Just when you thought the Ott ’ s Garage lineup of crankbaits by Rapala couldn ’ t get any fuller , along comes the Deep Tiny 7 to fill a mid-range void . Designed by four-time Bass Pro Tour winner and 2019 Bassmaster Classic champion Ott Defoe , the OG Deep Tiny 7 is DeFoe ’ s answer for tempting lethargic bass holding around the 7-foot depth range . While it can work anytime bass are eating smaller forage , the thinsided bait shines especially bright when water temperatures are on the chilly side . First Impression
At first glance , the Deep Tiny 7 bears a striking resemblance to the shallower-diving Tiny 4 . It ’ s built around the same 2 1 / 4-inch balsa wood body and
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weighs 5 / 16 ounce but packs a longer , wider circuit board bill and a slightly extended line tie that help it dig a little deeper in the water column .
The bait comes in 19 attractive colors , including a pair of region-specific patterns called Coosa Special and Bream . We checked out baits in several other colors — Classic Craw , Citrus Shad and Chartreuse Rootbeer Craw — and the paint schemes are top notch . Rapala didn ’ t scrimp on other components , either . The sticky sharp No . 5 VMC black nickel short-shank hooks attach using stainless split rings that are built to last .
In Action
DeFoe says it took some tinkering to achieve the
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proper balance , action and diving depth he wanted out of the Deep Tiny 7 , and he definitely got it right . Fished on 12-pound fluorocarbon , the bait dives at a steep angle and gets to the strike zone quickly . Better yet , it traverses cover like a 4X4 and features a tight but subtle wiggle that is 100 % silent .
I didn ’ t get my hands on the bait until June , but after seeing and feeling it in action , I can ’ t wait until Texas water temperatures take a dip this winter . That ’ s when flatsides are prone to ring the bell the loudest .
It ’ s a slow riser : Rapala lists the Deep Tiny 7 as a “ floater ,” but don ’ t expect it to work itself out of trouble near as easily as a more buoyant , round body like the OG Rocco . The bait is fitted
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with an internal weight strategically placed to optimize balance , get the bait down in the water column and aid with casting .
Stop the retrieve in midstream and the Deep Tiny 7 almost seems to achieve neutral buoyancy for a second or so before lazily rising toward the surface . It ’ ll eventually get there , but it takes a while . I witnessed this behavior in a swimming pool before heading to the lake .
The benefit of the slow rise is that it makes it simple to the keep bait down in the strike zone , whether it ’ s fished stop-and-go or crawled along at a snail ’ s pace . This trait is sure to play well in the live sonar game .
Anglers just need to remember to stay in contact
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