are amazing producers for their cost. I still catch more fish on a bandit than I do on a similar LC bait.
Another great topwater is just about any Bagley with a square lip. They are more expensive though.
I hate the Mann's Minus series baits, they break on me very easily. I have not had a single one hold up to even light casts against a dock or rip-rap. Plus they look and feel cheap. Mann's does have a new 'premium series' baby minus bait to compete with the more expensive lures, but I haven't tried them yet, and probably won't based on my experience with the other ones.
I also do not like Bomber lures that much. Bandits in the same or similar colors outfish them every time. I lost a green and white bandit that was producing all along the shoreline on an underwater snag. I put a nearly identical Bomber green and white bait on and caught nothing. I still have some bombers, but they kind of just sit in my box and do nothing.
grimlin reply :
daiwa peanut...they have an awesome wobble.They are right up there with LC's action and alot cheaper than the LC as well.
senile1 reply :
QuoteI tend to throw a bunch of wood cranks around cover. I feel that I get the best action and response out of a crankbait if it is made out of wood. The bait tends to react to cover better when it is made out of wood and tends to get un-hung more so than plastic. It floats off cover better in my opinion. I spent a lot of time on the water helping to create a lure that that I feel fits the bill when it comes to fishing around heavy cover. If your just looking for a Wally special then Norman fatboy, Bandit, 1- Manns, Bomber, Rebel, all make crankbaits that you can get at Walmart that will catch fish. But if your wanting something a little more refined I like the CS 4x4 by JM-Woodcraft.
Good to see you on the forum, Chris. It's been awhile. 
Bankbeater reply :
I throw minus 1's and Storm Sub-warts. The sub-warts won't run quite as deep as a minus 1.
zbigbadaaron reply :
dives-to
senko_77 reply :
I agree with Chris. The 4x4 crankbait made by Whittler here on the forums is absolutely awesome at combing shallow water. I CANNOT get it hung up in even the gnarliest shallow cover. I've got some real good un's ever since I've been throwing that bait.
The other thing about Whittler's baits are the custom paintjobs. I had a tournament last March where I knew I would need a shallow running crankbait. I found a color I liked for the lake and Whittler had it to my door before tourny day.
JCrzy4Bass reply :
Bought a Bandit 200 Series because the colors they had for the 100 were very limited. I like the action and wide wobble the crank gets. I chose white as the color. Ran it for about 30 mins today in a cove and around points but it was hot as all get out as soon as the sun was up at 7:30am and the water right now is hot. I also bought another Mann's -1 in a black and chrome color and ran it for about 20 minutes or so by a fishing pier, wood pilings, and rocky shoreline with no success. The bite was just hard at this particular lake today, they didn't want cranks, senkos or spinners, or topwater. Not a bite in 4 hours... worst day out in forever. I will give these some shots next time I'm out though sometime next week. Thanks for all the input guys.
MALTESE FALCON reply :
My favorites are:
1-Rapala Shallow Shad Rap
2-Bomber Square A
3-Norman Mad N
Falcon
Shad_Master reply :
If you are looking for something really shallow - check out the Mann's Waker
http://another site/tv_play.asp?id=109
this is supposed to be a link to a video on another site in case it doesn't work. Since I apparently can't list "the other site" - PM me for more info
Triton9 reply :
storm subwarts are good for waking, and if you want a crank that runs from 1-4 ft choose a Bandit 100 series
Brad_Coovert reply :
I guess "best" depends on what you want to do.
Take some of my cranking. I love a Norman Thin N in the fall. I just kill fish with it at that time of the year. Rest of the year, hardly a fish. A Method crankbait does well for me in colder water aswell, but for some reason, I do much better with these in the spring.
Summer is my favorite time to fish shallow crankbaits in flooded wood. Bomber Square A, Norman Fat Boy, Manns Minus Series, Lucky Craft CB001 and Lucky Craft BDS Series baits get a workout.
Good luck with your search!
Brad
Stringjam reply :
Another bait you might try is a Bomber Flat A - - I have custom wooden and plastic baits from D-Baits, Catching Concepts, Lucky Craft, Bee-Zee, Zoom WEC, On-The-Line, Megabass, O.S.P., H&T Balsa, Jackall, Ever Green, Tiemco, etc.etc.etc... - a WELL DESIGNED bait is a well designed bait, whether is plastic or wood. A lure made of balsa won't be superior to a lure made of plastic JUST because its made of balsa.
The Flat A reacts very much like some of the best custom cranks I have, and at a VERY good price. You're fishing waters where you're getting more bites on subtle baits, so a small flatsided bait would be my FIRST choice for throwing a crankbait. A Luhr-Jensen Speed Trap is another good option.
cdabelow reply :
Manns Baby 1- has caught a lot of fish for me. I do best with the Alabama Shad
Chris reply :
WELL DESIGNED bait is a well designed bait, whether is plastic or wood. A lure made of balsa won't be superior to a lure made of plastic JUST because its made of balsa.
A few years ago A guy wanted me to test out some lures and give some input on what I wanted in a bait. The guy understood that at the level I was fishing and the knowledge I had when it came to cranking in general was rather vast. I also understood what it took to build a crankbait from scratch and the things outside of the box that you could do to a crank to make it do some wild stuff. I also understood some of the down falls that many of the lures had. Some of the issues where casting distance, how well it can go through cover, will it track straight at high speeds, will it search, when it is cast to a target will it tumble or fly straight, how well it hooks a fish, vibration, do the fish like the bait signature.
I agree:
A lure made of balsa won't be superior to a lure made of plastic JUST because its made of balsa.
But a lure made the way I want a lure made makes a big difference. My name is on that lure because it is a heck of a fish catching lure not because I saw $$ I don't make a dime and don't want nothing I was just happy to help. I just wanted to help create a great shallow water lure that I can throw in some nasty stuff and catch fish. It took well over a year and many different designs to get a lure to do what that lure does. A lot of knowledge went into building that bait.
Stringjam reply :
QuoteWELL DESIGNED bait is a well designed bait, whether is plastic or wood. A lure made of balsa won't be superior to a lure made of plastic JUST because its made of balsa.
A few years ago A guy wanted me to test out some lures and give some input on what I wanted in a bait. The guy understood that at the level I was fishing and the knowledge I had when it came to cranking in general was rather vast. I also understood what it took to build a crankbait from scratch and the things outside of the box that you could do to a crank to make it do some wild stuff. I also understood some of the down falls that many of the lures had. Some of the issues where casting distance, how well it can go through cover, will it track straight at high speeds, will it search, when it is cast to a target will it tumble or fly straight, how well it hooks a fish, vibration, do the fish like the bait signature.
I agree:
A lure made of balsa won't be superior to a lure made of plastic JUST because its made of balsa.
But a lure made the way I want a lure made makes a big difference. My name is on that lure because it is a heck of a fish catching lure not because I saw $$ I don't make a dime and don't want nothing I was just happy to help. I just wanted to help create a great shallow water lure that I can throw in some nasty stuff and catch fish. It took well over a year and many different designs to get a lure to do what that lure does. A lot of knowledge went into building that bait.
Very cool - - having a hand in the design process and getting exactly what you want must be a trip when it all works out and you end up with a fish catching crank. Whittler's baits look great and I'll probably pick up some before I'm done.
My comment was merely made in the context of the post - - finding a good inexpensive crankbait. I think a lot of plastic lures are far too underrated because of the stigma of plastic being inferior. I have some of the best cranks out there, and a lot of my go-to baits are plastic - simply because of superior design characteristics (Lucky Craft Flat CB SR and RC1.5, Storm Wiggle Wart and Lightnin Shad, Imakatsu IK-400R, Megabass Deep-X 200) - - I also have wooden baits that are my go-to's - - it all depends on the conditions and the application that each crankbait is designed to accel at. I even have some crankbaits made of FOAM that are killer.
T-rig reply :
Here's one of those cranks made of foam, like Stringjam mentioned:
Duel (Yo-Zuri) Zombi Crank 1
My favorite shallow crank is the LC Flat CB SR.
Tpayneful reply :
My best overall crankbait this year has been the Bandit Footloose. It runs 12 inches or less. The best color has been pearl with a black back. I killed them on my lake and the Potomac in the spring. The grass has been too thick to really throw it this summer on the Potomac or at least the areas that I like to fish. I think it outperforms the Mann's -1 series by a mile but it is no skin off my back if they don't throw the Footloose.
I catch a few here and there on other crankbaits but I just have't been throwing them much this summer.
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