There's a cornucopia of crankbaits out there for bass anglers, but one of my top choices is a Mann's 1-Minus. This bait catches behemoths. If you're a fan of plying extra-shallow areas, this is a must-have lure. There are several 1-Minus models available. All catch fish, but my focus here is on the largest 3-1/4-inch size. Here's a glimpse at its virtues.
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| The author found the 1-Minus Crankbait is a versatile lure. |
The 1-Minus rules the subsurface, with a maximum diving depth of 12 inches. Varying speeds let anglers flirt with any depth within this one foot range, and on a slow retrieve it can be worked across the surface like a wake bait. A low gear ratio (i.e., 5:1) baitcast reel is useful to impart an alluring, dawdling action to the 1-Minus.
Its robust, fat body portrays a sizable meal that appeals to hungry bass. This broad profile combined with its wide-wobbling action pushes a lot of water during the retrieve, creating a disturbance that gets bass' attention. Amplifying this fish-attracting motion is the crank's loud rattle.
The 1-Minus is an incredibly versatile lure. It is one of my go-to options when I need to comb through vast flats to locate largemouth. In early morning, on overcast days or in muddy water conditions, this bait is phenomenal around any shallow to moderate-depth zones.
This crank is deadly too when cast tight to cover. I've hauled big buckets on this bait from working it along the outer edge of vegetation (e.g., slop, pads, reeds and rice) and beside docks. It's also fooled several wood-living bass. While my main target with this lure is often largemouth, I've caught some enormous smallmouth bass from shorelines, stump-fields and weed-covered points using a 1-Minus. In short, it's a big-bass bait irregardless of the species.
The 1-Minus has an excellent action on a swim-pause retrieve, but adding twitches and jerks frequently instigates strikes. Using these erratic moves is the key to unlocking the full potential of this lure to boat bragging-sized bass.
The 1-Minus tips the scales at 5/8-ounces and as such you want to throw this bait on stout, heavy crankbait gear for maximum casting distance and superior accuracy. A beefy set-up is also of service to quickly haul big bass away from cover.
At the time of writing this blog, 45 Bass Pro Shops customers have reviewed the 1-Minus, which has an Overall Rating of 4.6 out of 5 stars. These are impressive stats, but to be expected from one of the best shallow-running crankbaits of all time. The bait is a bargain. Pick some up. You won't be disappointed.
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