Super User WRB Posted February 15, 2015 Super User Posted February 15, 2015 The past few months where I fish has been in pre spawn, the bass are just starting to move up to their spawning areas,next full moon it will start the first wave. The lake doesn't have a giant bass population anymore, they may recover but for a few more years. This year I decided to relearn soft plastic craws in lieu of relaying on my standby hair jogs with pork trailers. Here what I learned. LMB in the 3-7 lbs size, during per spawn, can be caught working plastic craws with larger flapping claws like Net Bait Paca and Berkley Chigger when nearly dead stocked uphill...inched along. Strike King and Yamamoto double tails work better hopped downhill, in lieu uphill. This maybe due in part the the faster vibrating claws. Definitely a preference where an fish. The traditional thinking of slow moving craws in colder water verses faster moving craws in warmer water makes little difference. Uphill verse down hill showed a preference; bigger flapping claws worked better moving slowly uphill, faster flapping craws better down hill. Tom Quote
Super User deep Posted February 15, 2015 Super User Posted February 15, 2015 Wow. Thanks Tom. So bigger claws are sometimes desirable? P.S. How was the catching? Quote
Super User Goose52 Posted February 15, 2015 Super User Posted February 15, 2015 I usually fish small Zoom Ultravibe Speed Craws in the winter. This year I also experimented with a larger craw - the Berkley Chigger Craw. Seems to work, including this 5.8 caught in 39 degree water... Quote
Super User WRB Posted February 15, 2015 Author Super User Posted February 15, 2015 Deep, the catching has ranged from very slow to good, it's a matter of being at the right place, right time and fishing slow moving baits takes a lot of time. I use my sonar a lot during pre spawn to help find active bass.. more then 1 fish on structure helps tremendously. Best day is about 28 lbs for 5 bass and blanked a few times. Goose, the Chigger craw has become a favorite, I like how the claws flap independently when swimming slowly. Don't know what the Chigger craw is looking like to the bass, but it the green pumpkin triggers strikes when nothing else is working. The second best has been twin tail Hula grubs in 197. Tom Quote
Super User deep Posted February 15, 2015 Super User Posted February 15, 2015 I can't believe people like you or Butch or Mike Long ever get skunked! What size chigger craw do you like Tom? Quote
Super User kickerfish1 Posted February 15, 2015 Super User Posted February 15, 2015 Nothing to say however I noticed you were back posting. Just wanted to say good to see ya back Tom! Craws... carry on... Quote
Super User WRB Posted February 15, 2015 Author Super User Posted February 15, 2015 I can't believe people like you or Butch or Mike Long ever get skunked! What size chigger craw do you like Tom? Getting skunked is part of bass fishing.Both 3" and 4" Chigger craws, the 3" with a Garland spider skirt, the 4" with a living rubber skirt were the most productive combinations. Tom 1 Quote
Heron Posted February 15, 2015 Posted February 15, 2015 Wait.....No more giant bass? why is that? Quote
Heron Posted February 15, 2015 Posted February 15, 2015 This sounds like a good time to use a Mega Daddy Quote
Dogmatic Posted February 15, 2015 Posted February 15, 2015 I picked up some Savage Gear craws 3D and rattling reaction preparing for what you're doing, but two months out!. 3D really doesn't apply hear, but how would you classify the reaction craw's claws, slow or fast? From the videos they seem to flap pretty fast. Thanks for the info. Quote
Super User deep Posted February 15, 2015 Super User Posted February 15, 2015 Getting skunked is part of bass fishing. Both 3" and 4" Chigger craws, the 3" with a Garland spider skirt, the 4" with a living rubber skirt were the most productive combinations. Tom Thanks Tom; much appreciated. I'll get some for myself. Quote
Super User WRB Posted February 15, 2015 Author Super User Posted February 15, 2015 Wait.....No more giant bass? why is that?The giant bass population crashed about 3 years ago from a variety of reasons. Stopped planting small trout and any other prey source, the Threadfin Shad population is still very good, the giant bass didn't feed on the small size shad. Giant bass populations go boom then bust is about 10 year cycles, we are just turning the corner, should be in about 3 years. I am talking about FLMB 15 lbs +.We have a good population of 8-9 lb bass that should be 12 lb+ in a few years. Tom Quote
Super User WRB Posted February 15, 2015 Author Super User Posted February 15, 2015 WRB, what colors have been productive for you? Chigger craws don't get talked about on here much.. But I have had great success with them! Greens and Browns like green pumpkin with black or black and red flakes and cinnamon brown with black gold and purple flake combinations. Those colors are basic where I fish in the morning before 10, then adding more red highlites tends to be better mid day. Every lake has different color preference, trail and error, same with size and speed.Chigger craws are very crude, the molds have flash and very few color combinations available, but they work. RagecTail craws are excellent molds, no flash and come in better color combinations, the faster flapping claws haven't worked as good, maybe later in the summer? Net bait Paca craws are clean molds, good colors, the claws flap differently a little tighter similar to Yamamoto twin tail grubs, just bigger claws. Yamamoto twin tsil grubs are not craw shaped, the bass eat them anyway, plus good colors where I fish. Jig weights; 3/8-1/2 oz, depths 35-40' to about 20', now the bass are moving up into 5-15'. Tom Quote
Ozark_Basser Posted February 15, 2015 Posted February 15, 2015 Best day is about 28 lbs for 5 bass Tom Pics? Quote
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