Good Small to Micro Cranks

How small is your rod and how light is your line? It's not about the size of your tackle, but how you work it. Come share your Ultralight and Bait Finesse System (BFS) fishing success here!
DirtyD64
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Good Small to Micro Cranks

Post by DirtyD64 » Fri Mar 23, 2018 7:49 pm

I have really enjoyed my owning my first Light powered 6' rod. Planning on adding a second in either UL or L and the same length, but recently have been stocking some lures to match these combos.

For now I have the run of the mill SK Bitsy Minnows, small Rapala cranks/floaters, and found a rack of some on sale Yo-Zuri cranks today at Walmart. They were like $4.9 each, but amazing detail, decent hooks, and seemed like they SHOULD work okay. I normally use small dropshots (1/8 to 1/16) with a Bobby Garland Baby Shad or Swimmer if not already using a small jighead with the same plastic.

Would really like to stock some micro cranks though, what are some good ones that won't break the bank and good for starters fishing anything from a big river to a pond???

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Re: Good Small to Micro Cranks

Post by LowRange » Fri Mar 23, 2018 11:40 pm

Check out the Rebel Teeny Wee series baits. They are tiny versions of their popular baits and cheap too. The 1/8 oz Rattle Trap is good and casts like a bullet.

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Re: Good Small to Micro Cranks

Post by TK_duluthbass » Sat Mar 24, 2018 6:57 am

When I was really young I loved throwing micro baits because I’d always catch fish anywhere I went. The wee craw and little rooster tails were my favorite, I’ve caught lots of small Kentucky bass in OK on the craw. Norman has a baby deep little n that is nice, it’s 1/4 oz. Stanley had some small spinnbaits I used to love. I had some tiny traps, but never caught much on them. Excalibur had some tiny baits that were nice, a spook type, popper, and jerkbait. The best lure for sunfish I’ve ever used is the Rebel Tadpole, that thing slays em.

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Re: Good Small to Micro Cranks

Post by Dalleinf » Sat Mar 24, 2018 7:07 am

Not sure what weight range and length you are interested in, but I quite like the Ecogear CK40F07 (4 cm, 5 gr)
http://www.ecogear.jp/eng/ecogear/hardbaits/ck.html
-and the Lucky Craft offerings, e.g. Clutch MR (4.2 cm, 6 gr).
Are you looking for smaller lures?

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Re: Good Small to Micro Cranks

Post by Hobie-Wan Kenobi » Sat Mar 24, 2018 7:55 am

I enjoy UL cranks quite a bit. I like the Rapala UL series. The UL series has a a good variety of depths, shapes and colors. The Jackall PaniCra cranks are nice too. suggest slapping on some single barbless hooks on any micro cranks you get.

Here is a video with some UL hardbaits tips:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IHTylVwn95E
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Re: Good Small to Micro Cranks

Post by DirtyD64 » Sun Mar 25, 2018 12:38 pm

TK_duluthbass wrote:When I was really young I loved throwing micro baits because I’d always catch fish anywhere I went. The wee craw and little rooster tails were my favorite, I’ve caught lots of small Kentucky bass in OK on the craw. Norman has a baby deep little n that is nice, it’s 1/4 oz. Stanley had some small spinnbaits I used to love. I had some tiny traps, but never caught much on them. Excalibur had some tiny baits that were nice, a spook type, popper, and jerkbait. The best lure for sunfish I’ve ever used is the Rebel Tadpole, that thing slays em.
I still have one of the Norman Baby Deep Little N in a glittery craw pattern, and another in chartreuse blue, they are awesome little baits, but need smaller hooks for the fish I am after. Actually, I don't know if I did it or not, but the ones I own have seemingly WAY to big of hooks.

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Re: Good Small to Micro Cranks

Post by uljersey » Sun Mar 25, 2018 1:04 pm

The possibilities are endless, and price has zero to do with how well a particular bait will get bit. Most out of the box will need hooks upgraded, but beyond that just jump in and give all of them a shot. These are a few that are in my current rotation, it constantly changes ...

Poppers, Rapala Fat Rap, Tiny Trap, Rebel Crawfish & Crickhopper, Matzuo Nano Crank, Yo Zuri Snap Bean, Yo-Zuri L Minnow, Rapala Countdown
Image

Eco Gear, Duel Hardcore, YoZuri Pin's Minnow, Daiwa Dr. Minnow, Strike King Bitsy Minnow, Duo Ryuki Spearhead, Dynamic Lures HD Trout, Berkley Flicker Shad, Lucky Craft Bevy Shad
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Re: Good Small to Micro Cranks

Post by Bronzeye » Sun Mar 25, 2018 1:35 pm

DirtyD64 wrote: I still have one of the Norman Baby Deep Little N... they are awesome little baits, but need smaller hooks for the fish I am after. Actually, I don't know if I did it or not, but the ones I own have seemingly WAY to big of hooks.
They probably came with the big trebles. After Rick Clunn won a tournament with them a decade and a half ago and revealed that he upsized the trebles, Norman Lures started selling them with the big trebles.

For stream trout, I second uljersey's endorsement of Pin's Minnow and the HD trout lures.

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Re: Good Small to Micro Cranks

Post by uljersey » Sun Mar 25, 2018 3:14 pm

Bronzeye wrote:
DirtyD64 wrote:For stream trout, I second uljersey's endorsement of Pin's Minnow and the HD trout lures.
Oddly (?) enough I've taken several large rainbows and brookies on the Flicker Shad ... they absolutely slammed it. Part of the beauty of ultralight ... you never know what's going to take the bait, but it literally could be anything.

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Re: Good Small to Micro Cranks

Post by DirtyD64 » Sun Mar 25, 2018 10:57 pm

Bronzeye wrote:
DirtyD64 wrote: I still have one of the Norman Baby Deep Little N... they are awesome little baits, but need smaller hooks for the fish I am after. Actually, I don't know if I did it or not, but the ones I own have seemingly WAY to big of hooks.
They probably came with the big trebles. After Rick Clunn won a tournament with them a decade and a half ago and revealed that he upsized the trebles, Norman Lures started selling them with the big trebles.

For stream trout, I second uljersey's endorsement of Pin's Minnow and the HD trout lures.
There are a TON of Pin's Minnow (Yo-Zuri, right?) at my local Walmart right now. No idea why. There are actually a ton of small Yo-Zuri baits, got a few and the hooks aren't so bad at all, yet to fish em though.

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Re: Good Small to Micro Cranks

Post by uljersey » Mon Mar 26, 2018 6:32 am

DirtyD64 wrote:
Bronzeye wrote:
DirtyD64 wrote: I still have one of the Norman Baby Deep Little N... they are awesome little baits, but need smaller hooks for the fish I am after. Actually, I don't know if I did it or not, but the ones I own have seemingly WAY to big of hooks.
They probably came with the big trebles. After Rick Clunn won a tournament with them a decade and a half ago and revealed that he upsized the trebles, Norman Lures started selling them with the big trebles.

For stream trout, I second uljersey's endorsement of Pin's Minnow and the HD trout lures.
There are a TON of Pin's Minnow (Yo-Zuri, right?) at my local Walmart right now. No idea why. There are actually a ton of small Yo-Zuri baits, got a few and the hooks aren't so bad at all, yet to fish em though.
The Pin's Minnow comes in 3 sizes - 2", 2 3/4", 3 1/2" (1/16 oz, 1/8 oz, 1/4 oz) ... the two largest ones have an internal weight system which increases casting distance, the little one does not. It can be tough to cast but it gets the job done, the larger two are a bit more 'user friendly'. The little one makes for a good small stream bait where distance isn't an issue but a subtle presentation is.

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Re: Good Small to Micro Cranks

Post by DirtyD64 » Mon Mar 26, 2018 8:47 am

This one I have says something about a casting transfer system on it, but when you shake it there isn't a sound. I'm gonna go back and grab a few more. Never tried ANY of Yo-Zuri's larger lures either, might go for some of them too. I didn't realize they were associated with Duel lures.

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Re: Good Small to Micro Cranks

Post by uljersey » Mon Mar 26, 2018 3:00 pm

DirtyD64 wrote:This one I have says something about a casting transfer system on it, but when you shake it there isn't a sound. I'm gonna go back and grab a few more. Never tried ANY of Yo-Zuri's larger lures either, might go for some of them too. I didn't realize they were associated with Duel lures.
Same company, the Duel brand is dominant overseas.

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Re: Good Small to Micro Cranks

Post by jigmaster5 » Thu Mar 29, 2018 7:03 am

lots of good suggestions above....

the only 1 that i've had trouble with is the Rapala UL shad hook hangers. I've broken 2 of the hook hangers off the rear of the bait on trout. the belly hanger is fine. i don't think there's enough material in the back to really dig the pins into during the molding process. now i just fish a treble with 2 split rings on the belly & take the rear hook off.

1 of my favs is the Rapala UL4 Rippin Rap with a #6 VMC inline on the rear hook hanger. The stock trebles are tiny and I was losing a bunch of fish - plus they were a hassle. The single inline hook on the rear (with the point up) makes it very snag resistant. can fish it thru weeds - even submerged wood. casts very well. also great vertically over schooling fish. that would be my #1 crank. the slab rap is also good (no rattle, so if they quit hitting the ripping rap - try the slab rap).

yo zuri's are great baits. i've mainly fished the pin's. i prefer the sinking or suspending versions which are harder to find. the old snap beans were good, too. Cabela's makes a knock off which is OK.

in the summer, the smallest Rapala & Rebel poppers are dynamite. 4 lb mono at dawn or dusk & you're going to catch fish.

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Re: Good Small to Micro Cranks

Post by DirtyD64 » Thu Mar 29, 2018 11:52 am

jigmaster5 wrote:lots of good suggestions above....

the only 1 that i've had trouble with is the Rapala UL shad hook hangers. I've broken 2 of the hook hangers off the rear of the bait on trout. the belly hanger is fine. i don't think there's enough material in the back to really dig the pins into during the molding process. now i just fish a treble with 2 split rings on the belly & take the rear hook off.

1 of my favs is the Rapala UL4 Rippin Rap with a #6 VMC inline on the rear hook hanger. The stock trebles are tiny and I was losing a bunch of fish - plus they were a hassle. The single inline hook on the rear (with the point up) makes it very snag resistant. can fish it thru weeds - even submerged wood. casts very well. also great vertically over schooling fish. that would be my #1 crank. the slab rap is also good (no rattle, so if they quit hitting the ripping rap - try the slab rap).

yo zuri's are great baits. i've mainly fished the pin's. i prefer the sinking or suspending versions which are harder to find. the old snap beans were good, too. Cabela's makes a knock off which is OK.

in the summer, the smallest Rapala & Rebel poppers are dynamite. 4 lb mono at dawn or dusk & you're going to catch fish.
I have bought about 4 of each Yo-Zuri Pin's Minnows in sinking from our Wal-Mart. Just have a huge rack of them for some reason. Are they normally expensive? These are like $4.8

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