Product Reviews: Crankbaits

by Russ Bassdozer

Bandit Lures Series 100, 200 and 300 Crankbaits

Series 100. 2". 1/4 oz. Series 200. 2". 1/4 oz. Series 300. 2". 3/8 oz.

I don't believe Bandit Lures have been on the market for too many years, at least not that I am aware. In the last few years, they've become popular because they catch fish and are affordable.

• Series 100 (top in photo) runs 2-5 feet deep.
• Series200 (middle) runs 4-8 feet deep.
• Series 300 (bottom) runs 8-12 feet deep.

Bandits are all fast risers. When the retrieve is paused, they begin to rise tail first, making them good choices for pulling through wood and weeds. Just pause to let them float out and over snaggy areas, then begin the retrieve again. Don't be surprised to get hit on the rise, or even when the crankbait pops to the surface and floats on top, it will still attract strikes.

Bassdozer Shallow, Medium, Deep and Super Deep Crankbaits

Shallow. 2". 5/16 oz. Medium. 2". 3/8 oz. Deep. 2-3/4". 1/2 oz. Super Deep. 3". 7/8 oz.

With four models, there's a Bassdozer crankbait to cover most any type of cranking situation you may encounter.

The four sizes effectively cover the entire water column from shallow to medium to deep to super deep:

The Shallow Diver (top in photo) runs 1-4 ft deep. This square-lipped shallow runner works best with a slow to medium retrieve. It has a light rattle. If desired, upsize the rear hook to a #4, which does not affect the action.

The Medium (second from top) dives 5-8 feet, which is the crankbait depth range that is useful most of the time. It has a high-pitched rattle.

The Bassdozer Deep Diver (third from top) can reach 9-12 feet deep and has the loudest rattles of the four models.

The Super Deep Diver (bottom) is one of only a few crankbaits that can get super deep into the 13 to 15 foot range. It has a little less chatter, more like a drum beat to its rattle.