Deps Tiny Bulldoze and Tiny Bullshooter Review #depstinybulldoze #deps #bluegillswimbait

Swimbait/Crankbait Review

Swimbait or Crankbait? The Deps Tiny Bulldoze 100 (continued)

Swimbait or Crank?: While the Tiny Bullshooter is about subsurface gliding, and stop and go action, the Bulldoze plays near the top of the water column. The bait has a very large coffin style polycarbonate lip that gives the bait a strong action during retrieves. The Tiny Bulldoze can be fished like a small wakebait or like a shallow running crankbait. When retrieved briskly I was able to get the bait down to around 2 feet in depth, and when paused the Bulldoze will rise up head first in a convincing manner.

While the large bill is great for pushing the bait down like a crank during retrieves it also acts as a durable edge for deflection, and I found the Bulldoze to perform similarly to a squarebill when it came to navigating cover, and drawing strikes a split second after contact.

The coffin style lip is made of polycarbonate for durability

Other ways that the Tiny Bulldoze can be fished effectively is slowly waked on the surface and even dead sticking it and bringing it to life with subtle twitches. In most cases I liked using straight braid to aid with the float and helping provide instant hooksets. For occasions where more stealth is required, and I planned on fishing the Tiny Bulldoze more like a crank, I would either fish the bait exclusively with fluorocarbon line or a fluorocarbon leader.

The bait is available in a range of patterns including ghost and flash variations

As expected the Tiny Bulldoze drew a lot more strikes than the larger versions. There are just so many more fish that are willing to pursue and commit to a bait of this size. The Tiny Bulldoze is absolutely deadly in the warmer months, and especially in any bodies of water where bluegill and other similarly profiled panfish are a primary forage.

The first Bulldoze that can really be fished like a shallow crank

Price & Applications: While the Tiny Bulldoze can be fished so many different ways I had greater success waking the bait or cranking the bait and targeting contact, versus employing on the riser or deadsticking methods. That isn't to say that those techniques wouldn't be effective in your local water, and having the versatility with this bait makes it a solid choice for situations where bass are in shallow water, or visually feeding close to the surface.

There are a number of swimbaits where the smaller version surpasses the original in terms of performance. The Tiny Bulldoze does exactly that and while the original is still deadly for targeting giants this new 100 size is everything we like about the original, all in a easier to fish and snack-sized form factor that appeals to bass of all weights.

Is this a really small swimbait or is it a crankbait?

Cal and I debated whether the Tiny Bulldoze 100 is a "swimbait" or a "crankbait" and my take is that it is a swimbait, just a tiny one. Swimbaits, at least to me, are about bait design and can come in a wide range of sizes. Just as the name implies, the Tiny Bulldoze, is a miniaturized version of a proven performer, but Deps has tuned the bait for balance and lip-size to bait ratio to give this mini swimbait a character of its own. I liked Cal's final take on the bait after a successful day on the water:

"Is the Tiny Bulldoze a swimbait or a crank? Who cares, it catches fish, and that's what matters."

So while the Tiny Bulldoze, and Tiny Bullshooter, are both very good baits they are pretty expensive at $50 dollars each. Deps baits have never been considered affordable, and for the most part anglers know that they are getting a very high quality bait for their money. Still it is a lot of scratch to spend if you view these "Tiny" baits as crankbaits. I like the smaller profiles, and versatility of these baits, and would recommend one, or two, Tiny Bulldozers that match the hatch, and one Bullshooter for work in deeper water.

Ratings: (We've re-calibrated our ratings standard for 2008 and have included a key at the bottom of the following matrix as a guide):

Deps Tiny Bulldoze 100 Ratings (?/10)
Construction/Quality	Deps typically brings the quality and the Tiny Bulldoze is no different. This doesn't have a garage swimbait feel and while it is clearly a mass produced bait the consistency and quality are just what we expect	8.5
Performance	There are few swimbaits (like the Gantarel) where I find the smaller versions more effective overall fish catchers than the larger variants and the Tiny Bulldoze is one of them. Unlike the full size originals this bait isn't about swinging for the fences as much as delivering more action	8.5
Price	Deps baits are never considered cheap and if you view the Bulldoze as a crankbait it certainly is an expensive one. Call it whatever you want this bait is still on the expensive side when you consider the size	6.5
Features	All of what we like about the larger size in a friendly, easy to fish, package. The fins can bend unnaturally if the bait is not stored properly, and the "rattle" may not be what anglers expect as it doesn't put out a loud sound	8
Design (Ergonomics)	Very easy to fish and can even be thrown on a heavy spinning rod	9
Application	Fish it like a wakebait or a crank, but best in warmer months where fish are shallower. For those cooler periods the deeper running Tiny Bullshooter can be deployed	8.5
Total Score		8.16
Ratings Key: 1 = terrible : 2 = poor : 3 = lacking : 4 = sub par : 5 = mediocre : 6 = fair : 7 = good : 8 = great : 9 = excellent : 10 = unbelievable! For More Details of the updated rating system visit our explanation here

Pluses and Minuses:

Plus	Minus
+ If you like the Bulldoze but are looking for a smaller profile this Tiny version doesn't disappoint	- Not cheap for a bait of this size, but the quality that we have come to expect from Deps is all here
+ Very easy to fish and can be thrown with just about any casting rod capable of handling 3/4-1oz. It can even be fished with a heavy spinning rod	- The bearing is more of weight/balancer than a rattle as the sound is pretty subtle
+ Fish it like a swimbait or a crank. Plenty of versatility	- Plastic fins can bend if not stored carefully
+ Range of quality patterns to pick from and finishes hold up well over time
+ Gets bit by fish of all sizes, and while you will get smaller fish don't rule it out for giants either

Conclusion: The Tiny Bulldoze looks great in the water and is especially deadly in warmer months when fish are cruising the shallows or not hesitant to blow up on top. One of the most effective ways to fish this tiny swimbait is like a crankbait, as deflecting off structure often draws attention, and strikes.

The Tiny Bulldoze is especially effective during the warmer months and whenever bluegill or panfish are on the menu in your local body of water

Whether you choose to fish it like small wakebait, or a shallow crankbait, the Tiny Bulldoze is an effective fish catcher. Unlike the original, and much larger Bulldozes, this Tiny bait results in bites from fish of all sizes. While the Bulldoze did get hammered by a lot of fish in the 2lb. class don't rule it out for targeting lunkers either. There are times where much larger fish were eager to crush this tiny morsel. If you can get past the cost for such a small "swimbait" these Tiny Bulldozes absolutely do get bit.

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