Berkley · Medium Diving Crankbaits
Berkley Money Badger Crankbait, 1/2 oz, FX Shad
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Options
- Item weight
- 0.02 Kilograms
- Product dimensions
- 1 x 1 x 1 inches
Quick take
Hybrid crankbait that mimics crawfish and baitfish, with tungsten weight transfer for maximum casting distance.
The FX Shad Money Badger is a 1/2 oz hybrid crankbait that dives 10 to 12 feet over rocky and structured bottoms. Its tungsten weight transfer helps it reach distance on casts, and its size 5 hooks suit bass and walleye. Anglers who want one bait for casting and trolling will find it fits both jobs.
Best for
- Rocky bottom structures
- Slow rising presentations on pauses
- Low-light and murky water fishing
Skip if
- You fish exclusively clear shallow water
- You prefer lures without weight transfer
Strengths
- Hybrid design attracts bass feeding on crawfish or baitfish
- Tungsten weight transfer increases casting distance significantly
- Slow, enticing rise off the pause triggers reaction strikes
Trade-offs
- Treble hooks snag heavily on rocks and wood
- Balsa-like action requires controlled retrieves
Fishing fit
- Water
- Freshwater
- Techniques
- Casting
What can I catch with this?
At 1/2 oz, this crankbait is sized for bass and walleye.
- Bass
- Walleye
When and where to fish it
Its silver baitfish pattern suits clear to lightly stained water. Crankbaits are often fished in spring and fall, when fish are feeding on baitfish.
- Season
- Spring
- Fall
- Water
- Pond
- Lake
- Reservoir
- River
- Clarity
- Clear
- Stained
- Light
- Bright
- Overcast
- 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.
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.
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 1/2 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 1/2 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 1/2 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 silver baitfish pattern imitates shad.
- Shad
How to choose a color and size
Color
| Options | When to pick it | Conditions |
|---|---|---|
| Pink Pearl, Vanilla Chartreuse | Stands out in stained or muddy water and in low light. |
|
| Firetiger | A loud pattern that shows up in stained and muddy water under cloud. |
|
| Ghost Morning Dawn | Gives a see-through baitfish look in clear water and bright sun. |
|
| Black Silver, FX ShadThis one | Flashes like a baitfish in clear to lightly stained water. |
|
| Perch, Viking Perch | Looks like real forage in clear water, where fish get a long look. |
|
| Fire Craw, Firetail Green Craw, Ghost Green Craw, Ghost Red Craw, Killer Craw, Root Beer Craw, Special Red Craw, Spring Craw | Matches crawfish in cold to cool, stained water early in the season. |
|
| Black Gold | Flashes in stained, tea-colored water and on dark days. |
|
| Purple Glimmer | Shows a solid outline in muddy water, at dusk and at night. |
|
Size
| Options | When to pick it | Conditions |
|---|---|---|
| 1 1/2 in - 4 (3/16 oz), 1 1/2in - 3/16 oz | A small profile for panfish, trout and wary fish on light spinning gear. | — |
| 2 1/8in - 5 (1/4 oz), 2.1 in - 5 (1/4 oz), 2 1/2 in - 6.25 (1/3 oz), 2 1/2in - 6.25 (1/3 oz) | An all-round size for bass and walleye on medium spinning or baitcasting gear. | — |
| 2 5/8in - 6.75 (1/2 oz), 2.6 in - 6.75 (1/2 oz), 2 3/4 in - 7.25 (5/8 oz), 2 3/4in - 7.25 ( 5/8 oz)This one | Casts farther and handles wind and bigger fish. | — |
Which one should I pick?
Choose the version by the depth you need to reach, then choose the color by water clarity.
| Version | Lure weight | Length | Hook size | Maximum diving depth | Suits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Berkley Money Badger Crankbait, 1/4 oz, FX Shad | Lure weight:1/4 oz | Length:— | Hook size:7 | Maximum diving depth:10 ft | Suits:Mid (5 to 12 ft), clear and stained water, bass, trout, walleye and crappie |
| Berkley Money Badger Crankbait, 1/2 oz, Blaze | Lure weight:1/2 oz | Length:— | Hook size:5 | Maximum diving depth:12 ft | Suits:Mid (5 to 12 ft), bass and walleye |
| Berkley Money Badger Crankbait, 1/2 oz, FX Shad | Lure weight:1/2 oz | Length:— | Hook size:5 | Maximum diving depth:12 ft | Suits:Mid (5 to 12 ft), clear and stained water, bass and walleye |
| Berkley Money Badger Crankbait, 2 3/4 in, 5/8 oz, Fire Craw | Lure weight:5/8 oz | Length:2.75 in | Hook size:5 | Maximum diving depth:— | Suits:Stained water, bass, walleye and pike & musky |
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 | 1/2 oz |
|---|---|
| Minimum diving depth | 10 ft |
| Maximum diving depth | 12 ft |
| Lip | Long |
| Hook size | 5 |
| Color | FX Shad |
| Color family | Shad and silver |
| Target species | Bass and Walleye |
Common questions
How deep does it run?
It runs to a maximum depth of 12 ft.
How much does it weigh?
It weighs 1/2 oz.
What color is this version?
This version is FX Shad.
Updated