The Zoom brush hog and baby brush hog kind of started this type of bait years ago. I've done pretty good on the baby brush hog, mostly fishing them with a slow bottom lift-pull or dragging retrieve. Looking on the TW website recently, I noticed how many more creature baits are out there. Lots of them. I like the looks of the Reaction Innovation beaver baits, but for the past several seasons I've stayed with the tried and true baby brush hog. What are some creature baits you've had success with? Any certain brand or colors?To me, 90% of them imitate a craw, so that's how I've tended to fish them. Any favorites in this type of bait? Any retrieve styles that have worked well? Looking for ideas.

The brush hog and baby brush hog are staples for me. I consider them in a different category from the beaver style baits because they have a completely different action and profile. The creature style baits I've had good success with in addition to the brush hogs are the Gene Larew HooDaddy, Culprit Incredibug, Keitech Crazy Flapper, YUM Christie Critter, Zman Boar HogZ, and Big Bite Baits Creature bait. 

 

For beaver baits I carry the Strike King Rodent, Big Bite Baits YoMomma, Havoc Pitboss, Yum Bad Mamma and YUM Wooly Bug.

 

I mainly fish them on a T-rig, but the creature work well on C rig and swinging football head both, as well as a shakyhead. The beavers are good on a swing head or shakyhead also. I've done well dropshotting a tiny brush hog also. 

I toss creature baits for river smallies. Mine are scaled back size wise compared to what a lot of you guys throw. They are not a high percentage of the plastics I throw but I’m able to get the following locally. They are productive and I use them the way you are. Baby Brush Hogs, Yum Wooly Bug and the Berkley Hawg and Pit Boss. I like the Power Bait Hawg. 

I like the Missile Baits baby D Stroyer on a light T-rig.  

 

Retrieve is just crawl them through brush close to the shore.

 

If u like the baby brush hog check out the missile baby d stroyer. It's a great flipping bait as well as a great carolina rig bait. But if you wanna try something new rig it on a drop shot with a short leader. Definitely gives the fish something they are not used to seeing.

Space Monkey & Smoking Rooster ?

Soft plastic creature lures were around long before Zoom brush hogs, lizards and multiple appendage worms were common in the early 70's. Back in the 60's Jim Smith of Smitty's worms got started making Kelp Kritters a double curl tail shrimp creature for salt water calico bass that the fresh water bass anglers adopted quickly, Smitty's worm became a staple out west for a few decades.

Tom 

I'm a big fan of the magnum rage bug from strike king. Black/red flake, watermelon red, and bama craw (I think) are my favorite colors. I pitch them to standing timber and other targets as full baits, then use them as a trailer for a jig or chatterbaits once the head gets torn up a bit. I like a 4/0 jungle 4x flipping hook or a 5/0 Gamakatsu g-lock ewg hook with a 3/8-3/4 oince weight and either 22lb fluoro or 50lb braid. 

I don't know if it's considered a creature bait but zoom lizards slay them.

In my tackle organization system (one gallon plastic ziplocs), I put Zoom Brush Hogs and Baby Brush Hogs in my Lizard/Creature Ziploc Bag because they more closely match the slender profile of a Lizard...and I put the Zoom Super Hog or Z-Hog in with my Yum Christie Craws and Berkley Pit Boss bag labeled Craws and Trailers. So this way I’ve categorized according to how they get presented most often and also by length. That being said, I only have two creature style baits (zoom brush hogs and Lizards) the rest of my appendage style lures just emulate crawfish . 

The Zoom Brushhog is a staple and the baby is a go to when the bite is tough. For a slender profile the RI Man Bear Pig is very very good.  I did well with the Cal. 420 and Black/blue.  I have caught a lot of fish on Yo Mamas, Pit Boss, RI Beavers, Fighting Frogs, and the Space Monkey but my primary go to is the Rage Bug and Rodent. Black/Blue, Blue Craw and Watermelon Red cover my needs. I would like to see SK offer 12 packs at a reduced cost per bait retail. Good stuff.

Whopper Baits Chicken Foot early 70s, Mr Twister has the Sin-Sation.

 

 

Netbait Mad Paca Creature Bait

These are a bit more dense than a Zoom and last much longer yet has excellent action. And they smell like licorice. I love the action and the fit and finish. They come is standard 5" and baby 4". The baby size is my go to creature bait. 

 

 

Most days, I tie on a Rage Bug and forget that there are other baits.

I believe it is considered a creature bait, the gambler ugly otter has done really well for me rigged on a slider head. 

1 hour ago, Catt said:

Whopper Baits Chicken Foot early 70s, Mr Twister has the Sin-Sation.

 

 

Catt, I never knew that creature baits had been around that long. You and WRB bring up some good facts. Like many of us know, it would be hard, if not impossible to create a totally new bass lure. All of them borrow from the past somehow

Gambler Bacon Rind.  No longer made. 

10 minutes ago, Columbia Craw said:

Gambler Bacon Rind.  No longer made. 

That is basically a Baby brush hog or Berkley power hog with only one tail.

 

Allen

Gave mine to Ghoti.

Top 5 in no particular order:

 

RI Beaver

Zoom Baby Brush Hog

Zoom Super Hog

Yamamoto Kreature

Berkley Power Hawg

 

Allen

2 hours ago, Catt said:

Whopper Baits Chicken Foot early 70s, Mr Twister has the Sin-Sation.

 

 

Mister Twister made a Centipede worm during the 70's with multiple twister appendages and double curl tail, good worm in motor oil.

Tom

Oh yea. Happy Thanksgiving to all of you guys!

1 hour ago, Mobasser said:

Catt, I never knew that creature baits had been around that long. You and WRB bring up some good facts. Like many of us know, it would be hard, if not impossible to create a totally new bass lure. All of them borrow from the past somehow

 

Rick Clunn started a few years ago "everything old will become new again!".

 

Mr Twister is still deadly today, 40% of all tournament wins on Toledo Bend were won with a Mr Twister 6" Phenom Worm.

 

I don't say that!

 

The Mag 12 Buzz Worm is a name y'all need to remember!

I have REALLY enjoyed using the Reaction Innovations Man Bear Pig this year!

Rage bug is hard to beat.