GEARING UP
icast 2023 crankbaits
By Mitchell Forde
When it comes to bass tackle , the crankbait is about as ubiquitous as it gets . The first crankbait patent was filed more than 100 years ago , and in the decades since , just about anyone who ’ s fished for bass has thrown some version of the tried-and-true diving plug .
But , as those of us who have amassed boxes of the lures can attest , a crankbait is not a crankbait is not a crankbait . Basement tinkerers and mass-production manufacturers alike have produced a steady stream of new baits through the years , pursuing the perfect combination of size , wobble , diving depth and snag-resistance for every situation . As a result , the crankbait category has become perhaps the most crowded and nuanced in the entire lure landscape .
Every year , it seems , dozens of new plugs hit the market , all claiming to do something different than their predecessors . 2023 has been no different . Here ’ s a rundown of eight crankbaits that were introduced at ICAST in July , including an overview of how each might fit into your cranking arsenal .
1 strike king gravel dawg
$ 9.99 | strikeking . com | Available 2024
STRIKE KING GRAVEL DAWG
COLOR : 736 PHANTOM GREEN CRAW
A serendipitous discovery by Major League Fishing pro and Strike King lure designer Todd Castledine resulted in the newest addition to the company ’ s popular line of crankbaits . Seeking to create a wide-wobbling plug ideal for traversing rocky terrain , Castledine made his first prototype by supergluing the bill from a Pro Model Series 4 crankbait onto the body of a KVD Squarebill 1.5 .
The creation was meant to be a starting point . But during Castledine ’ s first trip on the water with it , the bait fooled a handful of bass , and he knew he had something special . “ I was like , well , I ’ m out here catching fish on a superglued bait ,” he said . “ This can ’ t be a fluke .”
The feedback Castledine received from Kevin VanDam and the rest of the Strike King pro staff confirmed that the Gravel Dawg can be a year-round fish catcher . What he didn ’ t expect was that the mid-depth runner would excel not only around rocky cover but wood , as well . Castledine said the bait possesses the hunting action of , say , an old-school Wiggle Wart , but it never blows out , even when burned or retrieved up a slope . The angle of the bill also makes it exceptionally snag-proof . A few anglers reported to Castledine that , despite its name , the plug has become their go-to for cranking brush piles or standing timber .
“ It was cool that they were telling me , ‘ Oh , it does this good , or it did that good ,’ but they all ended it like , ‘ Hey , I caught ‘ em on it ,’” Castledine said . “ And I ’ m like , ‘ Yeah , that ’ s all I wanted to hear .’”
The Gravel Dawg , which will hit the market in 2024 , will be offered in models that dive 8 and 10 feet . It will be available in several exclusive colors painted by Mike Russell of Bag 5 Baits , including 10 new crawfish patterns , in addition to a handful of Strike King staple hues .
2 berkley dime
$ 10.99 | tacklewarehouse . com
The latest addition to Berkley ’ s fast-growing family of crankbaits is built to be its most versatile offering yet . Bass Pro Tour angler Justin Lucas said the Dime , which is offered in models that dive to 4 , 6 , 10 and 15 feet , fills a sweet spot in the Berkley lineup . It features a slightly larger profile and wider wobble than the popular Frittside but isn ’ t as aggressive as the deeper-diving Dredger .
Like the Frittside , Berkley built the Dime to mimic the action of a balsa bait , but its plastic body and FlashDisc technology allow for longer casts and a wider range of colors — 20 , to be exact . Each bait comes stock with a pair of Berkley ’ s Fusion19 treble hooks .
60 MAJORLEAGUEFISHING . COM | OCTOBER-NOVEMBER 2023