First time prototyping the Crusher Gill crankdown and had this decent bass smoke it near the bank. Looking back, I probably should have kept my rod tip down until I was ready with the net. One directional change, breach of the surface, and head shake later and this fish earned herself a quick release. Lesson learned...I'll get her next time. Rod: Dobyns Fury 795 Reel: Shimano Cardiff 300a Line: PowerPro Braid Lure: Lil' Piggy Swimbaits Crusher Gill prototype Camera: GoPro Hero 5 Black (unedited)

Caught a break in the wildfire smoke to get back out on the river. The water temperature had dropped significantly, and the bite was tough enough that I couldn't even manage to land a fish on conventional baits. On the way out to the main river, however, I did managed one squeak on the shallow crank Crusher Gill. The fish crushed the bait HARD in about one foot of water near a laydown tree. Towards the end of the day I tried fishing around the shiner schools in deeper water where I had success last time but couldn't find any fish willing to commit. It was low tide, so I decided to move to shallower water and try cranking structure with the deeper-diving, red craw pattern Crusher. One flat that I found had stumps and timber scattered along the bottom, and I could feel my bait deflecting and bumping into it. About three casts in and the bait stops dead. I thought I was snagged but reflexively set the hook. The fish felt like a dead weight but I could see my line bobbing back and forth as she surged under the surface. And so the Crusher Gill lands me my personal best swimbait fish yet again! She weighed about 4.8lbs but should weigh much more after feeding up for winter. Her frame was nice and long, but her belly was empty (you can see it depress when I go to hold her). Catching fish and building confidence with my own bait is a feeling of much fulfillment, and I'm hoping to run into this fish again when she has a full stomach! Rod: Dobyns Fury 795 Reel: Shimano Cardiff 300a Line: PowerPro Braid Lure: Lil' Piggy Swimbaits Crusher Gill prototype Camera: GoPro Hero 5 Black (unedited)

Finally got out after being cooped up inside by the wildfire smoke. It was a tough day fishing swimbaits with my first fish throwing my straight resin prototype earlier that morning and me almost losing the bait to a buoy. Towards the end of the day I tied my kayak to a post and caught a nice crappie for dinner, using my net as a live well. The sun was going down so I started to pack up, but picked up my red craw Crusher Gill again for my last cast. A few cranks in and a twelve incher rails the bait, catching me by surprise. What a way to end the day with a last-cast bass! I decided to throw a few more casts as I calmed down, and the bait stops dead ten feet from my boat. I thought I was snagged but instinctively set the hook into a good bass. She weighed 4.5lbs - not my biggest bass, but my pb weighed on a swimbait and my best fish of the year (hence the stoked screaming). I had to dump my crappie to fit her in the net, but it was worth it. Rod: Dobyns Fury 795 Reel: Shimano Cardiff 300a Line: PowerPro Braid Lure: Lil' Piggy Swimbaits Crusher Gill prototype Camera: GoPro Hero 5 Black (unedited)