Down And Dirty Largemouth

Time to break out the big sticks — we’re talking power fishing tactics for catching largemouth from heavy cover with the latest soft baits from CrushCity. Let’s go.

Largemouth love cover, but what’s sometimes a dilemma is locating the best fishing spots within an area filled with bass habitat. A good rule of thumb is finding where multiple features converge. 

For instance, largemouth often relate to weedy shorelines, but you can expect to find more big bass concentrating where there’s a fallen tree (aka laydown), beaver dam or dock along an otherwise uniform weedy bank. Another example is where chunk rock and boulders are found within a large bay filled with lily pads, pencil reeds and milfoil. 

Depth variations also come in to play. An old creek channel cutting a trench through a weed can stack-up fish. Undercut banks surrounded by cover also appeal to big largies.

Designed in collaboration with bass fishing phenomenon, Jacob Wheeler, the CrushCity Bronco Bug and Cleanup Craw are two must-haves for catching largemouth from heavy cover. 

The 4 inch Bronco Bug has the perfect body thickness and features raised ribs on each side, making it ideal for snagless, Texas or Tex-posed rigging. And, when one side of the Bronco Bug shows wear, the hook can be flipped to re-rig the bait on the opposite side without compromising any action, thereby increasing durability and fishing efficiency.

The Bronco Bug’s unique action sets it apart from other baits. When the Bronco Bug hits the bottom, it produces a recoiling, kicking-like action akin to the claws-up defensive position of a crayfish, which Wheeler describes as the ultimate bite trigger for bass.

At 3.5 inches long, the Cleanup Craw is a multi-use workhorse, perfect for flipping, pitching and punching. It’s also makes a great jig trailer.

More compact than the Bronco Bug and with a tighter action, the Cleanup Craw is very effective at penetrating thick vegetation. Its claws produce a consistent, tight-kicking action no bass can ignore, while its forward-facing legs provide subtle, secondary action. Raised ribs allow help hide hook point when rigging Tex-posed.

Texas and Tex-posed rigs are great options for fishing heavy cover. A RedLine Heavy Duty Flippin’ or Hybrid Wide Gap are your top tier hook choices. VMC also offers other premium Flippin’ and Wide Gap hooks for consideration. A 4/0 hook pairs nicely with the Bronco Bug, 3/0 for the Cleanup Craw.

Having 3/8 to 1-1/2 ounce weights ensures you’re prepared for a variety of cover fishing scenarios, from a slipping a bait through a small opening to punching a plastic through thick grass. A Tungsten Worm Weight or a Tungsten Flippin’ Weight provides several advantages. A tungsten weight is smaller and, thus, able to penetrate through cover easier than a lead with the same mass. Another perk is a tungsten weight hitting rock produces clicks and ticks that attract bass. 

Pro Tip: A high density neoprene Sinker Stop is the ideal “peg” for keeping the weight close to the hook on a punch, flipping or pitching rig.

Despite being around for several years, a lot of largemouth still haven’t seen a Tokyo Rig. The Bronco Bug and Cleanup Craw perform fantastic on both the Tokyo Rig Heavy Duty Wide Gap or the Heavy Duty Wide Gap XLS. 

Designed with a solid ring connected to a premium rolling swivel, a Tokyo Rig allows a bait to move freely above the dropper arm with a natural flowing, undulating action. On water entry, the weighed dropper arm makes an opening in heavy cover before pulling the plastic down with it. 

Pro Tip: Insert your favourite weight and/or bead combinations onto the shaft then bend the end of the shaft with a pair of narrow nose pliers to hold in place.

The best way to fish heavy cover with a Bronco Bug or Cleanup Craw on a Texas, Tex-posed or Tokyo rig is making accurate, short casts (i.e., flipping and pitching) to pick apart habitat. It’s a numbers game. The more flips and pitches you make, the greater the chances you’ll get your bait in front of a bass waiting in ambush. 

Once the bait hits bottom, work it using shakes, hops and rod raises to try and trigger nearby bass. How long to dance a bait beneath cover varies, but at least give it 10 seconds or so; if bass are fussy and inactive, soaking it for 20+ seconds can be needed to elicit a bite.

The phrase “don’t bring a knife to a gun fight” is fitting when targeting largemouth from heavy cover. The ideal setup consists of a medium-heavy or heavy power casting rod, a bulletproof reel with a high gear ratio and reliable drag system, and strong, durable 30 to 50-pound braided line. Here are a few 13 Fishing and Sufix products you can mix and match for heavy-cover largemouth tactics.

• Casting Rods: 7’1” to 7’6” Fate V3, Omen Black, and Meta-G

• Baitcasting Reels: Modus C2, Inception G2 (Power Handle), Inception Slide, Concept A and Concept Z Slide

• Line: 832 Advanced Superline or ProMix Braid