Big Bite Spring News Letter

Get The Real Deal

In the Big Bite Spring News Letter we are going to talk about one of the newest baits that we released last year at ICAST, the bait I am talking about is the new Real Deal Craw. Big Bite spent many hours studying how craws look and how they move in the water, then went to work to come up with a bait that looked just like a real craw in and out of the water, and new Real Deal Craw was born from all this work. Ask any of the Big Bite Pros when they are looking to fish a craw what bait is it that they grab, it is a Real Deal Craw.

Just The Facts

The Real Deal Craw comes in two different finishes, standard colors or HD Colors. The standard color craws come in 7 of Big Bites top fish catching colors and come 7 to a pack. The HD Real Deal Craw come in 4 top Big Bite Craw colors and come 4 to a pack. The Real Deal Craw is 4″ in size.

Texas Rigged Flipping and Pitching

Texas rigging your Real Deal Craw and it can be used in a number of presentations, flippin, pitching, and casting to name a few. Weight placement will affect how the bait fishes and falls. If you are looking for a craw that glides down to the bottom do not unhook the craws when you rig the bait onto your hook. If you are looking more for a bait that has allot of action when it falls or gets moved, then separate the craw so they can move freely. The cover you are fishing may help you make this decision. My rule of thumb is if I am fishing in matted grass or thick cover I opt to leave the craws connected. This gives off more sound when the bait is moved, also keep this in mind when fishing in dirty water conditions. If I am fishing in real clear water where the bass can see my bait from a distance away I will many times pull the craws apart and let them swim on the fall or movement of the bait.

When it comes to hooks and weights I use a 4/0 Gamakatsu Heavy Cover Worm Hook, team this with a Bullet Weights Screw Lock weight to keep the weight up against the bait. If I am fishing in heavy cover I may put a rubber bobber stop in front of the weight to keep it locked in place better.

Fishing setup I use either a 7’6″ or 7’11” heavy action flipping stick, teamed with a matching baitcaster in either 6:3-1 or 7-1 baitcasting reel that is spooled with 60lb Sunline FX2 braided line. 

Texas Rig Weedline Fishing

When faced with fishing this rig in the weeds or on the weedline, I change a few ways in how I rig and present the Real Deal Craw. One of the changes is the weight, I will just let the weight slide on my line. The weight will fall in-front of the bait with the bait following the sinker, to a bass this looks like a predator following its prey and can trigger a bite from a reluctant bass. If you are fishing in thicker weeds you will be better to keep the weight and the hook together. To do this I will use one of the following weights to get the job done. If you have screw-lock weights this is the best way to keep the weight and the bait together, but if not use a rubber bobber stop to keep the weight pegged against the hook and the bait.

For weedline applications I will use a Gamakatsu 4/0 EWG Worm Hook. Rig the Real Deal Craw on your hook and skin hook the point of the hook back into the bait. As for the craws I many time will pull the craws apart to give the bait more action as it falls.   When it comes to weight I match my weight to the depth and the weeds that I am fishing in. When fishing in thick weeds I will peg my weight to the bait by using a screw-lock weight or will use a bobber stop inform of the weight to hold it in place. When fishing in sparse weed, I will let the weight move up and down the line. If fishing the presentation on the weedline or in the weeds I will break the craws apart and let them swim.

If I am casting this setup along the weedline I will opt to use a 7ft medium-heavy action baitcaster, teamed with a 6:3-1 baitcaster reel that is spooled with 16lb to 22lb Sunline Shooter fluorocarbon line.  If the weeds are thicker and I am having trouble getting bass out of the weeds, I will opt to go to a heavy 7′ to 7’6′ action rod that is matched with a 6:3-1 or

7-1 baitcaster reel that is spooled with Sunline SX1 in the 30lb class.

Pad Hopping

I have been fishing the Real Deal Craw a new way last year late in the season. In the Fall when the bass make major moves back to the lilly pads to target frogs before the pads started to die I took a Real Deal Craw rigged it onto a 3/16oz weighted worm hook and put the hook point back into the craw.  Crawling the Real Deal Craw across the tops of the pads when I came to an open area I would let the craw fall into the opening in the pads and let the bait flutter down.  If I do not get a bite on the fall, I will pull the craw back up to the tops of the pads again and start over when I come to the next opening I let the craw fall again.

Most of the time when the bass are on they will hit the bait when it gets to the opening or in the first few second of the fall. Do not let this tactic end with just pads this will work on edges of matted weeds or thicker weeds, work the craw to the edge and let it fall.

Equipment for this tactic it is power all the way to be able to get the bass out of the pads or thick weeds. I will use a 7’6″ flippin stick that is teamed with a baitcasting reel that is spooled with Sunline 50lb FX2 line. This presentation will provide you some of your best toe to toe action of the year.

Jig Trailer

When you look at the Real Deal Craw you see a bait that was really designed to be fished on a worm hook, but it also excels when used as a jig trailer. In the past year I have used the Real Deal Craw as a jig trailer in weeds, flippin, swim and football jigs. There is not a jig that the Real Deal Craw will not work on. Once again take a look at the situations that you are fishing and make a determination as to how you want the craws to act. If you want allot of action say for an example when you are fishing a swim jig pull the craws apart, but if you are punching a mat and want more of a gliding action out of your jig then leave the craws connected.

One little trick that I do to get the bass’s attention is to die the craws when fishing my jig in thick weeds or in stained to dirty water conditions. Most of the time I use chartreuse as my color of choice. Just a little trick that has helped put a few more bass over the side of the boat during the season.

Looking at equipment I let the water conditions dictate my equipment setup. If I am fishing in clear water conditions I will use a 7ft medium heavy to heavy action baitcaster teamed with a matching baitcaster spooled with 16 to 20lb Sunline Shooter. If I am flippin or fishing in thick weeds conditions I will opt to use 7′ to 7 ½’ heavy action or a flippin stick teamed with a matching baitcaster reel that is spooled with FX2 50lb line. If I think the bass are line shy I will opt to use a 25lb Sunline Shooter leader.

So as you can see I have just scratched the surface as to how you can use the Big Bite Real Deal Craw.  If you have another way of using the Real Deal Craw please log onto the Big Bite Facebook page and share with us your rig and how you are fishing it.

Until we chat next time head to your local Big Bite dealer and grab a few bags of Real Deal Craws and team them with your favorite jigs and go to work. To see all of the Real Deal Craws please log onto www.bigbitebaits.com