Pro staffer JP DeRose talks about the Creeper, a 2.5-inch grub that’s part of the 2024 Canadian CrushCity collection, and a must-have for anglers who target walleye, smallmouth and largemouth bass, trout, yellow perch, crappie and other panfish. “The cool thing about this is it’s a grub reinvented, and probably one of the most fish-catching plastics you could ever ask for would be a grub,” DeRose said.
The Creeper is made of Super TPE (aka Thermoplastic elastomer), which gives it several distinct advantages over the plethora of PVC grubs on the market. Case in point, Super TPE’s spectacular suppleness and high floatation properties result in the Creeper’s curly tail having an off-the-charts seductive action fish can’t resist - even at at super-slow speeds. “It’s also got two rows of reversed legs along the belly of the bait, and that’s going to create a bunch of nuanced, little vibrations when you’re retrieving the bait or crawling it across the bottom. It’s just another added bonus to this small package.”
Being able to create these types of tiny appendages and other fine details, like the Creeper’s belly ribs, is possible thanks to Smart Injection Technology. This innovative, highly controlled manufacturing process allows the precise placement of salt, scent, fleck and colour. Even better, this Rapala-exclusive procedure guarantees the consistent replication of this winning formula for every CrushCity bait.
Another feather in the Creeper’s cap is Super TPE has a high tolerance of extreme hot and cold temperatures. As a result, anglers can use the Creeper to catch fish during open-water as well as when ice fishing.
If the above wasn’t enough, the ultra-durability of Super TPE makes the Creeper extremely resilient. Nipping panfish and short-striking walleye have no chance of ripping off the Creeper’s tail like they can to a PVC (plastisol plastic) grub, so expect to catch a ton of fish using the same bait. Think about that for a second, you could easily replace your bulk bag of PVC grub baits with a single pack of Creepers! Save time and money…it’s a no brainer!
When it comes to fishing the Creeper, it’s hard to go wrong with a jig. DeRose likes both the VMC Swingin’ Ned Rig Jig and the VMC Neon Moon Eye Jig, anywhere from 1/16 to 1/4 ounces, depending on depth.
“I’m going to fish this a number of ways, but that little hop-and-fall, the lift and let pendulum towards you, or drag across the bottom [are] going to be great,” DeRose said. “You can also straight cast and reel this bait, and really get fish to hone in on the action and the vibration coming off both the legs on the bottom and that curly tail.”
Drop-shotting a Creeper is another way to catch a lot of fish. Thanks to Super TPE’s durability, anglers can nose hook the bait with confidence panfish won’t be able to tear it off. Threading a Creeper on the VMC Finesse Neko Hook is another option DeRose mentions.
These are just a few presentation options DeRose shares in this short video, but at the end of the day it doesn’t matter how you rig the Creeper and whether you swim it, stroll it, hop it, snap it, drag it, shake it or soak it, the outcome is always the same - the Creeper makes fish come unglued. Welcome to the return of the grub courtesy of CrushCity!
FEATURED PRODUCTS (CANADA)
CrushCity Creeper | www.rapala.ca/ca_en/creeper
VMC Swingin’ Ned Rig Jig | www.rapala.ca/ca_en/snrj-swin...
VMC Ned Rig Jig | www.rapala.ca/ca_en/nrj-ned-r...
VMC Neon Moon Eye | www.rapala.ca/ca_en/nme-neon-...
VMC RedLine Series Finesse Neko Hook | www.rapala.ca/ca_en/rsfnk-red...