Honorable Mention Lucky Craft Lures

By: “Triton” Mike Bucca
(www.tritonmike.com)

With the extensive lineup of baits that Lucky Craft has I can certainly understand why it might cause a lot of people mass confusion on what tool to purchase and for what job. I have received countless emails pertaining to my opinion of various baits in the Lucky Craft lineup. I have been fishing with Lucky Craft lures since the late 90’s and I have also been on the Lucky Craft Pro-staff for the past year and a half. As a fishing guide here in Georgia with over 200 days a year on the water, I have extensive experience in using pretty much every bait in their entire lineup, and several Lucky Craft baits that aren’t even offered here in the U.S.

Be sure to check in here at Probass.net often, as I will give a few honorable mention reviews on Lucky Craft baits that I have relied on quite often. You just might be surprised to see some of the baits I rely on everyday that you might not think is an effective bait.

Real California (Swimbait)

The Real California Swimbait by Lucky Craft is the first bait to make my honorable mentioned category. The Real California is the same length as the Pointer 128 but much much thicker. The Real California swimbait comes with 2 #2 treble hooks and is classified as a floater and comes in 10 shad like colors. The Real California can be seen at the Lucky Craft website.

The reason the Real California didn’t make my top 10 review is primarily because this bait only became available in late 2004. But I did manage to snatch one off ebay in the summer of 2004. Summer time is not what I consider prime swimbait time. So in a nutshell I haven’t given this bait extensive testing like I have with the baits in my top 10 rankings. Having said that I have fished this bait in the fall of 2004 and during our prespawn 2005. During that time frame and I have caught several decent 3lb Spotted Bass on it. Nothing huge yet but I certainly see great potential for this bait especially if it is used in and around gizzard shad schools, schooling fish and staging fish.

The Real California dives a little over 2ft and it actually has a very pronounced and wide hunting action meaning and has a very realistic life like wobble. This swimbait doesn’t have a wiggle but it has a wobble if that makes any sense. The bait comes with a spinner blade on the tail or it can be replaced with the clear fish tail, which is pegged in place with toothpicks which are included in the package and is very easily assembled. I personally like the spinner on the back primarily because it gives off a little flash. The fish tail that is enclosed is very stretchable similar to the 3X material you see put out by Strike King. It can be stretched quite a bit without breaking.

A lot of folks feel that you actually need a separate swimbait rod to fish the Real California. That’s the beauty of this bait you can easily work this bait with any MH action rod. I personally prefer a 7ft rod to get some extra casting distance out of the bait since I plan on fishing it on expansive spawning flats a lot. Since this bait weighs a solid ounce you will have no problem getting a good 50 yard cast out of it. One of the great things I have found out about this bait is that if you just reel it in works great but I like to impart a few short jerks. This makes the bait turn on it’s side and gives it a very cool injured look that is great for triggering strikes. You can also hold your rod tip high and wake it (semi duck walk it) just under the surface as well. Talk about an awesome sight to see a nice bass take this big sucker waking right under the surface of the water..

10 lb. Guntersville Bass caught on a Real California Swimbait

I like to use the Real California in clear and semi stained water. So far I have done the best with this bait in Early Fall when the fish have migrated to the very backs of the creeks and also during the prespawn when the fish come out of their deep winter haunts onto the flats to feed. My favorite colors for the Real California are Aluminum Wakasagi and Largemouth bass. These two colors represent the gizzard shad and small bass that our fish often prey on when feeding.

As far as equipment is concerned, I like to use 15-20lb Triplefish fluorocarbon (www.triplefish.net) fluorocarbon line when fishing the Real California to be sure I can handle any striper that wants to come along. Fluorocarbon is a sinking line and it also allows the bait to dive more effectively to its maximum depth better than monofilament lines. Also, due to the low stretch characteristics of fluorocarbon you will have no problem detecting the strikes. Besides fluorocarbon line being more expensive than most monofilaments I am finding that fluorocarbon also lasts three times longer than regular mono making it a very economical choice for the frugal angler. Most medium heavy action 7ft rods are great choices for using jerkbaits.

That’s my first Honorable mention review. Give the Real California a try in your favorite waters and try something bigger instead of smaller. That is often the trick to get those bigger fish to bite. Don’t think for a minute that a 2lb spot won’t attack this bait. The Real California isn’t even close to the size of some of the Real Swimbaits used out west.

I have also decided to do a few “honorable mention” reviews of a few baits that didn’t make my top 10 rankings, but I have relied on these honorable mentions baits quite heavily over the years. In reality, it’s hard to pick just 10 baits from Lucky Craft for all the given situations and conditions that you run into.

If I can be of any help please visit my website at www.TritonMike.com and shoot me an email.

All the SPOTS!!

“Triton” Mike Bucca