A Closer Look at the Covert Craw

Like most bass anglers I am always on the look out for the latest and greatest. When I first saw the Yamamoto Covert Craw, I knew this was a bait that I wanted to have in my arsenal. Measuring 2.5” in length and featuring six small appendages and two small bulbous pinchers, it is the ideal craw for finesse applications.

The Covert Craw is a versatile bait, I have had good results utilizing it as a finesse jig trailer, on a drop shot rig, and on a split shot rig. However, my favorite way to fish a Covert Craw is on a Ned Rig.

The beauty of the Ned Rig lies both in its ability to generate bites and its simplicity. While I always have a 3” Yamamoto Ned Senko rigged and at the ready. These days there is no doubt that today's heavily pressured fish see a lot of Ned Rigs. As such there are times when offering the fish something different can be the key to putting more fish in the boat and for me that something is the Covert Craw.

It has been said that good things come in small packages and that is certainly true of the Covert Craw, just because it is diminutive in size doesn't mean that it doesn't catch big fish, because it does. While a Ned Rig is a great limit getter, I am truly impressed with the quality of fish that I have caught with the Covert Craw. Big largemouths love it as do chunky smallies and football shaped spotted bass.

The Covert Craw excels in clear water, when the bite is tough or if the fish are keyed in on smaller baits. The majority of the foothill lakes that I fish in Northern California are deep clear water impoundments and the Covert Craw is right at home in these environments.

While there are many ways to fish a Ned Rig, most of the time I like to use my rod to slowly drag the Covert Craw across the bottom. I'll mix up the retrieve by adding in pauses, or if the fish are more active, a lift and drop may be the best option. As with the Ned Senko, the Covert Craw is made from the same Yamamoto Mega Floater Formula. This allows its pinchers to float up in a natural defensive posture.

To generate bites, I like to shake the Covert Craw in place on a controlled slack line, which causes the appendages and pinchers to move enticingly. On the other hand, there are times when the fish want very little or no movement at all. Even on the deadstick, the slightest movment caused by the drag of the line in water or water current causes the appendages and pinchers to quiver, this can be a strong bite trigger. In some cases when I want even less movement, I will remove some or all of the appendages.

While the Covert Craw is perfect for BFS, I have a preference for spinning gear. I like a 7' to 7'6” medium light action rod paired with a 2500 series reel that is spooled with 10lb braid main line tied to a 5lb fluorocarbon leader. I typically prefer to use the lightest Ned Head Jig that I can get away with, but that is dependent on the depth of the water and the conditions that I am encountering. Every angler has there favorite colors, but in my opinion you can't go wrong with some variation of Green Pumpkin: Green Pumpkin Black Flake (297), Green Pumpkin Purple Copper Flake (330), Green Pumpkin Purple Green Flake (301) or Green Pumpkin Amber Laminate (926).

Over the years, I have fished many small soft plastic craws, including a host of hard to find western hand poured creations and the Covert Craw is certainly among the best. In short it just gets bit.