BASS IN ESTUARIES & ALTERNATIVES TO CRAW LURES
- The Constant Angler
- Mar 27
- 4 min read
It's incredible to witness how dedicated Bass anglers such as Mark Cowling and others have effectively used the Megabass Sleeper Craw to catch fish in the estuaries of South Devon this past winter. I'm not the most proficient Bass angler; I simply lack the time to fully commit to it and often get distracted by other species. However, these diversions and a constant interest in all forms of lure fishing lead me to believe that we're just beginning to tap into the potential of lure fishing in UK estuaries with soft plastics for Bass. I've caught a few fish after being inspired by videos of French anglers using different Shad, Slug, Prawn, and other soft plastics for Bass, but I've never dedicated enough time to achieve consistent results. It seems to me, though, that there are many more options available, and it's just about using them at the right time and in the right place. I'm sure this will evolve and is currently evolving as we speak. Certainly, anglers like Mark Cowling, aka southdevonbassguide.com, and the excellent Marcus Hazeldine, aka marcus@guidedbassfishing.co.uk, are already far ahead of most of us and are using lures we have yet to master. Consider examining your own techniques for fishing other species and apply the same principles to Bass fishing; this is precisely what's happening with craw lures.
So what's currently on my mind? Looking at the image above, it's clear. The setup shown is one I've used to catch a few school bass. While school bass can sometimes be almost reckless and strike anything, why wouldn't this method work in colder months with larger fish, especially if I choose the right location? As you can see, I'm trying to mimic a Lugworm, particularly one attempting to burrow back into the bottom. The Ned head helps the lure stand upright and simulates this effectively, but you don't have to rig it this way. You could use a floating lure like the excellent Zman TRD or Fattyz on a Cheb or Texas rig. For close-range fishing, a Niko rig is a great alternative, and there are ways to rig it either weedless or with an exposed hook.
Last season, I started experimenting with a large crab lure I found on AliExpress. While it had a nice appearance, the rubber was somewhat stiff, making it challenging to expose the hook point when fishing it weedless, and it wasn't effective otherwise. However, I did experience a significant strike with it and plan to try various rigging methods. In the image below, you'll see a lure I've used for years to catch wrasse. The lure pictured below, which I used to purchase from the excellent but now-closed JacksLRF, has helped me catch some impressive wrasse, and I'm confident it will continue to do so. I just wish it came in a larger size, as I trust this lure and believe Bass would also enjoy them. Since bass are keen on a craw imitation, why not offer them a replica of what they actually consume? I’d choose a larger Watermelon colour to mimic a hen crab or an Orange & Green Pumpkin to resemble a cock crab, and maybe a blue colour with red flecks to imitate the velvet swimming crab often seen on the open coast. My mind is racing again! Now I'm thinking about free lining or float fishing with a blue swimmer imitation on the open coast. I must stay on track. Focus, Adrian.
There are also lots of prawns in the estuaries I fish. We have several options here from cheap AliExpress imitations to the excellent Zman Shrimpz. Having had a tremendous bite which I attributed to a Gilthead Bream on the weedless lure at the top of the picture below I really must invest more time in these lures. They are made of quite robust plastic but whatever it was it absolutely chewed up the tail, had I been anywhere near the mouth of the estuary I would have attributed this to a wrasse but I was a couple of miles inland at the time. It attracted the attentions of one species so why not another? This is a train of thought I think we should all follow and not be dismissive of lures such as these. I have caught Wrasse and Pollack on the lures below.
Below we see a copy of a Geecrack Bellows Gill lure. In my head I'm thinking small Flounder imitation? Maybe I might fish it on a very light Free Rig or Texas rig. They certainly catch me wrasse and are used extensively for freshwater bass. Yet again used in the right place at the right time I'm sure they will work.
Now the beauty of soft plastic lures is we can add scent. Crab, Prawn and Lugworm scents do exist so why not use them? Even make your own. A small Vaseline tin with a few drops of squid scent added can be excellent in the warmer months but come the winter you will need to use Glycerol in place of the Vaseline as the scent will not disperse otherwise. Add some fluorescent or luminous dye to it and you can create hotspots near your hook point!
I've had success catching decent Bass with the MegaBass Hazedong lure, but I owe this discovery to a French angler I watched on YouTube. They've been using lures like these for years, and I believe we, as a nation of Bass anglers, need to be more open-minded. Whether we succeed or not, progress doesn't happen without passionate, open-minded anglers like us experimenting, failing, and eventually discovering the next big thing. Please let me know how it goes for you; I'd love to hear about it.
The Constant Angler
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