January 29, 2014
By Ned Kehde
Cory Schmidt penned an enchanting article in In-Fisherman's 2014 Gear Guide entitled "10 Weird, Wacky & Wonderful Lures." One of the lures he features is Evolve Baits' VibraGRUB.
After we read Schmidt's article, we thought we should reintroduce the VibraGRUB to the online readers in the Midwest Finesse column.
Our initial introduction to the VibraGRUB occurred in the comment section of a blog that we published on May 20, 2012 about Reaper-style baits, where a reader posted his insights and comments about the VibraGRUB, calling it the best Reaper-style bait on the market. He was captivated, as were the bass he pursued, with what he called "its vibrating/pulsing sides." And he ended his comments by noting that it "flat out kills."
Schmidt, writing with an air of adulation, said: "Calling the VibraGRUB a reaper on steroids is a clever descriptor, but it barely does justice to its rippling action." He went on to note that it is Evolve Baits' "crown jewel."
The staff at Evolve Baits describes it as a flutter bait that possesses the properties of a fluke, leech, Reaper, and swimbait.
It is manufactured in two sizes: three- and four-inch. It is available in six colors: green pumpkin, Juvy Bass, Leech Blood, Shinetreuse, watermelon, and White Shadow.
The three-incher will fit nicely into the soft-plastic repertoire of many Midwest finesse anglers, and most of these anglers will affix it on either a 1/32- or 1/16-ounce Gopher Tackle's Mushroom Head Jig. And occasionally they might opt for a 3/32-ounce Gopher jig.
It can be effectively employed with all six of the Midwest finesse retrieves, but the swim-glide-and-shake motif, straight-swim routine, and hop-and-bounce method might yield the most dividends of the six retrieves.
The size of the Mushroom Head Jig and style of retrieve will be dictated by the depth and disposition of the largemouth, smallmouth and spotted bass that a Midwest finesse angler is pursuing.
Evolve Baits also manufactures a 1.9-inch rendition that is called a VibraGRUB MICRO. During those spells when the largemouth, smallmouth and spotted bass are in a tentative or unresponsive mood, the MIRCO might be an effective option. This diminutive bait can be rigged on either a 1/32- or 1/16-ounce Gopher Mushroom Head Jig and retrieved in a variety of ways. It is available in five colors: Assassin, Bait Fish, Hot Flash, Leech Blood, and White Shadow.
A package of eight four-inchers can be purchased for $5.19. A package of seven 1.9-inchers can be bought for $3.09.
Endnotes
(1) For more information about Evolve Baits, please visit this website: http://evolvebaits.com/.
(2) For more information about Reaper-style baits, please see this column: https://www.in-fisherman.com/2012/05/20/the-reaper-reincarnated-as-a-triggerx-flappin-grub-and-more/.
