Eight years ago, I caught my first smallmouth in the Columbus area, and I got it on a soft plastic crawfish imitation (far left in photo). Since then I have greatly expanded my baits but have continued to throw the soft plastic crawfish. They look like the real thing, so you would think that they should be a top bait. However, my catch rate with this particular lure is about the lowest of anything I use. The best luck has been with the third from the left, the Yum Papi Craw (two catches in 2015). Still, I keep giving these a try. At the Columbus Fishing Expo this year I picked up some Big Joshy 2.75 Ohio Special Craws. Not really what I was looking to get, but by the time I got to the booth they had sold out of my first choices of the minnows. So, I have been giving this new craw a shot almost every time out this year, but with no takers . . . until today. Starting about 6:30am I went straight for the riffles with my craw. First catch was a 10” channel cat. Then a 10” smallmouth in the same general area. Any big ones out there? I reeled the craw at a steady rate, as slowly as I dared, while jerking the rod tip. With the cobble bottom, too long of a pause easily got caught on the rocks. And, after one such snag I whipped it loose, but the braided line wrapped around my rod tip. I had to let the bait sit for several seconds as I fussed with freeing the line at the end of the pole. When I started reeling in again, I immediately got another snag . . . I thought. Then a huge fish jumped out of the water and it was on. Oh man! This one is big. Can I land the thing? I played it for three jumps. When it stopped fighting I tightened the drag and brought it home. A solid 18” smallmouth. My best this year, or last. The trick might have been the pause on the bottom while I messed with the line tangle. That has happened before, a big one grabbing up the soft plastic after I unraveled a knot, but I can’t bring myself to intentionally pause that long over a snaggy bottom. Caught another 10-incher in the 45 minutes I was out. Does anybody else have any confidence in the soft plastic crawfish imitation? It worked well for me today. I think the time of day, time of year, water clarity, location, and that special snag and pause technique all came together for the bait success today. Then again, would a tube or senko have done just as well?
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Specktur
Baits that catch more fishermen than fish?
Eight years ago, I caught my first smallmouth in the Columbus area, and I got it on a soft plastic crawfish imitation (far left in photo). Since then I have greatly expanded my baits but have continued to throw the soft plastic crawfish. They look like the real thing, so you would think that they should be a top bait. However, my catch rate with this particular lure is about the lowest of anything I use. The best luck has been with the third from the left, the Yum Papi Craw (two catches in 2015). Still, I keep giving these a try. At the Columbus Fishing Expo this year I picked up some Big Joshy 2.75 Ohio Special Craws. Not really what I was looking to get, but by the time I got to the booth they had sold out of my first choices of the minnows. So, I have been giving this new craw a shot almost every time out this year, but with no takers . . . until today. Starting about 6:30am I went straight for the riffles with my craw. First catch was a 10” channel cat. Then a 10” smallmouth in the same general area. Any big ones out there? I reeled the craw at a steady rate, as slowly as I dared, while jerking the rod tip. With the cobble bottom, too long of a pause easily got caught on the rocks. And, after one such snag I whipped it loose, but the braided line wrapped around my rod tip. I had to let the bait sit for several seconds as I fussed with freeing the line at the end of the pole. When I started reeling in again, I immediately got another snag . . . I thought. Then a huge fish jumped out of the water and it was on. Oh man! This one is big. Can I land the thing? I played it for three jumps. When it stopped fighting I tightened the drag and brought it home. A solid 18” smallmouth. My best this year, or last. The trick might have been the pause on the bottom while I messed with the line tangle. That has happened before, a big one grabbing up the soft plastic after I unraveled a knot, but I can’t bring myself to intentionally pause that long over a snaggy bottom. Caught another 10-incher in the 45 minutes I was out. Does anybody else have any confidence in the soft plastic crawfish imitation? It worked well for me today. I think the time of day, time of year, water clarity, location, and that special snag and pause technique all came together for the bait success today. Then again, would a tube or senko have done just as well?
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I won't change that for you, either.
I have bought 3 or 4 of those and the only thing they seem to have caught was me.
I think too many times, myself included, fishermen buy lures that look great to them and the fish could care less. We think "they look like the real thing and should produce great", but they don't.
I have some Rebel craws for the smallies but they have been out fished by a $2.50 Lunker Hunt square bill, by a lot.
I have also caught some decent fish at Hoover on Matzuo's that I got in a 3 pack for $8 or $9 bucks. Along with some smaller LM I caught a 17, 18 and 19" LM on the same trip.
Looks of a lure to me is very far down on my consideration list anymore. Seems to save me a lot of money too.
The 18" told you exactly what he wanted. He didn't get to be that big by being dumb. He opportunistically chose the craw that was moving but decided to take a rest. I would recommend finding a way to make it snag less. Bury the hook, use less weight. Find a way. Unless you're happy catching 10" smallies instead of 18" simply to save lures. Lost lures are a part of fishing, just be glad they aren't $8-10 crankbaits
Zoom ultra vibe speed craws and the rage craws are best for me. Just stick them on a football jig or a bitsy bug, work them on the bottom. Catch fish all day. The recurve pinchers on the speedcraw drive them wild.
nice fish man, congrats. Just my opinion here but in my experience real clear water, like it looks like your fishing there, you will get more bites especially on baits moving slow if you use a much smller black snap with no swivel or even no snap at all. Plus baits moved along the bottom snag less slime and weeds when they are tied direct.
first let me say congrats on a nice sm. I have been caught by so many lures over the yrs. some of them worked great and some not so well. I think most lures and colors are made to catch fisherman then if they catch fish its a bonus for the fisherman.
sherman
sherman
if you are spinning and imitating craws tubes- texas rig them and avoid the snags. nothing has em beat in my book. use them from january to december and get fish all year long
just normal tubes... i prefer the small mizmo tubes (bassteaser i believe) and venom stubbies. need to get about the smallest EWG hooks you can find for them (i think size 2 or 4 by gamakatsu). Normally rock an 1/8 oz bullet weight with a fluoro leader.
I don't go for hype when it comes to buying lures, and usually stick to tried and true lures that have worked for years.
I've been getting more into top water fishing for Largemouth this year, and went to the old standbys. A Rebel Pop-R, and a Manns 1minus. A friend who lives out of state kept touting how awesome this crazy topwater lure he bought a few months back is. So I look it up on a few different web sites and the dang thing is $20. I tell him ain't no way I'm spending $20 on a topwater lure. And he kept on telling me how utterly awesome it is. So against my better judgement, I reluctantly ordered a Jackall Pompadour Jr in bone white color.
Thing comes and I take it to a small 5 acre lake that I know for sure has LM in it. Got there about 5:45am, only fishing from shore casting this freaky lure. Second cast... WHAM, 3rd cast... WHAM. They weren't big, but I was surprised the lure was working. I walked the bank of the water till about 7:30am and landed 7 Largemouth total with the biggest going 3lbs.
Hate to say it, but it's the best $20 fishing lure I've ever bought. Also the only one...
I've been getting more into top water fishing for Largemouth this year, and went to the old standbys. A Rebel Pop-R, and a Manns 1minus. A friend who lives out of state kept touting how awesome this crazy topwater lure he bought a few months back is. So I look it up on a few different web sites and the dang thing is $20. I tell him ain't no way I'm spending $20 on a topwater lure. And he kept on telling me how utterly awesome it is. So against my better judgement, I reluctantly ordered a Jackall Pompadour Jr in bone white color.
Thing comes and I take it to a small 5 acre lake that I know for sure has LM in it. Got there about 5:45am, only fishing from shore casting this freaky lure. Second cast... WHAM, 3rd cast... WHAM. They weren't big, but I was surprised the lure was working. I walked the bank of the water till about 7:30am and landed 7 Largemouth total with the biggest going 3lbs.
Hate to say it, but it's the best $20 fishing lure I've ever bought. Also the only one...
I try to only spend big money on topwater lures because I can fish them on 50lbs braid, not impact the presentation and never lose them. I just hate fishing 20+ dollar cranks on floro in crystal clear water like you have to. Although I did break down and buy some megabass jerkbaits for Erie and St.Clair. Just gotta check the line frequently, but other than that I only spend top dollar for topwater. And yes the Jackall pompadour is awesome. They crush that thing when they hit it.
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