# Strike King 3XD: the crankbait for the depth band everyone skips > Why the 2 to 2.5 m band is under-fished, how the 3XD grinds through it, and when it beats a squarebill or a 5XD. - Source : https://carnafish.com/en/leurres/strike-king-3xd/ - Language : en-US - Updated : 2026-09-26 ## Spec sheet - Brand : Strike King - Model : 3XD - Type : Diving crankbait - Target species : Bass, Perch - Size : 6.4 cm - Weight : around 14 g - Running depth : 2 to 2.5 m depending on line and casting distance - Retrieve speed : medium and steady, with deliberate contact - Action : pronounced roll, sharp deflection after hitting an obstacle - Rigging : straight to 0.25-0.30 mm fluorocarbon, parabolic cranking rod - Colors : craw in spring, natural tones in summer, chartreuse in stained water There is a band of water most anglers pass through without ever really fishing it: **between two and two and a half metres**. Too deep for a squarebill that tops out at a metre, too shallow for a diving crankbait that runs to four. The result is that on many waters this layer sees far less pressure than the rest. The 3XD is built exactly for it. ## Why that band matters Two to two and a half metres is the depth of a lot of productive structure: the foot of a sloping bank, the first drop-offs, gravel-pit flats, the top of deep weed beds. It is also the zone fish pull back to **as soon as pressure builds along the margins** — after a boat goes through, in full sun, or simply because three anglers have already walked the bank that morning. A lure that grinds precisely through that band reaches fish that have not seen much yet that day. ## Choose on the bottom, not on the fish As across the whole XD range, the model is picked purely on the depth you want to grind. | Model | Depth | Suitable bottom | |---|---|---| | Squarebill 1.5 | 0.6 to 1.2 m | Margins, stumps, under 1.5 m | | 3XD | 2 to 2.5 m | Foot of the bank, first drop-off | | [5XD](https://carnafish.com/en/leurres/strike-king-5xd/) | 3.5 to 4.5 m | Flats, medium drop-offs | | [6XD](https://carnafish.com/en/leurres/strike-king-6xd/) | 5 to 5.5 m | Holes, deep drop-offs | | [10XD](https://carnafish.com/en/leurres/strike-king-10xd/) | 7 m and beyond | Real depth | The rule stays the same: **the crankbait has to touch.** A 3XD over 5 m of water swims in mid-water and does nothing. Over 2 m it grinds constantly and works. > On the water: in this band, the best trajectory is not parallel to the bank but at an angle. Cast towards the bank from open water and retrieve down the slope: the lure follows the gradient and stays in contact for the whole retrieve, instead of touching over only part of it. ## The retrieve: straight, with incidents 1. **Cast long** — the crankbait reaches its depth halfway through its run, and a short cast never gives it the time. 2. **Rod tip pointed at the water** through the whole retrieve. 3. **Steady medium retrieve**, with no rod work at all. 4. **When you feel contact**, change nothing. Let the lure deflect and right itself. 5. **Optional**: pause for a second just after a solid knock. The lure rises slightly — a lot of takes come right there. ## Tackle, the same as the rest of the range - **A parabolic rod**, 2.10 m minimum, slow action. A fast rod tears the trebles out of the mouth of a fish that attacks on the move. - **A low-ratio reel**, 5.4:1 or less, so you do not retrieve too fast. - **Fluorocarbon 0.25 to 0.30 mm** — it sinks, helps the dive, resists abrasion. No braid straight through: there is no cushioning at all on a lure carrying two trebles, so you shed fish one after another. ## 3XD or squarebill The **squarebill** is built to bang into stumps and rock in under a metre and a half, with a square lip that bounces the lure off obstacles. It is the lure of the cluttered margin. The **3XD** runs one band lower, with a round lip that deflects instead of bouncing. It gets through wood less well but covers a zone the squarebill never reaches. In practice the two follow each other along the same stretch: squarebill over the first couple of metres of bank, 3XD as soon as the bottom drops away. Our [beginner's guide to bass fishing](https://carnafish.com/en/blog/peche-black-bass-debutant/) covers how to read drop-offs. And if you are unsure what depth to target on a spot, [CarnaFish](https://carnafish.com/en/) analyses a photo and gives you a lead. ## Key takeaways - It covers the 2 to 2.5 m band, structurally under-fished on most waters. - Pick the model on the depth of the bottom, never on the size of the fish. - Cast at an angle from open water to follow the slope and stay in contact. - Correct nothing after a knock: let the lure deflect on its own, that is what triggers. - Parabolic rod essential, never braid straight through. ## FAQ ### How deep does the 3XD run? Between 2 and 2.5 m, provided you cast long and use thin fluorocarbon in 0.25 to 0.30 mm. A short cast or thick line easily costs it 50 cm. ### Why is this band of water interesting? Because it is lightly fished: too deep for a squarebill, too shallow for a deep-diving crankbait. It is also the zone fish pull back to as soon as pressure builds along the margins. ### How do I choose between 3XD, 5XD and 6XD? Purely on the depth of bottom you want to grind: 2 to 2.5 m for the 3XD, 3.5 to 4.5 m for the 5XD, 5 to 5.5 m for the 6XD. A crankbait that never touches catches almost nothing. ### What casting angle works best? At an angle from open water towards the bank, retrieving down the slope. The lure then follows the gradient and stays in contact throughout, unlike a parallel cast that only touches intermittently. ### Should I work the crankbait with the rod? No. A steady retrieve is enough, rod tip pointed at the water. After a solid knock against an obstacle you can pause for a second: the lure rises slightly and a lot of attacks happen at that moment. ### What is the difference with a squarebill? The squarebill has a square lip that bounces the lure off obstacles in under 1.5 m: it is the lure of the cluttered margin. The 3XD runs deeper with a round lip that deflects, and covers a band the squarebill never reaches. --- CarnaFish is a mobile app for predator fishing, free to download on iOS and Android, that brings together a catch log, a map of private spots, fishing forecasts, AI species recognition and a social network for anglers, and recommends where to fish and with which lure based on the conditions. To cite this content, mention “CarnaFish — carnafish.com” and link the source page.