WHAT IS IT?
SPRO Outsider Crankbait
WHAT SETS IT APART?
The answer is in the name. There are no internal weights or transfer system inside the body cavity. Instead, the weight is on the outside of the crankbait at the forward belly. Three legit lure designers — John Crews and Chris and Cory Johnston — thought outside the box and began testing the concept. Through years of testing and tweaking, the three Bassmaster Elite Series pros discovered a crankbait using external weight was easier to cast and had more responsive action. The bait will be offered in three sizes: SR 55 (3 feet to 4 feet), MR 60 (7 feet to 9 feet) and DD 80 (19 feet to 21 feet). The lifelike body features gill rakers, mandibles and SPRO’s signature Mean Eyes and highly detailed paint schemes. Armed with premium Gamakatsu hooks and heavy-duty split rings, the lures will be available this fall.
HOW DO I USE IT?
The shallow runner has a squarebill design with a unique wide lip. “I wanted to make it come alive, with that erratic hunting action that is unique to a squarebill,” John Crews told me at ICAST. Mission accomplished as the bait zigs, zags and darts from side to side. The medium runner fills in the gap between shallow and midrange depths with the advantage of adding casting distance. At 1.25 ounces, you get longer-range casts with the bullet-shaped deep runner, and the larger lip gets it quickly into the strike zone.
HOW MUCH?
$19.99 (SR 55)
$18.99 (MR 60)
$25.99 (DD 80)
MORE INFORMATION:
ANGLER’S INSIGHT:
The designers proved a crankbait with an external weight isn’t just a novelty. It works. I found the Outsider crankbait easier to cast with a more responsive action, at least for baits in this category. That’s a plus for two occasions. You can cover more water when longer casts are needed and at any depth range. As a bonus, those unique qualities make this bait ideal for crankbait novices.
