The profile and bill of each crankbait changes the way it travels through the water, making it difficult to choose one to use. Kevin VanDam compares two shallow water crankbaits and the best scenarios for using each of them.
I love shallow cranking and without a doubt, a KVD 1.5 is my all-time favorite bait.
I have had so much success with it in many different situations. It is a great running bait with a very erratic hunting action. The weedless aspect of this bait is great around cover such as logs, lay downs, brush, rocks and other structures.
We make several versions of this bait including silent, rattling, and hard knock so you have different sound options. The tremendous triggering qualities of this bait make it an all-around fish catcher.
Another new bait we have is called the Chick Magnet.
This is a different and unique shallow water crankbait that has a round bill made out of circuit board material. This bait is taller and has about the same profile, or size, but it is extremely flat-sided.
This is a bait that is designed for colder and dirtier water. I love to use it around rocks and gravel. The round bill is not as weedless as a square bill but it has tremendous action in dirty water. The flat sides displace a ton of water when the bait is wiggling. It gives off sonic images that help the bass find it even in extremely stained or muddy water.
The Chick Magnet has a different presence in the water and is a great fish-catcher in the late-fall, early-spring or winter. This is a tough bait to beat. I catch fish year-round on a square bill but there is no doubt that these flat-sided baits excel in cold conditions.
Both the KVD 1.5 and the Chick Magnet are really great baits. If you choose the correct bait for the given conditions, you will have a lot of success.
