June 22, 2013
By Ned Kehde
Many Midwest finesse anglers are wedded to working with small soft-plastic baits that are affixed to a jig.
But there are significant number of Midwest finesse devotees who like to wield small crankbaits, spinnerbaits and jerkbaits. And Spro Corporation's Fat Baby John 50 is a new square-bill crankbait that will catch the fancy of this contingent of finesse anglers.
The folks at Spro described it as a small, shallow-water crankbait, which weighs three-eighths of an ounce and can be employed on light line and a medium-action rod.
John Crews of Salem, Virginia, who competes on the Bassmaster Elite circuit and has been field testing it, says this shallow-diving square-bill has no peers in the crankbait world.
According to Crews, the unique angle of its bill and line tie allows it to constantly wobble a foot to the left and a foot to the right, as it dives to a depth of no more than two feet. Crews calls it "a hunter" that darts and wobbles over and around shallow-water laydowns, stumps and boulders.
It is not implanted with rattles. Therefore, Crews and other power anglers say it is good option to employ when a crystal-clear waterway is afflicted with heavy fishing pressure.
It sports two No. 5 Gamakatsu treble hooks.
Syd Rives of Spro says it should be available in October for anglers to purchase. There will be eight colors for anglers to choose from, and the suggested retail price is $11.99.
