Favorite 1.5 Shallow Diving Crank ? 2025
ChrisD46 reply :
As the title states , what is your current favorite favorite shallow 1.5 shallow diving (i.e. approx 2' ~ 4') crank bait and why do you favor it ?... 6th sense , Bill Lowen Ima , Lucky Craft , Strike King , Xcite and I'm sure others are in about the same price range (i.e. <$9.00 ea.) or even lower if you consider H2O cranks ... Your thoughts and experiences ?
smallieking reply :
Luhr Jensen speed trap and lucky craft RTO 1.5
ChrisD46 reply :
On 9/20/2018 at 4:06 AM, smallieking said:Luhr Jensen speed trap and lucky craft RTO 1.5
Thanks smallieking : Curious if you typically have a bluegill color and a shad color on hand for using shallow diving cranks in PA. lakes or choose colors on your shallow diving cranks using different criteria ?
Montanaro reply :
Spro baby John
Munkin reply :
RC 1.5 in copper perch works everywhere.
Allen
Bankbeater reply :
Since Storm stopped making sub-warts it is a Mann's one minus.
FamKench reply :
Megabass s-crankz.They're not less than 9 dollars but they flat out catch fish when nothing else will.
Throw them with 30 lb braid and a piece of 7 foot 20 lb trilene xt leader connected via fg knot cause pikes seem to love them too.
I've had one down the throat of a pike before and it didn't cut the mono
I have had good luck with phantom and brown metallic colors.
burrows reply :
Xcalibur xcs100s &
LC RTOs
gimruis reply :
On 9/20/2018 at 6:03 AM, Bankbeater said:Since Storm stopped making sub-warts it is a Mann's one minus.
I still have a few of those storm subwarts and they are dynamite in the river for smallmouth. I wish they still made them. I check on ebay every once in a while and they sell the 2 inch version for like $25-$30 bucks EACH. I last bought some years ago for $4.99 each. Wish I'd bought more...
The wobbling side to side action is unlike any other lure I've seen. Plus they float and only go about 6 inches deep even when you retrieve them really fast. Is that Mann One Minus you speak of similar? I haven't found a great replacement. The closest one I've found is the Bomber Shallow A so far.
Dorado reply :
On 9/20/2018 at 6:03 AM, Bankbeater said:Since Storm stopped making sub-warts it is a Mann's one minus.
Mine too! Caught my PB on one (avatar)
Pickle_Power reply :
Sleeper here...Bomber Square A. For me, they have outperformed cranks that are much more spendy. The 1 5/8" version is dynamite on river smallmouth.
burrows reply :
On 9/20/2018 at 4:06 AM, smallieking said:Luhr Jensen speed trap
Speed trap no doubt!!!! Gotta have em!!!
Munkin reply :
On 9/20/2018 at 7:07 AM, Burrows said:Xcalibur xcs100s &
LC RTOs
I bet that bottom one would work better without the rubber bands on it.
Allen
Bluebasser86 reply :
The Strike King 1.5 in River Minnow or Green Gizzard Shad have been my best in the past. The Booyah Flex II has been really nice too. I really like how well it cast, even in a stiff wind, which is always a big bonus fishing here.
everythingthatswims reply :
Hard to beat a strike king 1.5
Good paint, good colors, good price, GREAT deflection and hunting action.
ChrisD46 reply :
OP here : Of the shallow diving cranks currently available , do you favor mostly shad colors for Fall shallow cranking OR do you favor other colors such as craw and bluegill colors in the Fall ?
DSTN reply :
Bomber Square A down to about 3-ish feet and KVD 1.5 if I need to go a little deeper or just want to make a longer cast. May need to broaden my squarebill horizons though since my favorite Square A color is discontinued.
I usually go with shad and crawfish color oriented in fall for crankbaits.
TBAG reply :
I like the 1.5 obviously, can't beat them for the price.
ChrisD46 reply :
On 9/20/2018 at 8:26 PM, DSTN said:Bomber Square A down to about 3-ish feet and KVD 1.5 if I need to go a little deeper or just want to make a longer cast. May need to broaden my squarebill horizons though since my favorite Square A color is discontinued.
I usually go with shad and crawfish color oriented in fall for crankbaits.
*Agreed - mostly shad colors and craw brown colors are what I would lean towards ... Also I suppose you could divide Fall into : "Early Fall" and "Late Fall" tactics .
Brock_v reply :
6th sense crush 50x, They come stock with good hooks. I like the strike king 1.5's but the hooks are not good.
ww2farmer reply :
It used to be SK KVD 1.5's (and 2.5's), but the sloppy inconsistent paint jobs, poor attention to quality control, and poor hooks out of the package led me to all but stop using them a year or so ago.
I have replaced them with Lucky Craft LC 1.5's/2.5's, Berkley Squarebulls, Spro Little/Fat John series, and the Spro Fat Poppa 55's and 70's...(the Spro's are more than your under $10 goal but are worth it). Going forward, I will probably only buy Spro's and Lucky Craft, the Berkley's are nice, but I just don't have the confidence in them that I do the other two brands.
All of the above are ready to go out of the package, and the LC's and Spro's attention to deatail and QC is second to none. By the time you swap the hooks out on a SK crank your at more $$ than a LC, and to me, that don't make sense.
LonnieP reply :
SPRO little John and Bill Lewis Echo 1.75 are my favorite squarebills
Harold Scoggins reply :
S-Cranks hands down. They are worth the coin.
Columbia Craw reply :
I really like the crush 50 and what ever these are.
burrows reply :
On 9/22/2018 at 8:13 AM, Columbia Craw said:I really like the crush 50 and what ever these are.
Speed traps those are a must have in the spring and fall.
Bankbeater reply :
On 9/20/2018 at 7:32 AM, gimruis said:
I still have a few of those storm subwarts and they are dynamite in the river for smallmouth. I wish they still made them. I check on ebay every once in a while and they sell the 2 inch version for like $25-$30 bucks EACH. I last bought some years ago for $4.99 each. Wish I'd bought more...
The wobbling side to side action is unlike any other lure I've seen. Plus they float and only go about 6 inches deep even when you retrieve them really fast. Is that Mann One Minus you speak of similar? I haven't found a great replacement. The closest one I've found is the Bomber Shallow A so far.
They run a little deeper, but they do have a lot of wobble to them.
BassWhole! reply :
No favorite. I have a half dozen (most mentioned above by others) that I rely on. It really depends on the time of year, body of water, and conditions. One will out catch the others on a particular day. The things I'm mostly looking at are:
Size, action, buoyancy, castablity, rattles/silent, and color. But I will as always, let the fish decide.
ItsHardwick reply :
On 9/22/2018 at 7:13 AM, Harold Scoggins said:S-Cranks hands down. They are worth the coin.
I second this. That’s my favorite color way too.
Somd Fx4 reply :
Not to hijack from the OP but do you guys notice/prefer silent or rattles? I have a few yo-zuri squarebills that I like but I'm also a sucker for SK because of cost.
Munkin reply :
On 9/24/2018 at 7:17 AM, Somd Fx4 said:Not to hijack from the OP but do you guys notice/prefer silent or rattles? I have a few yo-zuri squarebills that I like but I'm also a sucker for SK because of cost.
Since most of the places I fish receive so much pressure I go with silent most of the time.
Allen
ChrisD46 reply :
On 9/24/2018 at 7:17 AM, Somd Fx4 said:Not to hijack from the OP but do you guys notice/prefer silent or rattles? I have a few yo-zuri squarebills that I like but I'm also a sucker for SK because of cost.
*Sound Fx4 : A welcome hijack and a valid question : Shallow crankbaits with OR without rattles ? ... I'll start by saying for clear water and natural colors I prefer no rattles - for stained water and brighter colors I prefer rattles . KVD has both in the same colors - first starting a crankbait pass with rattles then as the action dies down he follows up with silent shallow cranks ... *If I were to error I'd say for shallow crank baits the no rattles / silent crankbaits would be best .
FishTank reply :
Lucky Crafts have always worked the best for me. My favorite is the Flat Mini MR. They have been getting harder to find these days.
Brett's_daddy reply :
I've heard LOT'S of good things about the 6th Sense Movement 80X.
MALTESE FALCON reply :
Strike King KVD 1.5 silent, and Bomber Square A.
Falcon
ChrisD46 reply :
On 9/25/2018 at 8:21 PM, MALTESE FALCON said:Strike King KVD 1.5 silent, and Bomber Square A.
Falcon
*Bomber Square A's appear to be a great shallow crank bait - yet difficult to find ... What's up with this ?
I picked up a few silent and rattle versions of crankbaits : H2O , Strike King KVD , 6th Sense 50X -all in shad colors from light to bright . At some point later in Fall I'll possibly pick up a couple dark brown / orange craw as I understand at some point later in the Fall the shad bite can give way to a craw bite ?
smallieking reply :
On 9/20/2018 at 4:14 AM, ChrisD46 said:Thanks smallieking : Curious if you typically have a bluegill color and a shad color on hand for using shallow diving cranks in PA. lakes or choose colors on your shallow diving cranks using different criteria ?
On a speed trap which I usually throw early spring I throw bright red. On rto I throw either threadfin shad or bluegill depending on primary forage in the lake.
ChrisD46 reply :
On 9/25/2018 at 11:48 AM, Brett's_daddy said:I've heard LOT'S of good things about the 6th Sense Movement 80X.
*I looked at an 80X (in my hand) but put it back for now ... It's a little larger than the 1.5 size and has #2 size treble hooks which may be slightly big for what I am looking for at present - still the 80X has great action and will remain on my short list for the future .
Brett's_daddy reply :
On 9/26/2018 at 5:30 AM, ChrisD46 said:*I looked at an 80X (in my hand) but put it back for now ... It's a little larger than the 1.5 size and has #2 size treble hooks which may be slightly big for what I am looking for at present - still the 80X has great action and will remain on my short list for the future .
It is a little bigger but only dives 1 - 3ft. From what everyone says it's a fish catching machine!
blckshirt98 reply :
KVD 1.5 is my most used because they're the easiest to find/replace, and, they're usually on sale somewhere.
Somd Fx4 reply :
Placed an order from BPS the other day and got some silent and rattle KVD 1.5 in a couple shad colors. Also got a few lipless in both silent and rattles. FedEx says should be here tomorrow.
burrows reply :
On 9/27/2018 at 3:42 PM, blckshirt98 said:KVD 1.5 is my most used because they're the easiest to find/replace, and, they're usually on sale somewhere.
And they are very effective
Squarebill79 reply :
LuckyCraft RC 1.5 and Rapala Crankin Rap #3 are my two favorite squarebills. The KVD's would be a distant 3rd, Ive given them a fair shake, I just dont catch as many bass on them.
Munkin reply :
On 9/28/2018 at 7:44 AM, Somd Fx4 said:Placed an order from BPS the other day and got some silent and rattle KVD 1.5 in a couple shad colors. Also got a few lipless in both silent and rattles. FedEx says should be here tomorrow.
Where specifically are you fishing in Merryland as I maybe able to help? I fish from the Lower Potomac out of Smallwood west to Deep Creek Lake and most places inbetween. If I had to recommend 2 baits it would be the KVD 1.5 silent in Gizzard shad and rattling in chart/black back to cover most of the state.
Allen
Somd Fx4 reply :
On 9/30/2018 at 9:49 AM, Munkin said:Where specifically are you fishing in Merryland as I maybe able to help? I fish from the Lower Potomac out of Smallwood west to Deep Creek Lake and most places inbetween. If I had to recommend 2 baits it would be the KVD 1.5 silent in Gizzard shad and rattling in chart/black back to cover most of the state.
Allen
I fish from a kayak so I like to stick to lakes. I tried the potomac once just north of smallwood. It's funny you mention those two. They were on the top of my list in those exact configurations .
Primus reply :
The old Lucky Craft RC 1.5 is my favorite, second would be the Strike King. The strike king seems to run a little deeper so that may influence my choice depending on the depth that I am targeting.
ratherbfishin1 reply :
I’ll add another vote for the lucky craft RC 1.5, I don’t know what it is but the bass go crazy for it around here!
ChrisD46 reply :
On 10/2/2018 at 6:00 AM, ratherbfishin1 said:I’ll add another vote for the lucky craft RC 1.5, I don’t know what it is but the bass go crazy for it around here!
*The Lucky Craft RC 1.5 appears to be popular - do you select colors based on early Fall and late Fall , or does it matter ? Some suggest shad colors in early Fall and move to the darker green / brown craw colors in late Fall .
burrows reply :
On 10/2/2018 at 6:22 PM, ChrisD46 said:*The Lucky Craft RC 1.5 appears to be popular - do you select colors based on early Fall and late Fall , or does it matter ? Some suggest shad colors in early Fall and move to the darker green / brown craw colors in late Fall .
The LC RC is discontinued but some have horded them I have no experience with them you might be talking about the lucky strike RC squarebill which is easily accessible at most Walmarts like the KVDs and they are very good baits very good I love em not my favorites but I have a bunch in different colors my favorite color that seems to work all the time anytime if they are on the crankbait bite is green copper shad I also like sunfish.
The best LC square bills imo were the LC RTOs which are also discontinued but you can get them by the lot sometimes on eBay.
TOXIC reply :
Never leave the dock without a SPRO Little John in Cell Mate tied on.....never.....Spring, summer, fall and winter. The tungsten coated rattle eliminates the choice between rattle or silent because it is a unique sound. More of a "thump" than a click or rattle. Caught Smallmouth, Largemouth, Drum, Snakehead, Catfish (channel/blue/mud), crappie, gills, bowfin, pike, musky, walleye, white bass, stripers, wipers, and probably a lot more I am forgetting. Sometimes I change the colors but I've always got an original Little John tied on.
Boomstick reply :
I believe that I've caught more fish on the Norman Fat Boy (does that count as a 1.5? it's a little fatter) and the River2Sea Ish Monroe's than any other baits in my tackle box. I've also have had good luck with KVDs and the LC RTOs as well.
five-bites reply :
I throw the academy h20 knockoffs and have had good success. I particularly like the bigger one that is 1.5 styled.
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