Conference wahoo::fishing-v2

My favorite way to fish is TOPWATER...at night...with a CRAZY CRAWLER!

I've used just about every type of topwater lure as this type of fishing 
provides me with the most enjoyment.  However, I use the large size Crazy 
Crawler almost exclusively at night.  I've found that the sound of the CC 
almost always outperforms a Jitterbug.  I also like the ability to fine-tune 
the CC's wings too give it different actions.

This past weekend, I initiated a homemade topwater lure by picking up a 1.5 
lb smallie on Merrymeeting Lake (NH).  It's fashioned after a Tiny Torpedo, 
but is much larger and hall props on both front and rear.  Using my air 
brush, I painted it black and gray.  

Most bass come after letting the plug SIT STILL for anywhere from 20-60 
seconds.  It's a tough way to fish and requires a lot of patience, but it 
really does work.  A friend of mine told me the following little story that 
helps to convey this message...

At the end of his street there is a small pond loaded with crayfish and a
few large bullfrogs.  There are a few *big* bass in there (hmmm...how'd they
get there?).  One day, he caught a big frog and threw it out about 10 feet
into the water.  As soon as the frog hit the water, it swam a foot or two
and then remained motionless. He then saw a large shadow appear below the
frog.  The bass silently watched the motionless frog, moving very slightly
under the frog to examine it from all sides.  The frog still didn't move and
at least 40-45 seconds passed when all of a sudden...SPLASH!!  The bass
cleared water while inhaling the frog. 

It seemed like an eternity before the bass moved in to take a REAL LIVE 
FROG.  But the moral is...have patience and let them sit still until at 
least all the rings of the splash have disappeared.  Then wait a little 
longer.

When bass aren't cooperating on topwaters, I'll fish a traditional black, 
grape, purple worm.

-HSJ-

    
    
    	YO!....I used to always throw a jitter bug for topwater...but
    	lately I have been going with the tiny torpedo...I believe that
    	there is better "noise" from the torpedo.  Also....I...uh...ummm..
    	...AGREE!..yikes....with HSJ on waiting after the cast...let that
    	baby sit there for awhile.  The retrieve I employ is straight back.
    	
    	If they don't like all that commotion on top...I will work the same
    	area with a black and chartreuse namesake [gitzit] using an eighth
    	ounce weight....and a stop and go retrieve...just bumping the
    	bottom.
    	
    	The "gitzit'" of the night

    I like jitterbugs, buzzbaits, large spinnerbaits and, if there is 
    enough moonlight to see my line, large plastic worms.
    
    My mount was caught on a hula popper at night.  That was about 5 years
    ago and was my first bass over 5lbs (6lbs 13oz).
    
    I still use the hulapopper if I'm fishing pockets where I want the lure
    to remain for a long time.
    
    -donmac

    	I like both 4" and 6" BLACK colored worms and Black and Blue Pig N
    Jig for night time fishing.  I've also had success with darker colored
    Gitzits.
    
    	The heck with the moon light, make your own with a black light and
    hi vis line.  Never had much success with Spinnerbaits or Top Waters at
    night.  Could be due to the type of area's I fish at night, mostly steep
    drop offs and downed timber (If I remember where it was when I saw it
    during the day).
    
    						Madd Matt

    For lack of a better spot to write this note, I have been using tiny 
    torpedoes again only not just at night in the daytime and in chop.  In
    fact the reason I am writing is I went out this weekend  two days 
    after the tempature dropped off so radically.  I had a tiny torpedo
    rigged already from last weekend as I was moving out to my favorite
    spot I said what the hell and tossed it out.  The second it hit, Wham I
    caught a lg mouth bass.  Thinking this was a fluke, I tossed it out
    again, two casts later another bass.  i finally reach my honeyhole and
    missed two more.  This shocked me, because I had planned to spend the day
    using finesse worms and slow retrieving sluggos.  At least I thought
    when it dropped cold like this the bass would head for the deep spots
    and become sluggish.  In any event, it slowed down after that and I
    only caught one other on a sluggo.  Anyone else try topwaters after a
    cold front?
    
    Brian

    Madd Matt, elaborate on your homemade black light.  I'd like to hear
    about how folks rig night lights.  I've considered setting up some
    night lights but in the last year or so I haven't been doing as much
    night time bassin'.  But that's not to say that I don't plan on doing
    more in the future.  
    
    -donmac

    Donmac,
    	
    	It's not homemade at all, it's called the Nightstalker and can be
    found in the "good ol" BPS catalogue.  It runs off of D cells or you
    can plug it into a lighter receptical on your boat, I do the latter.
    
    	You just use any type of Hi Vis line on your reel and it really
    glows well at night.  You have to positon the light just right though
    to get the maximum effect, so if your moving around and fishing from
    different sides of the boat, the light needs to do the same and be
    facing the direction your casting in.  In extreme cases you might see
    all your line right up to where it enters the water, but mostly only
    20-30 ft out from the boat.  Bassin Bob uses one of these as well and
    might elaborate on what he thinks about them.
    
    	For me it works great and gives me a little added edge.  I think I
    only paid around $15 for it.  Plus on the opposite side of the black
    light there's a flourecent light.  It comes in real handy when I'm
    fishing up front, my boat on has courtesy light in the middle on the
    driver console and doesn't throw enough light up front.  The flourecent
    light is also great when you load up the boat on the trailer in the
    dark.
    
    						Madd Matt

    Does the constant black light attract tons of bugs?
    
    Don B, you said your using a black light as well, what kind?
    
    -donmac
    
    

    Gee Donmac, a few bugs in your teeth and your getting worried 8^.  The
    bugs do get attracted to the Blacklight.  But they seemed to
    congregate around the light and don't bother me as much.  It does get
    worse though, if I have to turn on the fluorescent light to look for
    something. 
    
    	Someone should come out with one of these babies that also doubles
    as a bug zapper.  Just think of it, no bugs, and dead bugs as chum on
    the surface of the water.  I also make sure I have Bug spray on board
    and I use it all the time.  The person thats in the back of the boat
    seems to always get the bugs the worse because of the anchor light being
    on.
    
    						madd matt

    They do have a light/zapper available, don't recall if it is in BPS or
    not, but I'm pretty sure its in Cabela's and maybe REI.
    
    I'm actually pretty tolerant of bugs.  Unless they're so thick your
    just about breathing them in, I don't usually mind them too much.  
    
    I use Ben's repellent, spray my hat, shoulders and backs of hands, put
    a dab on my ears and forehead - and wear long sleaves and normally don't 
    have too much trouble.
    
    I have a head net, but I've only had to resort to it a couple of times,
    not for skeeters, but for the little white gnats (or flies or whatever
    the heck they are) that you occasionally come across - they don't bite
    they're just incredibly thick at times.  
    
    -donmac 

    Don, I have the Night Stalker II it retails for about $30 from BP.
    It does attract bugs but to the light and not you. I'll take it
    with me to Winni on our trip and you can see the big advantage of using
    one at night. The line looks like rope (TRiMax Photo) and when your
    fishing worms and the line takes off it's quite a rush. Works well 
    for top water also. 

    Joe Tomas
    
    Whats the technique you use on your crazy crawlers and how do you fine
    tune them.  I just bought one and want to try it out this weekend.
    
    I bought the smaller one, because its the size of a tiny torpedo and I
    noticed you like the big one.  What colors do you like and do you use
    it at all during the day?
    
    Brian

    Has anyone tried the soft topwater stickbaits?  I like the Zara Spook
    but it gets hung up in weeds too easy, I just found the Mann soft
    version of this and am going to give it a whirl this sunday.  Anyone
    else try these soft stickbaits?
    
    Brian
    
    Ps  Maybe this note should be relabled topwater lures?
    
    

    I bought one of the Mann's topwater soft baits, I believe it's 
    called a "Ghost".  It lasted about 20 minutes in the lilly pads.
    Very flimsy, I think it was designed more to catch fishermen's
    wallets than fish!  One was enough, thank you.
    
    Gone fishin

Brian,

Technique with the Crazy Crawler, as with almost any topwater bait, varies 
with the conditions.  Most of the time, I cast it beyond the target, if 
possible, and slowly work it to the target point (i.e. stump, log, pads, 
etc).  Then, I just let it sit...and sit.  After 20-30 seconds, and even 
sometimes longer, I'll give it a slight twitch just enough to make a few 
ripples.  And then let it sit again.  Most of my larger fish have been taken 
after the CC has sit still for a while.  If no hits occur, I'll *slowly* 
work it back a few feet at a time, pausing about 5-15 seconds.

At other times, I'll make a cast, let it sit still for 10-20 seconds and 
then begin a slow, steady retrieve.  My last 6 lber took it on the retrieve 
about 6' from the boat at night.

re: tuning

I usually twist the top of the blades slightly forward to give them more of 
an attack angle.  This gives more of a pronounced side-to-side action at 
slower retrieves.  

re: size

I broke out my tiny CC a few weeks ago for the first time when nothing was 
working, including the large CC.  One thing I noticed was that the heavier 
line I usually use (10-12# test) made it difficult to achieve good action.  
Dropping down to 8# test improved the action.  Unfortunately, the bass still 
didn't cooperate that night.  My preference is still for the large CC.  it 
casts better, and I have never seen smaller bass pass it up.

re: color

Most folks will tell you that darker colors (ie black) are best for nightime 
use.  Up until earlier this year, I used a chartreuse/red CC even at night 
with excellent results.  I content that the sound and action of the lure is 
the major attractant.  Color only comes into play (at night) when the bass 
are real close and use their vision.  

I recently picked up a large CC in the field mouse pattern (gray top, white 
bottom).  Using my airbrush, I repainted most of the bottom black, leaving 
just a little gray and the red dot.  It has also worked well, but not to the 
point where I'd prefer it over another color.

re: when

I will use the CC whenever I can!!  If the water is relatively calm, I will 
always toss my CC out because I enjoy the action of topwater so much.  I 
have, on occassion, used it on rougher water and had some success during the 
day.  For the most part, I use it in the early morning and evening when it's 
calm, and 75% of the time at night.

Whew...I gues you can tell that I LOVE using the Crazy Crawler!

Good luck with it.  Give it a chance and I'll bet that you don't use many 
other topwater baits.

-HSJ-