2 photos
Bandit Lures · Deep Diving Crankbaits
Bandit 300 Series Crankbait, 2 in, 3/8 oz
Check price on AmazonAs an Amazon Associate First Cast Fishing earns a commission when you buy through links on this site, at no extra cost to you.
Options
- Item weight
- 0.25 Ounces
- Product dimensions
- 6.14 x 1.89 x 0.98 inches
Quick take
A deep-diving 2 inch crankbait that digs to 8-12 feet for bass, walleye, and pike.
The Bandit 300 Series is a 2-inch crankbait with a long bill that dives between 8 and 12 feet, reaching deep bass water along drop-offs and weedlines. It floats, which lets it rise slowly on a pause. Lead rattles inside a butyrate body give it a rattling sound, and it is built for bass, walleye and pike.
Best for
- Deep structure and drop-offs from 8-12 feet
- Parallel casting along steep banks and weedlines
- Trolling for pike and walleye in clear lakes
Skip if
- You fish shallow water only
- You need a crankbait that runs shallower than 8 feet
Strengths
- Dives to 8-12 feet on 10-pound line, reaching productive deep structure
- Tight wiggling action produces flash and vibration that attracts strikes
- Butyrate body is durable and resists cracking from hard impacts
Trade-offs
- Deep running depth makes it difficult to fish shallow transitions smoothly
- Small 2 inch size limits hook-up reliability on large pike and musky
- Requires 10-pound line for proper depth; lighter line runs shallower
Fishing fit
- Water
- Freshwater
- Techniques
- Casting
- Trolling
Specifications
| Type | diving crankbait |
|---|---|
| Weight | 1/4 oz |
| Depth | 8-12 ft |
| Material | Butyrate body |
| Color | Spring craw yellow |
What can I catch with this?
At 3/8 oz, this crankbait is sized for bass and walleye.
- Bass
- Walleye
- Pike & musky
When and where to fish it
Its bright, high-visibility pattern suits stained and muddy water under an overcast sky or in low light. Crankbaits are often fished in spring and fall, when fish are feeding on baitfish.
- Season
- Spring
- Fall
- Water
- Pond
- Lake
- Reservoir
- River
- Clarity
- Stained
- Muddy
- Light
- Overcast
- Low light
- Water temperature
- Cool (50 to 60°F)
- Warm (60 to 75°F)
- Fished from
- Bank
- Boat
- Kayak
How to fish it
A crankbait with a long lip needs a long cast to get down, so it is fished by deep cranking. This floating crankbait rises when you stop reeling, which makes a stop-and-go retrieve work.
Deep cranking
- Make the longest cast you can; a deep diver needs distance to get down.
- Hold the rod tip low and reel steadily until you feel the bottom.
- Keep the lure grinding along the bottom and pause when it deflects off rock.
Stop and go
- Crank the lure down with several fast turns.
- Stop for a second and let the lure rise slowly.
- Repeat all the way back to the bank or boat.
Steady cranking
- Cast past the target and point the rod tip down toward the water.
- Reel at a steady medium pace until the lure reaches its depth.
- Keep it ticking the bottom or the cover, and pause when it deflects.
How deep and around what
At 3/8 oz it runs down to 12 ft, in the mid depth zone, around the outside edge of grass, wood and rock.
- Surface
- Shallow (to 5 ft)
- Mid (5 to 12 ft) (this product)
- Deep (12 to 25 ft)
- Very deep (over 25 ft)
- Maximum diving depth
- 12 ft
- Depth zone
- Mid (5 to 12 ft)
- Cover
- Grass
- Wood
- Rock
What you need with it
A 3/8 oz crankbait is usually fished with a casting rod, a baitcasting reel and 10 to 14 lb fluorocarbon line.
- Casting rodsA medium-power rod with a moderate action keeps the hooks pinned on a steady retrieve.
- Baitcasting reelsA slower gear ratio makes a steady cranking pace easier to hold.
- Fluorocarbon lineSinks, so the lure reaches its depth; 10 to 14 lb for this weight.
Pairs with
A 3/8 oz lure pairs with a medium-power, moderate-action rod made for 1/4 to 5/8 oz lures and with 10 to 14 lb line.
| Item | Range |
|---|---|
| Rod power | Medium |
| Rod action | Moderate |
| Rod lure weight | 1/4 to 5/8 oz |
| Line test | 10 to 14 lb |
What it imitates
Its bright pattern imitates shad and, in stained water, bluegill.
- Shad
- Bluegill
About this type
A crankbait is a hard-bodied lure that wobbles on a steady retrieve; most have a lip that sets how deep they run.
On a lipped bait, a bigger or steeper lip usually sends it deeper.
Most lipped crankbaits float at rest and dive when reeled, so a pause lets the lure back up and away from a snag.
Compared with Jerkbaits: A jerkbait is worked with twitches and pauses and often suspends or floats; a crankbait is reeled.
Facts
| Lure weight | 3/8 oz |
|---|---|
| Length | 2 in |
| Minimum diving depth | 8 ft |
| Maximum diving depth | 12 ft |
| Buoyancy | Floating |
| Lip | Long |
| Color | Spring Craw Yellow |
| Color family | Chartreuse and bright |
| Target species | Bass, Walleye and Pike & musky |
Common questions
How deep does it run?
It runs to a maximum depth of 12 ft.
Does it float or sink?
It is a floating lure.
How much does it weigh?
It weighs 3/8 oz.
How long is it?
It is 2 in long.
What color is this version?
This version is Spring Craw Yellow.
Updated