Weekend Sum-Up 12-21-15

[kdc]

Thanks for the report Bill

[abkeenan]

Nice report Bill.

 

I don't have any Rock Crawler and don't really plan to do. Especially after a lot hear claiming of bill breakage. I am a BIG SPRO fan but II will stick to the old standby regular ol' Wiggle Wart. You want a cheaper, more durable Rock Crawler? It's called a Magnum Wiggle Wart and yeah....they work and hit about the exact same depth as the RK.

[Bill Babler]

The Mag Wart is a lot bigger profile than the Crawler.  I have thrown it for hours and hours and it is not a great fish catcher here.  IT is however great for salmon, but as far as bass, I'm not a fan.

There were some issues with the baits taking on water at the start of the production, but I have not seen this in the baits I have been throwing since June, and I have been throwing it all Summer and now all Fall into Winter.

I believe Alex has thrown one probably more than anyone as that guy is a crankin machine.  He has just caught some huge fish and huge bags on the RK.

For me it works a bit better than the wart.  I have tried to throw them side by side and see which is my favorite and it is by far the Crawler  It throws so much better, and tracks to perfection every cast without any tuning.  Only glitch so far has been breaking a few.  It is like everything a guy has to try one and see what he thinks of it.  If you decide to try one get either a green or brown phantom and give her a test drive, on a windy day.  It is kind of like throwing a megabass and then throwing an old style rogue.  We all know what bait throws the best.

Good Luck

 

[abkeenan]

11 minutes ago, Bill Babler said:

The Mag Wart is a lot bigger profile than the Crawler.  I have thrown it for hours and hours and it is not a great fish catcher here.  IT is however great for salmon, but as far as bass, I'm not a fan.

There were some issues with the baits taking on water at the start of the production, but I have not seen this in the baits I have been throwing since June, and I have been throwing it all Summer and now all Fall into Winter.

I believe Alex has thrown one probably more than anyone as that guy is a crankin machine.  He has just caught some huge fish and huge bags on the RK.

For me it works a bit better than the wart.  I have tried to throw them side by side and see which is my favorite and it is by far the Crawler  It throws so much better, and tracks to perfection every cast without any tuning.  Only glitch so far has been breaking a few.  It is like everything a guy has to try one and see what he thinks of it.  If you decide to try one get either a green or brown phantom and give her a test drive, on a windy day.  It is kind of like throwing a megabass and then throwing an old style rogue.  We all know what bait throws the best.

Good Luck

 

 I think the difference in size between a Mag Wart and a RK is negligible. I don't think an aggressive or hungry fish is going to be deterred from biting a bait since one is 1/4" longer and a whisker fatter than the other. The casting distance I have no doubts the SPRO is much better as casting systems in baits have improved vastly from the original Warts to new baits like the RK's. I would be willing to bet you put 2 guys in a boat and have one throwing a Mag Wart and the other a RK while on a crank bite and numbers are going to be neck and neck.

[rps]

The Mag wart is a great deep trolled walleye bait. I have never been able to cash in on it as a slightly deeper wart bait.

 

[abkeenan]

8 minutes ago, rps said:

The Mag wart is a great deep trolled walleye bait. I have never been able to cash in on it as a slightly deeper wart bait.

 

 I think a lot of people would be surprised on how well the Mag Wart does if they just gave it a try. Ask Brandon Palaniuk. He threw a Phantom Green Mag Wart in the 2013 Bassmaster Classic at Grand and took 2nd place that year. I bet he has one tied on again this year at Grand which has a similar bottom composition as Table Rock.

[Champ188]

11 hours ago, Bill Babler said:

The Mag Wart is a lot bigger profile than the Crawler.  I have thrown it for hours and hours and it is not a great fish catcher here.  IT is however great for salmon, but as far as bass, I'm not a fan.

There were some issues with the baits taking on water at the start of the production, but I have not seen this in the baits I have been throwing since June, and I have been throwing it all Summer and now all Fall into Winter.

I believe Alex has thrown one probably more than anyone as that guy is a crankin machine.  He has just caught some huge fish and huge bags on the RK.

For me it works a bit better than the wart.  I have tried to throw them side by side and see which is my favorite and it is by far the Crawler  It throws so much better, and tracks to perfection every cast without any tuning.  Only glitch so far has been breaking a few.  It is like everything a guy has to try one and see what he thinks of it.  If you decide to try one get either a green or brown phantom and give her a test drive, on a windy day.  It is kind of like throwing a megabass and then throwing an old style rogue.  We all know what bait throws the best.

Good Luck

 

Nailed it.

[Champ188]

9 hours ago, abkeenan said:

 I think a lot of people would be surprised on how well the Mag Wart does if they just gave it a try. Ask Brandon Palaniuk. He threw a Phantom Green Mag Wart in the 2013 Bassmaster Classic at Grand and took 2nd place that year. I bet he has one tied on again this year at Grand which has a similar bottom composition as Table Rock.

Gonna have to differ with you on this one. I fish both lakes a lot and can assure you that they fish differently in just about every way possible. Grand is 90% largemouth, with a few K's thrown in and essentially no smallmouth. Three feet of visibility at Grand is extremely clear. Just a different critter than Table Rock.

[Ben Gillispie]

Wow. This awesome Mr. Babler! Merry Christmas to all of us....

[abkeenan]

4 hours ago, Champ188 said:

Gonna have to differ with you on this one. I fish both lakes a lot and can assure you that they fish differently in just about every way possible. Grand is 90% largemouth, with a few K's thrown in and essentially no smallmouth. Three feet of visibility at Grand is extremely clear. Just a different critter than Table Rock.

That's fine. I have never fished Grand and only know from word of mouth and what I see on TV. So I'll take your word for it. But, during the 2013 Bassmaster Classic I know that the pattern was wiggle warts, jerkbaits and jigs.....sounds like the Table Rock Blue Plate Special. Only about 11 weeks til the 2016 Classic and hope it is as entertaining as that year at Grand. I believe that was the year of Ike cussed out a dog and Hank Cherry laid on the deck of his boat for 10 minutes after having a biggun' pull off.