A lot of shallow crankbaits from the past had a serious issue with durability. For instance, many would split, crack and break in half after just a few weeks of abuse. The Baby 1 Minuses, however, were made to be slammed into all types of cover in order to entice ridiculous reaction strikes...and that's exactly what Smith always has done with these baits.
"I bang 'em on rocks, dock posts, stumps, and laydowns every time I use them, and I've never had a single one break on me," he said. "It has a one-piece molded body and lip, so bill separation never is anything you need to worry about. Regardless of how many errant casts you make (boy! can I ever relate to that!), or how often you crank thick stuff, the bill stays in place without any special precautions."
As Smith also pointed out, "The paint on these crankbaits also is very durable, which is a major selling point for me. After a few months, you'll notice a little hook rash on the side of the body, but I've never seen it bad enough to alter the color quality or appearance of the lure. When you bang around in shallow cover, you won't have to worry much about rock chips, slips or anything of the sort."
So, why does anyone want or need a crankbait that only runs an advertised 1 foot deep? The answer is simple. While you always can high-stick deeper running squarebills when fishing super-shallow water, you run into trouble when trying to set the hook on a fish. In high-sticking, you're forced to set the hook upward, which drives the top of the lure's body (the part with no hooks) into the roof of the bass' mouth and risks pulling the bait away from them. You avoid this risk when you can set the hook to the side.
Continued Smith, "The Baby 1 Minus gives you two awesome options in shallow water. If you utilize a slow retrieve speed, you'll notice it bulging right beneath the surface. When it's early morning, and the bass are aggressive and 'feeding up,' this lure can be an awesome way to whack a quick limit. This also is a great presentation to use when fishing over submerged vegetation.
"If you keep your rod tip further down and retrieve the Baby One Minus at a moderate speed, it dives about one foot deep, give or take a few inches, depending upon your line size and type. When fished in this manner, it has a surprisingly tight wobble. I know the words 'tight' and 'wobble' seem contradictory in regards to crankbait action, but hear me out. It doesn't have a very wide side-to-side swimming action, but the body of the lure rolls on its side throughout the retrieve. Whether you're fishing for aggressive bass or finicky post-frontal fish, the unique action of this crankbait will produce bites."
When you shake a Baby One Minus in your hand, it sounds like you're shaking a maraca. It has a bunch of internal beads that produce an authentic rattling sound, instead of a "thump" or "knock." Not surprisingly, it was designed like this for a reason.
"Most of the time (not all the time)," noted Smith, "bass inhabit insanely shallow-water depths when it's heavily stained or muddied. Muddy water is much denser than clear water, which allows it to warm quicker in direct sunlight. The heaviest stain often will be located close to the shoreline, due to precipitation runoff, so that's where you can find the bass. This time of year, bass want warmer water, which makes this situation a common occurrence.
"So when the bass are in this shallow, muddy water, they need a little help honing in on your lures," continued Smith. "They can't see very well, so extra sound and water displacement can be necessary. The Baby One Minus accomplishes this goal because its loud rattles and aggressive rolling action make it easier for the bass to locate."
In Smith's opinion, this little crankbait is a must-have for anyone who likes to fish shallow water. "It's built like a tank, it operates effectively in skinny water, and its rattles are great weapons in dirty water," he explained.
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