Thread: Bandit mini

Strike King Bitsy Minnows catch crappie sometimes, but I catch as many brim pulling them as crappie. Haven't tried casting them though, they might do well around brush or docks, they just don't run very deep.

The Arkies from WM are cheap and most of them I've bought don't run straight and won't dive more than a couple feet. When pulling them I just add a big splitshot or small bass casting sinker 18" up and that takes them down and keeps 'em running straight. Pushing them I've got a 1-2oz sinker holding them at depth. Fish don't seem to care if they cost 1/2 what the Bandits do once they get down where they need to be.

Around here the small rattle traps catch better(and some days more) fish than lipped baits. Overstockbait has some good prices on them right now (1/4oz & 1/8 oz).

I been got twice by those loose front hooks, then I realized why they were flying around loose. Fish hardly ever take the front hook, it might stick 'em in the head or gill after they take the back hook. If they do take the front it's normally because they've inhaled the whole bait and the second set makes it that much harder to get the bait out. Decided to take all the front hooks off. I haven't noticed a difference in hookups but even if I miss a few it's still better than a trip to the sawbones.