Videos & Articles

• Fall Fishing Means it's Vile Craw Time!

  When it comes to the fall, the weather is starting to change from the hot days of summer into the cool days of fall. With this change comes colder water and the need for bass to start feeding for winter. When this happens especially here in Minnesota it means two things, heavy milfoil and docks. That’s where the VileCraw comes into play, I’ll have at least three different rods rigged up all with tungsten weights in different sizes, one will have a light weight 3/16 oz. to ¼ oz. for pitching around docks, the second rod will have a ½ oz. for pitching to milfoil clumps and the third with a ¾ oz. to 1oz. weight for really heavy milfoil and grass.

  Work The Docks:

  With docks I like to have thick grass around the dock but have little to no grass under it. I’ll hit every piling from the back to front of the dock and that way I can determine where they are positioned on the docks. If the dock has a jet ski lift or a boat lift my heart starts to beat faster because they really like to hang around these. I’ve found the boat lifts that are the hydraulic ones and have the four supports running down into the water are my favorites.

  Mooch Off the Milfoil:

  I like thick matted milfoil if I can find it but that’s not always the case and the scattered milfoil can be just as good. The key is if you can find a hard bottom or rocks in the milfoil you will find bass year after year. That’s where the ½ oz. for the scattered grass and heavier ¾ oz. and 1 oz. for the matted grass are utilized. 

  My Gear:

  I like 16 lb. to 20 lb. Gamma Fluorocarbon for most of the time and switch to 45 lb. braid when fishing the heavy mats of grass.

  I use 7’0” heavy rods for pitching and move up to 7’6” for the ticker grass and heavier weights paired with a 7.0 gear ratio reel. As far hooks go I use the a straight shank 4/0 hook tied with a snell knot to get a cam action on the hook set.

  Colors of choice:

  I keep it simple and have two for stained to muddy water Black Blue Flake and Okeechobee Craw. For clear water I use Green Pumpkin, Alabama Craw and Watermelon Craw.