FLW Pro Wade Leblanc and Bass Kandi Baits

Bass Kandi Baits is a name that has been whispered about from angler to angler in the Louisiana area for some time. Countless anglers have won tournaments using Bass Kandi Baits down in the bayou state, so it was only a matter of time before the whispers got too loud and the company’s product started catching on everywhere. Ask Bass Kandi/Mercury Marine pro Wade Leblanc who fishes the FLW series, and he’ll let you know why the cat’s out of the bag.

“We have a lot of crawfish down in Louisiana, and I’ve watched them for years. Bass Kandi makes baits that look and act just like a crawfish. That’s why they work.” If you’re like Leblanc, that means you love fishing a jig. If you’re a bass, you love eating crawfish. Since the Bass Kandi line does such a great job emulating a crawfish, it follows naturally that they belong on the back of a jig. This is good news for jig fishermen, and bad news for bass.

You might think the Texas Craw and the T-Craw are better suited as Texas rigged baits, and while you can Texas rig them, you’re probably going to surprise yourself throwing them on the back of a jig. My personal experience is I’ve had my fair share of success putting the Texas Craw on the back of a ½ to ¾ ounce football jig.

My favorite way to use this bait is dragging it through rocky areas. The depth I fish fluctuates depending on the day, but I’ve had success using this lure anywhere from 1 to 20 foot of water. The key for me is to simply drag the bait. I find that the Texas Craw moves a decent amount of water, but has a more neutral action compared to the T-Craw. I feel as if the neutral action better emulates what a crawfish does most of the time: hanging out and crawling along rocky areas.

Whereas, Leblanc puts the T-Craw on the back of a jig in order to create more action. “The T-Craw has a ton of action. You don’t even have to move the bait for it to move water. Even when it sits still, the T-Craw’s flappers are moving water. This is especially important when you’re fishing dirty water.”

Like me, Wade loves dragging a jig and finds the T-craw works perfectly on the back of one. This is why one needs to be open to experimentation, even in their jig fishing. Putting a different trailer on the back of a jig can make all the difference. I’ve had days where the fish wanted a trailer with a ton of action that the T-craw provides. I’ve had other days where I thought the jig bite was dead, only to switch the T-craw trailer to a Texas craw and I start killing them.

Experiment; try different trailers, vary your retrieve, downsize or upsize. These decisions can fill the boat with big fish. Bottom line; don’t be afraid to try a Bass Kandi T-craw or Texas craw on the back of a jig at your next outing. You might find out what Wade and all those other Louisiana guys have been whispering about.

By Blake Russell

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