Lucky Craft Flat CB DR ~ Deep-Diving Crankbait

Model: Flat CB DR
Type: Floating/Diving Crankbait
Weight: 1/2 oz (11g)
Length: 2 1/2" (63mm) excluding lip
Factory Hooks: #4 VMC Black Nickel
Depth: Approx. 8-10 feet

The DR designation stands for Deep Runner. It works down around 10 feet with 10 lb test, and slightly less with 12 lb test.

The Flat CB DR is a money bait. I know of a number of tournaments won with the help of the Flat CB DR. Guys tend to use it in conjunction with the CB-350 model. Both these baits will get into the 8-10 foot range.

One of the most productive places for these deep divers are the tire reefs, other barrier reefs, and floating breakwaters anchored around the perimeters of boat marinas to break the force of wind-driven waves. These man-made reefs and barriers make a safe harbor within the marinas, and they are also bass magnets at times. These types of floating bass cover tend to be out in open water, with little shade. In clear water, bass tend to suspend deeper under the floating breakwaters where depth equates to shade. These suspended bass are deeper than the average crankbait can reach them, but not so deep that a crankbait swimming in the 8-10 foot range can't entice them.

But deep diving crankbaits can be used in shallow water too. Many times I am bouncing, digging and rooting along the bottom in water as shallow as a few feet, even with these 8-10 foot divers. In fact, it is commonplace around ledges, bars and depth breaks to not get many hits while the crank is in deeper open water. Strikes rarely come until the deep diver gets up on the nearby shallow bar or ledge and starts stuttering across the gravel or digging in the sand. At that point, bass will materialize out of deep water, swimming onto the bar or ledge to pluck the bottom-gouging crankbait off the shallow bottom, often only a few feet deep.

At times I replace the tail treble on the Flat CB DR with a feathered one, but it's hardly necessary to do this.

One little thing to remember for the Flat CB deep-running models (DR, D12, D20) is to give them all a yank before cranking. Internally they have a large metal ball that moves in a chamber to the back of the bait to help maximize casting distance. The ball does not always automatically roll back down the chamber behind the diving bill at the completion of a cast. So you may need to yank them first to help roll the ball down into the diving position before cranking.

Color Considerations

The most popular colors across most every Lucky Craft product model are:

1. Chartreuse Shad. One of if not 'the' most popular Lucky Craft colors. If you had to limit yourself to just one Lucky Craft color, Chartreuse Shad is the one.

2. Ghost Minnow. The most popular clear water color in the Lucky Craft line-up.

3. MS American Shad. One of the most beautiful of all Lucky Craft (or any other vendor's) colors. It is truly a special experience to fish with it. It is a high flash color for when fish want a lot of flash in a lure.

4. Black Aurora. Flashy yes, but much more subdued. In a separate class from, and not nearly as flashy as MS American Shad.

MS Herring is another of the most beautiful and popular of all Lucky Craft colors. It is similar to MS American Shad in that they are both high flash colors. However, it is not available in every product model. MS Herring is not available in Bevy Shad 75, Moonsault CB-200, Moonsault CB-350, to name a few.

Lucky Craft Flat CB DR ~ Crankbait ~ Chartreuse Shad

Lucky Craft Flat CB DR ~ Crankbait ~ Black Aurora

Lucky Craft Flat CB DR ~ Crankbait ~ MS American Shad

Lucky Craft Flat CB DR ~ Crankbait ~ MS Herring