Novice crankbait assessment experiment

[WIUbassin]

After spending 50 bucks after tax on 3 crankbaits last night at bps I got to thinking about how many 3-5 dollar crankbaits I could have got for the same amount of money. I have caught plenty of fish on cheaper cranks bombers, bandits, etc. So why is it that I find myself pulled to the lucky craft isle eyes wide? Is it a feeling that the more money i spend the more fish i will catch? Or can i actually tell a difference between them. Is shopping for lures different than shopping for a car, in the sense that any dumby can look and tell the difference between a red cavalier and a red corvete? But can an average novice tell the difference between a Lucky Craft RC 2.5 and a Mann's C4?
So I decided to pull out some of my different lures and set them on the table in similar pairs- size/color and asked my mother, father, and sister who all don't fish if they could guess which of the two was the more expensive lure. I'm not claiming to make any conclusions with my experiment just thought some of you might find it interesting. The results were kind of interesting.
Set 1.
Heddon zara spook - Sebile Magic Swimmer
2 of the 3 thought the Sebile was more expensive
(My guess because of the multiple joints?)
Set 2
Lucky Craft Moonsault - A strike king sexy shad crankbait
2 of 3 thought the Strike King crank was more expensive.
Set 3
Rick Clunn 2.5 - Mann's C4
This one was rather interesting because they both were in an "american shad" color and looked almost identical. All 3 thought the Mann's C4 was the more expensive.
Set 4
Spro Aruku Shad - Rat-L-Trap (both red craw color)
All 3 believed the Bill Lewis Rat was the more expensive lure.
Set 5
Lucky Craft Sammy - H2O Express Lure(Not sure the name but similar lure)
2 out of 3 thought the H2O was the more expensive lure.
Set 6
Rapala DT10 - Norman N
All 3 thought the Norman was the more expensive lure.

Conclusions? Not really sure, most of the colors were not identical, and whose to say what they were even looking at. When I asked them why they picked the ones they picked it ranged from the paint detail to weight to the grooves or texture of the lure.
But just something interesting to think about. 15 out of 18 times the test subject(with 0 fishing experience) believed the the cheaper crank was the more expensive one. Of course we all know its not about what the lure looks like its which lures catch fish.

[Marty]

I have caught plenty of fish on cheaper cranks bombers, bandits, etc. So why is it that I find myself pulled to the lucky craft isle eyes wide? Is it a feeling that the more money i spend the more fish i will catch?

I think many anglers think they can spend their way to more and better fish. I've been a crankbait user for 39 years and all my lures have been in the $3-7 range. Will Lucky Craft and other expensive brands perform better? We'll never know. In my case, I have enough confidence in traditional baits to not have any urge to buy the expensive ones.

I could be 100% wrong, but ignorance is bliss and I'll continue with my lures thinking that they'll catch me as much as others with higher price tags.

[bamabassman]

i tend to think that the most costly lure won't catch you more or better fish any better than the cheaper ones. the thing that i find is , it is the way you use it. me? well i have learned that (the hard way too) the presentation is the key to cranks in perticular. i am STILL learning where and how to use them. zooker seems to be the best at techinques on the crank bait. he is very knowlegable in how to make it swim and where to use it. one of the things i want to do is make a trip to his place and have him show me first hand how to use a crank bait. may not be able to this year, but one day i hope to.

[abu4600]

I just cant make myself buy a lucky craft bait, maybe its just cause i believe a bandit will work just as good. by the way that survey was very interesting.

[zooker]

i have no problem buying lucky craft..
the reason we buy cranks like m&m's is.. well think about it why do some of us crankers have hundreds of cranks.. most vary in 3-5 colors but bait styles, wiggle,rattles,ect.. for example there is at least 12 differant shallow crankbaits. lucky craft, bandit, bomber,manns,rapala,norman are just a few of them.. every one works.. some will work today but not tomarrow. some work wonders in muddy water others are so/so..

lucky craft is just another bait imo.


zooker

[cassidyta]

Originally Posted by zooker

well think about it why do some of us crankers have hundreds of cranks..
zooker

I bought a crank today, for the first time in my life the number of crank baits I own is in double digits. Of course the number of fish I have caught on them is less than half of that

[Tennessee]

Jumping out on the cheap limb, and yes it being cheap might mean that it will break, and yes I agree with Zooker. Lucky is just bait, but a way over priced one. I have to say in my opinion 15.00 for one crank bait is crazy. Now if Lucky decided tomorrow they wanted to sponsor me. I wouldn’t turn my back on them they make a beautiful lure and that’s just it. It’s meant to hook you first fish second.

Now all that said I’m sure I have some crazy thing I love and like and someone could find a reason to point at me….but my main reason is I’m just plain cheap !!!

Later yall

Will

[BassAddict]

Well I can tell you I've caught several fish on a RC 2.5 and like that crank a lot but in saying that... you won't find a bunch of high $ cranks in my box either! I've had a lot of success with Rapala over the years!

[Joel]

Interesting question. The why's will alway drive you nuts if you let them. Lets look at the over all picture 1st. Do you need a $500 Daiwa Steez coupled to a custom built rod for $300 spooled with the most expensive Japanese flouro to catch fish, or will a good solid equipment serve you just as well? The answer is no, maybe, or yes, depending on who you are, your financial situation, level of skill, etc. My point is that good can be and in many cases just as efficient at catching Bass as the very best. It's the person behind the equipment, using it to his advantage that really makes the difference.

Now back to your crankbait question. Do you need to use a Lucky Craft lure to catch more or better fish then lest say a Rapala? In my view, no you don't. What you need is a quality made crank that runs true, has the type and kind of wobble that you're expecting it to have, runs at the anticipated depth, and sharp hooks. The same line of reasoning applies across the board. Off priced, bargain lures are primarily designed to catch you. They may or may not have the quality and the consistency to do the job you bought them for, so in that case they're not worth the money, and don't belong in your tackle box. You may find lures that work well at a great price, but have to go through a dozen or more to get that one good lure.

Lucky Craft makes a great product. One that is consistant, has the colors, and action that the pros look for. But so does Strike King, Rapala, Manns, etc.

Remember, the most important piece of the equation is the person holding the rod/reel/lure. Ones decisions as to where, when, why, and how is the bottom line that will make or break you, your days fishing, and your assumptions of whether or not such and such worked or sucked big time.

[Wishing2BFishing]

The art of finding the perfect bait is always an evolving process. The perfect bait on one day is not the perfect bait on another day. That is why I have so many baits. The only somewhat consistent crankbait for me is the DT-6. Of course that is subject to change each and everyday.

[TRUMAN BASSER]

All baits have their place and time. I just look at them as tools to get the job done.

[rrw4258]

I cannot justify spending $15-20 on a bait, $250+ on a rod or reel, or $15+ for a 200-300 yard spool of line. I do great with my equipment that i have now. Now if by all means i find these expensive reels, lures, etc. on sale i will buy them but not at regular price.

Ryan

[zooker]

Originally Posted by Tennessee

Jumping out on the cheap limb, and yes it being cheap might mean that it will break, and yes I agree with Zooker. Lucky is just bait, but a way over priced one.

average across the board mark up on tackle is 75% think about that a minute...



hey tenn this is the reason i use high end cranks..
it is a lucky craft d-12 attached to an 8+ pound largemouth..btw same bait, same lake, same spot, and i caught a 9.4 pound bass in july..



zooker

[Marty]

hey tenn this is the reason i use high end cranks..
it is a lucky craft d-12 attached to an 8+ pound largemouth..btw same bait, same lake, same spot, and i caught a 9.4 pound bass in july..

Hey Zook, nice fish, I hope you catch many more. But your statement lacks logic, in my humble opinion. I suspect you'd have caught those fish if you were at the same place at the same time with less expensive baits. There've been thousands of large fish caught on modestly priced baits and there's no reason you couldn't as well.

If you enjoy those baits, fine, more power to you. But implying that they're needed for large fish is something I can't buy into.

[wareagledc]

how about thoes high priced jlv lures your swearing by zooker? do you choose a lucky craft over these any day or by the situation at hand? by the way the jlv site is working again and i have order a few to test them out. I see Kevin has the bladed shad on Maximum Exposure and they look good.

[jasonfish320]

Last season I had a lot more luck with cranks and these were by far my most reliable http://www.barlowstackle.com/fishing-lure-bodies.html I really like the fact that you get to add your own hooks/rings..a lot of the stock hooks that come on a lot of cranks that I've used are terrible and I have snapped off my fair share.

[The Doc]

I think that EVERY crank has an application. A Rapala doesn't swim like a Lucky Craft, which doesn't swim like a Bandit which doesn't swim like ect ect.... I do think that if you spend a couple more bucks you will get a consistently better product. Take a look at a Bandit. You will notice two bumps on the bottom of the crank near the bill. More expensive baits will take those injection mold marks and sand them down so they aren't noticable. The paint and clearcoat on a more expensive bait is usually where I notice the difference. I can toss a Bandit into stumps all day and the bait will scratch and marr, as to where you get a little more use out of a better made bait. Usually, the clearcoat on a better bait is nicer.

This isn't to say I don't have cheaper baits, I love my Bandit's, and I think I have damn near every color in the DT 3's 4's 6's and 7's. But once in a while I like to splurge on a good crank or 2.

[bamabassman]

i am in agreement with the doc on this one. while i have a few of the cheaper baits, i too, will splurge when i can and get a higher priced one. IF i have the money. lol.

[Stinkies Daddy]

hell fellas, every bait has its time and place. it may be the $1 spinner bait on the bottom shelf at wally or a helocopter lure or some of those $27 japaneese baits. its a matter of time and place. i have some hi$$$$$ baits and some cheap crap, will they both catch fish? yes, providing the moon stars and planets are in perfect allignment. y'all know what i'm sayin some days you need to hide your hooks and others you cant catch a cold! i do believe that we as anglers are much like children and when we lose our minds in a bait shop we just cant help ourselves, i also feel that the lure companies know this and pray on it. the more hi $$$$$ lures are a lil better made but does sanding the bump off 1 lure as opposed to another make it jump from a $4 lure to a $10 lure? i dont think so! so i guess it boils down to confidence. heres mine i have a rebel frog the big 1 green and yellow with the legs formed into a diamond at the rear. y'all know this lure, and when i'm waist deep in the creek i have at least 2 of them with me, cheap, you betcha but it works for me

[Joel]

As with most equipment, there there is a big increase in quality and consistency from bargain bid to middle of the road, which will get the job done time and time again. There is a much smaller percentage increase in quality, consistency. and hence the number of Bass caught as one moves towards the higher end stuff.

[pig n jig]

I am looking towards the Sebile lures in the near future. Buy what you like and like what you buy.If not you will most likely not fish them very often.They gotta be fished often in order to be successful in catching fish. P N J

[lowrider]

pig n jig, i've got a sebile and it's definately a good bait. i got the smaller of the of the 2. it was really good catching the schoolers

[Rodman_Rob]

I know some of you who won't pay $15 for a quality crank but will pay hundreds of dollars on a rod and/or reel with a negligible benefit.

I use lucky crafts pretty much exclusivley for cb's. Can you blame me though, I caught the same 10 pounder twice in one week on a Lucky Craft. I also lost a lucky craft in a 2000 acres lake. A few months later I was throwing a jerkbait when I got snagged on some old rope. I started pulling the rope in and found my old lucky craft attached to it. We pay hundreds for rods reels, thousands on boats, motors, gas, tow vehicles, fork out hard earned money on bullet proof fishing line, why skimp on the bait?

[Marty]

I use lucky crafts pretty much exclusivley for cb's. Can you blame me though, I caught the same 10 pounder twice in one week on a Lucky Craft.

No, I can't blame you, you have plenty of reasons to have confidence in that bait. But big fish have been caught on many brands and you can't possibly know whether you would've caught that 10# on other lures. I think you would have had you been retrieving other lures at the exact same time and place.

We pay hundreds for rods reels, thousands on boats, motors, gas, tow vehicles, fork out hard earned money on bullet proof fishing line, why skimp on the bait?

Buying lures in the $4–7 range that have been proven producers over many years (Rapala, Bomber, Bandit, Mann's, Rebel and so many others) does not constitute "skimping" in my opinion.

Again, I have no problem at all with what others use at any price, I just am skeptical when I hear impossible-to-prove claims that higher-dollar lures are better fish-catchers.

[Joel]

Originally Posted by Rodman_Rob

I know some of you who won't pay $15 for a quality crank but will pay hundreds of dollars on a rod and/or reel with a negligible benefit.....We pay hundreds for rods reels, thousands on boats, motors, gas, tow vehicles, fork out hard earned money on bullet proof fishing line, why skimp on the bait?

There is a difference in a high end reel and rod vs good solid middle of the road equipment. The question is just how much of a difference, and would that difference be of any real benefit to each of us.

I would love to own nothing but Steez's, Zillions, and Fuego's. There all top of the line, light weight, finely tuned reels that will consistently preform as expected in any fishing conditions, and would simply turn heads of some of my fishing buddies. But I fish with Daiwa TDA 153-HSTs and 150-A's, as well as Shimano 2500 Stradics and Daiwa Capricorn 2500s. I still catch plenty of fish. So what's the difference? Weight, demensions, and useful life span seem to be the big issues. But none of those differences are so important to me that I'm willing to spend the extra bucks for any of them even though I can afford to. Same goes for rods, and that gets even more complicated because you can go the custom made route to really fine tune your specific needs.

Same goes for boats, motors, etc. There are bullet proof lines that are $1,000s less then the top of the lines, but all get the job done. All my rowboats were bought used, not new, and they all do their job when called on to do so.

I see nearly every Bass boat being towed by a Ford, Chevy, Dodge, or Toyota. I don't see any being towed by a Hummer, Escalade, BMW, or other high end SUV.

To get back to the question at hand, and that's why spend the bucks on a Lucky Craft lure, I've fished right along side with guys using them while I was using a Rapala this or that, and we both caught Bass.

The bottom line is spend what you want. Spend what you can comfortably can afford to, No lure, rod, reel, line, boat, etc can or will make up for a poor technique, lack of knowledge, nor the ability to find fish.