The Soft Plastic Craw Bass Pro Jacob Wheeler Dreamed Of: Crush City Cleanup Craw

Originally posted on Men's Journal | By Kurt Mazurek | Last updated Jun 16, 2024 6:41 AM ET

I’ve always been a big fan of soft plastic craw bass baits and I use them a lot—I mean, a lot. Thanks to their versatility and proven, fish triggering profile, I've caught a ton of bass on this style of bait. I Texas-rig them, I use them as pitching jig trailers and swim jig trailers, I drag them on a Carolina-rig, and even run them on a buzz bait occasionally. I’ve tried tons of different manufacturers, each with their own little tweaks and unique features. Over the years I had really settled in with the Strike King Rage Tail Craw, the Berkley Powerbait Chigger Craw, and the Berkley Powerbait Pit Boss (maybe riding the line between craw and creature bait) as my main “go-to” lineup. But now I’ve found another “must have” that will be in my box at all times going forward—the Crush City Cleanup Craw.

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What Makes It Unique?

Like all CrushCity™ baits, the Cleanup Craw™ comes from the mind of incredibly successful BPT bass pro, Jacob Wheeler. At 3.5 inches long, the Cleanup Craw™ is the ultimate bass snack. The sort of meaty, scooped, claw shape provides a very consistent, tight-kicking action. And the unique, forward-facing legs along the sides of the bait, provide subtle, secondary action with the slightest movement. Plus, the back ribs allow the angler to skin hook the point in those ribs, but after a fish or two, skin hook into the body of the bait to maximize usage, getting a couple more fish out of every bait.

GET YOUR CLEANUP CRAWS HERE

Features

Tight kicking action claws
Forward facing legs add subtle secondary action
Soft-ribbed hook slots on the back for weedless, skin hooking
Lots of custom color combinations, with flake, salt and scent

The Action Catches Bass Anglers

As someone who has used a lot of different craw models over the years, this one really ticks all the boxes for me. And because I know it’s hard to imagine how a bait actually moves in the water, I recommend you go back up to the top of this article and take a look at the short video. The way this thing looks underwater will definitely catch fishermen. Pay extra attention to the subtle wiggle of those little legs along the sides of the bait. Wow!

But Will It Catch Bass?

I can personally confirm that, yes it will. I’ve used it on several occasions now, mostly Texas-rigged and pitched around shallow grass and wood cover, and the bass genuinely love it.

Great Color Options

Available in 17 really great looking colors, I’m sure you’ll find something perfect for the water you fish. You can never go wrong with the good old standards like Black N Blue or Green Pumpkin. But personally, I love the combination of the two, Black Blue Green Pumpkin, as one bait that works almost everywhere I go. And as a really cool, slight variation, check out Green Pumpkin Blue Pearl.

This article first appeared on Men's Journal and was syndicated with permission.

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