During the dog days of summer, one technique shines above others: flipping a creature bait. There’s just something about getting a Texas-rigged creature bait through a thick patch of milfoil and the line going slack. When you set the hook and that line starts singing, there is no better feeling in the world. Just you, the fish, and a broomstick with a heavy weight.
But trying to find the right bait can be the hardest part in getting a bite. Luckily, Lake Fork Trophy Lures has created a bait that not only withstands a day of flipping, but also holds up to countless fish — and, most importantly, gets bit.
Their Pro Craw and Pro Craw Mini were designed by Major League Fishing angler Jeff Sprague as “the most versatile flipping bait on the market.” In this lineup of baits, there is a size and color option to please every angler.
I recently had the opportunity to fish these baits here in the Finger Lakes region and put them to the test. Here are my thoughts on what might be my new go-to flipping bait.
First Impressions
Upon taking one out of the package, I noticed two main features. These baits are infused with garlic scent to make bass hold on longer, and they don’t have many appendages.
I’m usually not the biggest fan of scents unless it comes to smallmouth fishing. But the garlic-infused bait definitely seems to make a bass hold on just a bit longer for a better hookup — which, most times when you’re flipping into heavy cover, is what you want.
As far as having fewer pieces hanging off the bait, I’m a huge fan of that. The less there is to snag on weeds going down, the faster your bait falls generating a reaction strike. That’s exactly what flipping is. The tails also have excellent flutter, imitating not only crayfish but also bluegills, as well.
What concerned me at first was how soft the baits were. To me, it didn’t bode well for them holding up after a few fish. It gives the bait tons of action, but I was hoping they would last more than a few fish… and they did!
On the Water Testing
Generally, all the Finger Lakes have healthy vegetation throughout, but some are way better than others. Luckily for me, Honeoye Lake (the weediest and shallowest of the Finger Lakes) is both right down the road and one of my favorite flipping lakes, due to its large quantity of cookie-cutter largemouth. When I want to go flipping, that’s where I go.
After probing around the first few weed beds and spotting some bass on my Garmin Livescope, I was easily able to flip to them in the weeds. But the key was watching their reaction. These fish would instantly shoot out of the weeds for the bait, then follow it right down to the bottom before instantly grabbing it. I have not noticed this type of behavior from largemouth while flipping, which was super cool to see.
Going down the weed edges, I was constantly switching between the Pro Craw and Pro Craw Mini, which were both getting bit equally as well. When I’d catch one on the Pro Craw, I’d instantly throw back in the same spot with the Mini and pick up four to five more fish in the same spot. Three spots later and about 30 fish caught, I realized I never had to change a bait.
Even with these baits being super soft, the plastic was extremely durable. That almost never happens when you’re flipping, as you generally lose a bait every few fish. Were the baits beat up? Sure they were, but they still kept catching fish. Even with a big beefy TroKar TK-130 Flipping Hook and 20-pound straight fluorocarbon, these baits hold up extremely well.
A Flipper’s Delight
I am usually pretty hard headed when it comes to flipping baits. And I’m usually just stuck in my ways using the same old baits, so my confidence was a little low when first using these baits. But now, they will be part of my flipping arsenal every chance I get to go into the weeds.
Their soft design makes for lifelike action in the water, mimicking a variety of prey items bass love feeding on. Plus, the garlic scent makes fish hold on longer. If there were one aspect of the bait I’d change, it would be to make the scent different on the Pro Craw Mini. Smallmouth in particular don’t care for garlic scent, at least from what I’ve found. If it were more of a natural crayfish scent, this would be a killer Carolina rig bait for big smallmouth.
The Pro Craw comes in 21 different colors with seven baits per package at 3.75 inches long. Meanwhile, the Mini measures at three inches in total length, comes in 18 different colors, and comes eight in a pack.
Time will tell if these baits will catch some smallmouth for my clients and me. But otherwise, these baits get bit and get bit often, making them a winner in my book.
