For years, my favorite stream bait for smallmouth bass has been Rebel’s Crawfish crankbait, especially the Teeny model. It works primarily as a shallow-running crankbait, but also can be twitched on top around downed logs and rocks.Now Rebel has added a new bait to its lineup of ultralights that also includes the Wee Frog, Crickhopper and Hellgrammite, among others. And this one – the Bumble Bug – seems destined to join the Teeny Craw among my favorite stream baits.As with the Craw, the Bumble Bug also works as a shallow-running crankbait but with a wider wobble. Additionally, it has an oversized lip that allows it to be popped, and wings that allow for a steady “V-wake” retrieve. Thus far, I’ve caught the majority of my fish when using the bait as a shallow-runner, but that’s probably because it’s the retrieve I use most often.Rebel offers the Bumble Bug in colors and patterns that seem designed more to attract anglers than bass and panfish, but that’s all right.You can tie on a Bumble Bee with amber wings, a Lady Bug with clear wings, a June Bug with green wings or a Horse Fly with smoky-gray wings. The latter is my favorite, simply because I like the thought that this one Horse Fly, at least, is getting gobbled up by bass instead of chewing on my neck and arms.As with the other Rebel ultralights, these too have very small trebles, which can be difficult to remove from the mouth of a small bass, without hurting the fish and/or yourself. I flatten the barbs to make them less harmful to both the fish and me, and I don’t seem to lose fish by doing so.
For more information:
To find out more about Rebel’s new Bumble Bugs, call the parent company
PRADCO at (501) 782-8971 or check out its Web site at www.lurenet.com.
