Building a 6XD Tool Box with Keith Combs
Three-time Toyota Texas Bass Classic champion Keith Combs has won well over $2 million in his career as a professional angler, and a substantial portion of that has come on a variety of Strike King’s XD crankbaits, most notably the 6XD. He’s at his absolute best when bass are grouped up on offshore subtleties, and require an expert crankbait flinger to get them to bite and to keep them fired up.
If you’re just starting off deep cranking, it can be tough to figure out what to buy. While Combs carries quite a few different colors, the ones below are a great starting point for anywhere that crankbait-chewing bass live.
Powder Blue Back Chartreuse
“This is a reaction color that is especially good when you’re fishing fast and covering water because it’s so visible.”
Tennessee Shad
“You have to carry several shad patterns and this is one of my all-time favorites for when I have 2 to 3 feet of visibility.”
Green Gizzard Shad
“I like a translucent lure in clear water and this one is really good for that – so is Blue Gizzard Shad.”
DB Craw
“This is one I’ll use when I know that bass are largely targeting crawfish instead of shad. I often catch my biggest fish of the year on this color and others like it.”
The 6XD comes in three models: The original Pro Model, the Silent Version and the Hard Knock model. Combs said that the original is his go-to, but if the school shuts down and he’s convinced that there are more fish in the area he’ll switch to the silent version. If he leaves an area and comes back an hour or two later he’ll often start with the silent model as well. He says that it does run a tad bit shallower.
As for the Hard Knock, he said he wishes he had it during the heyday at Falcon Lake when he was consistently putting 40-plus pound bags in the boat with a crankbait. “It usually catches the biggest fish in the school,” he said.
While the 6XDs come with high-quality split rings and treble hooks, in a tournament situation he’ll often switch the latter to an EWG style hook like the Owner ST-35, which he said has better holding power.
Cranking Tackle
Line: Seaguar InvizX (usually 15 lb. test, but he’ll drop down to 10 or 12 in some situations)
