Let's Talk Smallmouth Lures...

[Al Agnew]

It's debatable whether the shape of a crankbait can make a real difference in its effectiveness. Does the Rebel Crawdad catch more fish because it has a nice crawdad shape? Fact is that it moves nothing like a crawdad, so it really isn't a "good" imitation of one. But just maybe, when you compare it to another crankbait with a similar action and basic size, the realistic shape could possibly give it a slight edge. There are crankbaits out there with similar action, and those with somewhat different action. It would drive you nuts to try them all to attempt to figure out which one might work best, especially since the chances are that some days one would work better and other days another would. So I guess it really all comes down to which one YOU have the most confidence in.

I like the erratic wobble of the Wiggle Wart. And I like the Middle N because it works the best of any that I've found with some dressing on the belly hook, and I have confidence in crankbaits with something on that belly hook. Those are the two main reasons I use those two crankbaits. And I suspect that if I forced myself to use the Crawdad enough to catch some fish on it, I'd end up having just as much confidence in it.

[RSBreth]

I don't use the Rebel craw because I see so many people have it tied on - so I guess I'm trying to be a rebel, by not using the Rebel. I just don't have confidence in them.

[snagged in outlet 3]

One method I used to use was those little trout cheese worms. They sold them in the trout parks, and I'm sure they still do. Some were two colors others have a stripe. I fished them whacky style with a split shot above them. They are absolutely deadly on finicky smallies.

I've used them in Tablerock and they work there also. Now, you will have trouble with sunfish but in my experience when a smallie wants it he'll, get it. They have a deadly action that they can't resist.

SIO3

[Chief Grey Bear]

I can't begin to tell the numbers of fish I have caught on the Rebel Wee Craw. That has to be one of the best baits ever created for smaller creeks. I prefer the deep dive version. It can get deeper in the water column of the deeper holes. And as it rises up out of those holes, it is raking along the bottom causing quite a fish attracking ruckus. Now I will agree that its bigger brother the Rebel Craw is not as productive. And I really can't say why just excactly. For me, over the years it has just not produced like the Wee Craw. But I don't throw it as much either.

Now with that said, I wouldn't be inclined to throw one all day long on a river the size of the Kings, James, or Spring River. I am not saying you won't catch some fish, but if you want to consistantly catch larger fish, you need to throw a larger bait. I have caught some nice 1 1/2 to 2 pound fish on the Wee Craw though. On smaller creeks like the Flat, Finley, or Big Sugar, you can do very well all day long. The Wee Craw will produce more than you care to count in the 12-13 inch range and down. It is just not a good producer of larger fish.

I agree that hooks on the claw end can be very troublesome. But there is any easy fix for that too. I always change mine to a #12 or #10 size gold treble hook. I don't know if gold produces more fish but, it will add just a bit more flash. It may give them something to key in on too. I can't say for sure though. One other thing that I sometimes do is paint some clear varnish on them. I think it helps to keep that shiny, wet look to them. I have never seen a shiny real crawdad but, I think it can help with the flash. I have also used clear finger nail polish. I will put 3-4 coats on there to give a little more weight to it and get it down maybe just a little deeper.

Does a Wee Craw really look and act like the real thing?? I would say yes and somewhat. The profile of a Wee Craw and a real craw are very similar. And the various colors of the Wee Craw are also very similar to those of that inhabit various creeks and streams. And the wobble. There is a difference in the action of a Wee Craw and a real craw. A real craw does have a wobble. But it is more of an inline, front to back wobble that is created by the thrusting action of its swim pattern. A Wee Craw has a side to side wobble.

Can a bass tell the difference between a real craw and a Wee Craw?? I don't think so. I don't think they have the capacity too. It is doubtful that slight variations of color in prey makes a huge difference in stream bass. I have certain colors that a I like to use and think that produce better than some others. And that maybe due to me using them more than others too. I also don't think don't think that bass, or any other predator fish, can discern the difference in wobble. Both provide an action that triggers their instict and induces a strike.

***EDIT****

I meant to say TEENY Wee Craw

[Al Agnew]

Good stuff, Chief...

Seems to me that, rather than being able to tell the difference between a Teeny Craw and a real one, smallies just don't care. They don't have the intellectual capacity to think, "hmm, that thing looks like a crawdad, species golden crayfish, but is moving a little differently than I've ever seen one move...should I eat it or not?" Instead, they see it moving, it is the right size to be able to swallow, looks alive, and maybe has a profile that "completes the sale". All by instinct--see it, looks edible, eat it.

But however it works, thing is that a lot of smallmouth lures don't look like much of anything a smallmouth naturally eats, but the smallies try to eat them.

You brought up another big consideration that hasn't been gone into depth yet, and that's color. I never worry about subtle differences in colors. Most baitfish have light, reflective sides, light bellies, and darker backs. Most bottom organisms have colors that are fairly close to the colors of the type of bottom where they live. All I want to do with lures that more closely imitate baitfish or bottom organisms like crayfish is use lure colors that are similar to those two types. I don't much care if my pumpkin tubes have green flakes or red flakes, it's the overall color that's important to me. Most of my bottom bumping lures will be shades of brown or olive because that's what color the bottom of Ozark streams is.

Other than that, though, I divide colors into dark and light, dull and bright, strong contrast or little contrast. Don't need ten colors of spinnerbaits, just want a couple light colors and a couple dark colors. In fact, in spinnerbaits I'll use white, chartreuse, combination white and chartreuse, brown, and black. Topwaters...all I want is a light minnow imitating color, a translucent color for very clear water, and a dark color. Crankbaits, same thing. One thing that's more of a personal foible than anything else...I hate orange bellies on crankbaits, and you can't hardly buy one without an orange belly if it's a crawdad color. I'll usually grind off the orange with a Dremel tool and either leave it whatever color the plastic is or repaint it tan or dull white.

[drew03cmc]

Good stuff, Chief...

Seems to me that, rather than being able to tell the difference between a Teeny Craw and a real one, smallies just don't care. They don't have the intellectual capacity to think, "hmm, that thing looks like a crawdad, species golden crayfish, but is moving a little differently than I've ever seen one move...should I eat it or not?" Instead, they see it moving, it is the right size to be able to swallow, looks alive, and maybe has a profile that "completes the sale". All by instinct--see it, looks edible, eat it.

But however it works, thing is that a lot of smallmouth lures don't look like much of anything a smallmouth naturally eats, but the smallies try to eat them.

You brought up another big consideration that hasn't been gone into depth yet, and that's color. I never worry about subtle differences in colors. Most baitfish have light, reflective sides, light bellies, and darker backs. Most bottom organisms have colors that are fairly close to the colors of the type of bottom where they live. All I want to do with lures that more closely imitate baitfish or bottom organisms like crayfish is use lure colors that are similar to those two types. I don't much care if my pumpkin tubes have green flakes or red flakes, it's the overall color that's important to me. Most of my bottom bumping lures will be shades of brown or olive because that's what color the bottom of Ozark streams is.

Other than that, though, I divide colors into dark and light, dull and bright, strong contrast or little contrast. Don't need ten colors of spinnerbaits, just want a couple light colors and a couple dark colors. In fact, in spinnerbaits I'll use white, chartreuse, combination white and chartreuse, brown, and black. Topwaters...all I want is a light minnow imitating color, a translucent color for very clear water, and a dark color. Crankbaits, same thing. One thing that's more of a personal foible than anything else...I hate orange bellies on crankbaits, and you can't hardly buy one without an orange belly if it's a crawdad color. I'll usually grind off the orange with a Dremel tool and either leave it whatever color the plastic is or repaint it tan or dull white.

Why do you hate orange bellies? I don't think I own a bait with an orange belly, but I am just curious.

Also, the colors of the flakes don't matter? I try to get baits that do not have flakes or have natural colored flakes like black or maybe white. Maybe the black craws I saw yesterday with red flakes are worth the buy...

[Gary Lange]

Chief wrote:

Can a bass tell the difference between a real craw and a Wee Craw?? I don't think so. I don't think they have the capacity too. It is doubtful that slight variations of color in prey makes a huge difference in stream bass. I have certain colors that a I like to use and think that produce better than some others. And that maybe due to me using them more than others too. I also don't think don't think that bass, or any other predator fish, can discern the difference in wobble. Both provide an action that triggers their instinct and induces a strike.

I agree with the Chief that the Smallmouth sees a meal getting away and grabs it without thinking about it or really looking at it. I agree also that they just don't have the capacity to do so and act out of impulse. They see something move and are attracted to the movement and it looks like something they can eat so they grab it.

[dgames]

What color Sammy 100s are favorite for medium sized streams like the Big Piney, Big Sugar, Elk or Illinois River (in ok)?

Do many people use spooks or are sammies so superior that everyone uses the sammies?

[Chief Grey Bear]

Good stuff, Chief...

But however it works, thing is that a lot of smallmouth lures don't look like much of anything a smallmouth naturally eats, but the smallies try to eat them.

Thanks. I agree completely with what you are saying too. I was just really talking about the Teeny Craw inpaticular because it was getting some, what I cosidered to be, undeserved bad press. But other than that, there are a lot of baits that don't really represent anything natural. Or even close. And I think it may just all boil down to being at the right place at the right time and presentig a bait in the right area. I can agree there may be a bit, albeit a small bit, of science to fishing but, it ain't anywhere near what some want to make it out to be. That is just me though.

You brought up another big consideration that hasn't been gone into depth yet, and that's color. I never worry about subtle differences in colors. Most baitfish have light, reflective sides, light bellies, and darker backs. Most bottom organisms have colors that are fairly close to the colors of the type of bottom where they live. All I want to do with lures that more closely imitate baitfish or bottom organisms like crayfish is use lure colors that are similar to those two types. I don't much care if my pumpkin tubes have green flakes or red flakes, it's the overall color that's important to me. Most of my bottom bumping lures will be shades of brown or olive because that's what color the bottom of Ozark streams is.

Color is a funny thing. I have used some baits that don't even come close to looking like anything other than a clown and on some days, just tear them up on the river. Wild shades of bright colors. Blues, yellows and greens.

Look at the colors applied to plugs from the 40's up through the 70's. I love those color patterns on those old plugs. And I'll be darn if they don't produce today like they did back then. I just love tossing those old school plugs from 50 years ago. YES, 50 years ago. Some of the old tadpollys that I still use today were produced back i the 50's and 60's. Same deal with the old River Runts and Scouts. Talk about turning some heads. And they all want to know where to get one. Sorry, you can't anymore. They just don't make the good old river plugs like they used too. It is all lake style plugs now. And I ain't complaining either. I have a good supply.

One thing that's more of a personal foible than anything else...I hate orange bellies on crankbaits, and you can't hardly buy one without an orange belly if it's a crawdad color. I'll usually grind off the orange with a Dremel tool and either leave it whatever color the plastic is or repaint it tan or dull white.

I don't mind a orange belly. Natural?? No. Works?? I think so. But I won't say that it is better one way over the other.

And oddly enough one bait that I think preforms very well on the rivers is a minnow bait. I love to toss a F 9 or CD 9 Gold Rapala. Just a great, great river bait. I probably prefer the CD over the F. Lots of big brownies have been caught on a Rapala minnow bait. Larry Dablemont has a great story about his brother inlaw and a jointed Rapala in his book, Rivers to Run.

And on smaller creeks the smaller 1 1/2 - 1 5/8 size minnow are just fabulous to use. Just like the Teeny Craw's and a lite spinning rod, you will catch a ton of fish. And trout can't resist them either. My favorite color was the Tenn. Shad that Rebel used to make. Boy you can't find the early version for nothing anymore. Wow was that a producer though.

I recall one time a few years ago while I was living in SW Oklahoma, I was fishing one of the lakes just outside of Duncan in my Bass Hound. I was using one of the Tenn. Shad minnows and was fumbling around in the bottom of the boat just after making cast. The plug was slowly sinking while I was doing what ever and them WHAM! I mean I had snaged a freight train. Thank God I had a hold of my rod. It doubled over and the line snapped just as quick as a second. I have no idea what it was but, I have always suspected that it was a catfish. I'll never know though.

[exiledguide]

The only thing i would add is a 4" to 6" worm Zoom, Chompers or Power Bait Finnesse or needle worm Texas rigged on a light wire wide gap red worm hook with a 1/32oz to 1/8oz worm sinker and a 3" Gulp Alive Chartruse Shad minnow on a 1/16 or 1/32oz jig on a size 1 or 2 Matzuo red cycle hook that I get from a guy in Florida. The Gulp alive minnow was my most productive bait last summer and fall on the James river. I've got to agree the teeny craw is the best crank bait next to the pre Norman Bass Magnet the ones made by Norman are pretty good but nothing is as good as the old ones that were made, I think, in Indiana. I also believe that stream smallmouth are the easiest to catch game fish there are if you know how to read the water and make the right presentation that is why they should be released immeadiatley unharmed to the water.