I need help with my 8-12 ft diving crankbaits, I fish them quite often and I am quite fond of the strike king 3xd, but when I walk into my tackle shop and see all the different arrays of natural shades and patterns it kinda stuns me because I don't know if one will produce better than the next. I need seriouse help narrowing down what colors to select. I am really looking for a shad imitator but strike king makes about 30 different shad patterns. Does anyone have a go to shad color that seems to work for them most of the time.... Please help me decide what colors to select!!!!!!! Thanks

Green Gizzard and Reel Shad are my two favorites.

Only 2 patterns I throw for mid divers holographic green gizzard and bone. If they won't bite those 2 colors I might as well move on.

But we cant buy those it stores yet! haha those look awesome,

I like natural shad and green gizzard as said above

My best cranks for me no matter what depth I run seem to work the best the closer they matched in size and color to what the fish were actually eating in a given lake. If you have a casting net take it to your favorite body of water; catch some shad and some perch, take photos and then start your search for those elusive colors........

Here is my take. Lure manufacturers are in business to sell lures and make money. Stores are in business to sell lures and make money. They have all those colors because there are so many fishermen that think they need them all and BUY THEM.

Take a step back. Don't kill yourself trying to decide if one is better than the other. If they are hitting crankbaits the basic colors will work. Crankbaits are reaction baits so subtle difference in color IMO isn't a factor, especially in stained water. In very clear water color can make all the difference in the world when a suspending crankbait is used. I've always leaned towards the shad colors if the lake I'm fishing has shad in it. I lean towards the green/orange combo colors if the primary forage is blue gill or bream and if the water is pretty stained. If I'm grinding the bottom with a crankbait I'm using a crawfish type pattern or color. Get you some plano storage boxes with the dividers and organize them by depth. Use one box for your shallow runners, one box for 8-12. one box for your deep divers etc. You don't need 50 crankbaits and you shouldn't worry about all them fancy colors and patterns. Like Bradshuflin said, if they are hitting crankbaits they are hitting crankbaits. From my experience subtle differences in color doesn't make a difference in most lakes. Cover the basics and throw what you have confidence in.

As an added note, I like the Norman crankbaits. I've always had good luck with them and have a lot of confidence in them. Again, use what you like and what you have confidence in.

Good luck out there!

The only color I purchase for SK cranks is Chartruse Sexy Shad. Its a goodun.

It want get any better than Brad's holographic green gizzard and bone. They are tournament tested and true. I have great expectations for these in Mexico this next season.

or you just buy the old reliable DD 14 in Tenn Shad.

You can't buy them in the stores, but you can PM Brad and buy them from the comfort of your own home.

Thanks for the kind words guys, I wasn't trying to make a sale oe sales on this post just wanted to let the op know you can get hung up on patterns, the bait builders know this better than anyone because we paint exactly what we want and there are unlimited options available to us. But honestly the 2 patterns I posted above are the only 2 I have in the boat for medium diving baits and they have probably each put 200-300 fish in the boat this year already. My favorite is probably the bone. I had one tournament this year I had a limit in the boat 8 minutes into the tournament and probably boated 40 fish on the one crankbait.

Sexy shad
Gizzard shad
Chartreuse/black back
Citrus shad
Bluegill

Those are really the only colors in my box

I double that! Also add a red for pre spawn

I like Bandit 300s, Bill Norman DLN and Poe's 300 for that range. I do have some SKs, but these seem to catch more fish, so I throw them a lot more often. I go with the shad or baby bass colors for these lures. Also, I get the chartreuse/blueback and chartreuse/blackback baits as well. Hope this helps. Tight lines, keep safe and good luck.

Thad Rains

Sexy Shad and Chart Sexy Shad Strike King series 5 and 5XD or a 6th Sense 300 DD in Threadfin (This bait only runs 12-14 ft max instead of the 19ft they advertise.