Rapala VMC Canada grows its partnership with competitive and multi-species angler Jamie Bruce, who now represents CrushCity soft baits. Adding Bruce to the “CrushCity Crew” deepens the pool of stellar anglers collaborating with Rapala and its respective brands to test and perfect future CrushCity soft baits. The 2024 ice and open-water fishing season will also see Bruce continue to represent and be involved in new product development for Rapala lures, VMC, Sufix, 13 Fishing rods and reels, and StrikeMaster.

BUILDING ON WHAT BEGAN IN 2023

“We can’t be more excited to have Jamie Bruce on the CrushCity Crew,” said Mark Van Beek of Rapala VMC Canada. “His depth of multi-species fishing knowledge is outstanding, and his keen understanding of the needs of both competitive and recreational anglers has already proven to be an asset in helping some of our brands bring the best fishing products to the market. Jamie has been a key player in the Canadian fishing scene for a long time, but his performances last year at the Bassmaster Opens showed a lot of people south of the border what we’ve known up here for a while — fishing-wise, Jamie Bruce is the real deal. We were excited to have him represent Rapala lures, 13 Fishing, VMC, Sufix, and StrikeMaster, and we’re more thrilled now that Jamie’s affiliated with Rapala’s CrushCity soft baits.”

Bruce is equally eager to expand his involvement with the company’s reputable brands and thankful for the opportunity. Highlights from his Bassmaster Opens include third place finish on the St. Lawrence River and a ninth place at Lake of the Ozarks.

“I work full-time and, like a lot of folks, I’m pretty busy, but every year I’ve looked at trying to do the Bassmaster Opens as a way to stay in the tournament world and not get complacent. Last year I realized if I don’t do these events now, I might never get to fish them. 13 Fishing and Rapala gave me the final boost of support I needed to cover some of the costs and justify the year away.”

For Bruce a high point of partnering with Rapala VMC is being part of a team striving to make the best fishing products — and then finding ways to make the best even better.

“A big attractor of 13 Fishing for me is just how much the company takes input from its anglers on making a better product. They get direct input from us, and then you see a new prototype with your ideas right away instead of waiting years.”

Bruce is also quick to point out that he and Rapala hard-baits go way back. A Rapala Original floater #10 was the first lure he used to catch walleye without live bait. Then a Husky Jerk became indispensable for him as a full-time fishing guide.

“I used to call the HJ10 ‘old trusty’ because I could always grind it out and get bites with that bait. On the Opens I had a couple early models of the Precision Xtreme Mavrik, and I love the Shadow Rap Deep. I put both those lures to work a lot last year.”

ICE ANGLERS ALREADY BENEFITING FROM BRUCE’S CONTRIBUTIONS

A performance-driven angler and individual, it should come as no surprise Bruce’s insights into the specific needs of northern anglers is already bearing fruit for the Rapala VMC family. His extensive hard-water knowledge contributed to the development of 13 Fishing’s 38-inch Wicked Pro medium and medium-light ice fishing rods, which are specifically designed for targeting trophy pike, lake trout, walleye, whitefish, yellow perch and crappie — just the species Bruce ices every year on Lake of the Woods and various other north-western Ontario lakes.

Wondering what’s seeing a lot of action on the end of Bruce’s Wicked Pros this winter? You guessed it, CrushCity soft baits!

“I’ve caught a bunch of lake trout on the Heavy Hitter and The Jerk rigged on the new Smeltinator RedLine jig,” the former full-time fishing guide said. “A lake trout is probably one of the most sensitive fish to scent I know, so consistently catching those fish on these baits is a big checkmark for CrushCity’s scent, salt, and Smart Injection Technology.”

CRUSHING IT COVERTLY LAST YEAR

This winter wasn’t the first time Bruce used CrushCity soft baits, though. Last year, prior to officially being a CrushCrew member, he received media samples.

Being a long-time lure designer and a tournament angler always looking for an edge over the competition, Bruce isn’t one to let a new bait go unnoticed and untested. It didn’t take him long to be impressed with the ultra-durability, action and scent of CrushCity’s TPE soft baits, like The Jerk and Suspect.

“One of the things I do when evaluating a soft bait is to see how walleye react to it, even if I’m thinking of using the bait for bass,” Bruce said. “I remember taking my first sample of The Jerk and nose-hooking it on a RedLine Drop Shot Hook, and then catching walleye from an area where it was tough to get fish using a live leech. That to me was a big indicator and quickly made me a believer.”

“I’ve given some buddies The Jerk minnow and they agree, there’s something special to it. You’re going to see this bait play in some of the smallmouth-dominant Opens this year,” the 2014 Kenora Bass International champ then continued. “One of the go-tos during Bassmaster Opens in the south was Carolina rigging a Bronco Bug or a Clean Up Craw. I also used the Bronco Bug on a 3/4-ounce jig when fishing brush piles. Some of my boat partners were on the Rapala team, so I raided them for every Bronco bug I could get.”

In the coming months, anglers can expect to see several new CrushCity colours tailored to northern fisheries thanks, in part, to Bruce’s feedback. And this is just the beginning of exciting, upcoming CrushCity soft bait releases.

SEE THE CRUSHCITY LINE UP

ALL-IN WITH REDLINE SERIES HOOKS AND VMC

The CrushCity collection represents only one tackle category Bruce depends on during tournament events. RedLine Series Hooks are another. He explains:

“I used RedLine hooks all last year for the most important tournaments of my life. As far as I’m concerned, they’re perfection. I pretty much condensed all my hooks to one RapStack Foam Box with a collection of 1/0 to 5/0 of the Hybrid Worm, along with DropShot, Wide Gaps, Flipping, and Wacky RedLine hooks. When you get into these Bassmaster Opens, and you’re paying over $24,000 Canadian in entry fees, you don’t want to be second guessing your equipment. You want to use the best of the best. I had already used RedLine hooks enough on big fish to know they’e sharp and strong. They were one less thing to worry about. Last year, I always knew I had the right hooks. Same deal with my VMC Tungsten weights.”

Bruce’s confidence in RedLine hooks is partly to thank for the release of the Bass Tactics Smeltinator RedLine Series Jig. He and long-time Kenora Bass International fishing partner, Bryan Gustafson, who just happens to be creator of the Smeltinator, received RedLine Series jig hook samples last year and have been producing small runs of the Smeltinator RedLine Series Jig as a Lake of the Woods Sports Headquarters exclusive[1] . Along with the Smeltinator Redline Jig, Bruce also suggests bass anglers watch for the Marabou RedLine Series Jig.

LOOKING TO THE FUTURE

Currently, Bruce is putting the CrushCity collection through its paces ice fishing for lake trout, walleye, northern pike, crappie and yellow perch, to name just a few species that’ll be on the end of his line by winter’s end. Part and parcel of this involves offering his expertise on in-development products for the aforementioned brands.

He’s also eager to have the entire CrushCity soft bait collection in his 13 Fishing and Rapala-VMC toolkit for the 2024 tournament season. A few highlights of his upcoming schedule include the B.A.S.S. Nation Qualifier at Lake Eufaula in February, the northern Bassmaster Opens on Leech Lake, Lake St. Clair and the Mississippi River, fishing the KBI with long-time partner, Bryan Gustafson, and participating in various regional bass and walleye derbies.

Along with keeping busy tournament fishing and being involved in new product development efforts, Bruce is planning to continue sharing his in-depth angling knowledge and discussing angling trends with some of the best personalities in the fishing world on his Get the Net podcast, Jamie Bruce Fishing YouTube channel, Instagram, and his other social pages. He’ll also be dishing out plenty of juicy details in his Tournament Bass Tactics With CrushCity seminars at the 2024 Toronto Spring Fishing Show on February 17 and 18, so be sure to stop by and check him out if you’re attending the show.

Rapala Vmc Teams-Up With Multi-Species Angler Extraordinaire, Jamie Bruce, For Release Of Crushcity Soft Plastics

Read next

Sign up for our SMS program to get news and offers first!