Tyler "The Crankbait Kid" Vance

Lead Hard Bait & Reaction Fishing Specialist

Tyler has been tournament fishing since high school. Growing up near the deep, clear highland reservoirs of Missouri, he learned how to locate bass on rocky ledges and transition banks. Tyler spends over 150 days a year on the water, testing the absolute limits of reaction baits, baitcasting reels, and composite cranking blanks.

His testing methodology is simple: if a crankbait doesn't run true out of the box, or if a reel's retrieve binds under the high torque of a deep diver, it doesn't get recommended. Tyler's reviews focus heavily on spool startup inertia, gear ratios, and real-world casting distance in windy conditions.