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Every crankbait package carries a dive rating, and every experienced angler knows that rating is a guideline rather than a measurement. The number on the box comes from a test with a particular line, a particular cast length and a particular retrieve speed. Change any of those and the bait runs somewhere else.
This guide explains what the ratings mean, which Bandit series covers which part of the water column, and how to work out where your bait is actually running.
Why the number on the box is only a starting point
Four variables move a crankbait up or down, and they compound.
- Line diameter. The single biggest factor. Thick line has more drag in the water and holds the bait up; thin line lets it dig. Moving between a light and a heavy line can shift running depth by several feet on a deep diver.
- Cast length. A crankbait dives on a curve. It reaches maximum depth in the middle third of a long cast and climbs again as it approaches the rod tip. A short pitch never gets near the rated depth.
- Retrieve speed. There is a sweet spot. Too slow and the lip cannot generate enough force to pull the bait down; too fast and it starts to rise and can blow out sideways.
- Rod position. Rod tip high holds the bait shallower; tip down, or even buried in the water, buys you another foot or two.
Line type matters as well as diameter. Fluorocarbon sinks and helps a bait reach depth; monofilament floats and holds it higher. Braid has almost no stretch and a thin diameter, which lets baits dig, but it is unforgiving on treble hooks.
The series, by the part of the water column they cover
Bandit’s numbering is straightforward: the series number goes up as the bait goes deeper. Treat the figures below as approximate working ranges on typical line, and check the package or the lip stamp on the bait you actually buy.
| Series | Rough working depth | Where it earns its keep |
|---|---|---|
| 100 series | Shallow, roughly the top few feet | Flats, shoreline wood, grass tops, creek arms |
| 200 series | Mid depth, roughly mid single figures | Points, transitions, riprap, the classic all-rounder |
| 300 series / BDT3D | Deep, roughly low double figures | Ledges, offshore structure, deeper points |
| Walleye Shallow | Shallow to mid, trolled or cast | Flats and shallow trolling passes for walleye |
| Walleye Deep / Deep-Ledge | Deep, long-line trolled | Basin and ledge trolling, suspended fish |
A 100-series crankbait in Baby Bass is the shallow end of that range, and the BDT3D Series 300 covers the deep end for casting. For walleye, the split is between a Walleye Shallow and a Walleye Deep-Ledge.
Casting depth versus trolling depth
This trips people up constantly. A bait that runs 8 ft on a cast may run far deeper trolled, because trolling lets you put a great deal more line out behind the boat. Walleye jerkbaits advertised as trolling to around 27 ft are quoting a long-line trolling figure, not what the bait will do on a 30-yard cast.
When you read a rating, check which discipline it describes. For trolling, the figure only means anything alongside a stated amount of line out; for casting, it assumes a long cast and a steady retrieve.
How to find out where your bait really runs
You do not need a dive chart if you are willing to spend ten minutes finding out directly.
- Find a gently sloping bottom with a known depth gradient — a clean bank or a ramp area works.
- Make a full cast parallel to the slope and retrieve at your normal speed.
- Note where the bait starts ticking bottom. That depth, at that point in the retrieve, is your real running depth with that line and that rod.
- Repeat with your other line. The difference will surprise you.
- Write it on the box or on a note in your phone. Your numbers beat the manufacturer’s numbers for your setup.
Two quick adjustments once you know the baseline: drop a line size to gain depth, and lower the rod tip to the water to gain a little more. Both are free.
Choosing depth for the situation, not the maximum
The instinct is to buy the deepest bait available. Usually the right answer is a bait that runs slightly deeper than the water or the cover you are fishing, so it maintains contact without burying itself.
- Fishing 6 ft of water? A bait rated 8 ft keeps the nose in the bottom through the retrieve.
- Fishing a grass flat topping out at 4 ft? You want a bait that ticks the tops, not one that buries in the weed.
- Fishing suspended fish at 12 ft over 25 ft? Depth rating matters less than running the bait just above them. Fish look up.
- Fishing a steep bank? Cast parallel so the bait holds one depth, rather than at the bank where it crosses every depth in ten feet.
Seasonal depth, in one paragraph each
Early spring: fish move shallow to warm water on sunny banks. Shallow baits, slow retrieves, lots of pauses. The 100 series and shallow walleye models do most of the work.
Late spring and early summer: fish spread along points and transitions. The mid-depth range is the sweet spot and the most versatile bait you own.
Midsummer: fish pull out to deep structure and ledges. This is when deep divers and long casts earn their place, and when trolling makes sense for walleye.
Autumn: baitfish push into creeks and fish follow them shallow again. Back to shallow and mid-depth baits, often fished faster than in spring.
Carrying one bait from each band — shallow, mid and deep — covers the year better than carrying six colours of the same depth. A mid-depth Bandit crankbait is the one most people should own first.
Frequently asked questions
How deep does a Bandit 200 series run?
It is the mid-depth model in the lineup, generally working in the mid single figures on typical line and a long cast. Check the package for the current rating, since line choice shifts it either way.
What is the difference between the 100, 200 and 300 series?
Lip size and therefore depth. The 100 runs shallow, the 200 mid, the 300 deep. Body and action are broadly similar, which is what makes the lineup easy to fish through a season.
Why is my crankbait not reaching its rated depth?
Usually line that is too heavy, a cast that is too short, or a rod tip held high. Fix those three before blaming the lure.
Does trolling make a crankbait run deeper?
Yes, substantially, because you can put far more line out. Trolling depth ratings and casting depth ratings are not comparable figures.
What line should I use to get maximum depth?
The thinnest fluorocarbon you can reasonably fish for the cover. Thin diameter cuts water drag and fluorocarbon sinks, so both work in your favour.
Should the bait hit the bottom the whole way back?
Intermittent contact is ideal. Constant plowing fouls the bait with debris and kills the action; no contact at all usually means you are fishing too shallow a model.
Does retrieve speed change depth?
Yes, and not linearly. Each bait has a speed band where it dives best; slower than that and it will not pull down, faster and it starts to rise or roll out.
How many depth ranges do I actually need?
Three covers most freshwater fishing: a shallow runner, a mid-depth model and a deep diver. Add colours only after you have all three depths covered.