Tournament News Powered By Lake Drive Marine
Friday, October 10, 2025
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By Al McGuckin
Terry “Big Show” Scroggins
Along with trail cam pictures and Halloween costumes come swimbaits, A-rigs and squarebill crankbaits this time of year.
But don’t sleep on the category of lures Bill Lewis made famous more than 50 years ago, because lipless crankbaits flat-out catch ‘em when cool weather hits– and they likely always will.
Here are three tips from Terry “Big Show” Scroggins to soup-up your lipless crankbait game between now and Christmas when you’re not in a treestand.
Don’t just throw the standard size
The ½ ounce size is by far the most popular and top-seller of all time, but Scroggins says the smaller 1/4-ounce size will get you bites when the larger size won’t.
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By Al McGuckin
Terry “Big Show” Scroggins
The first time Florida bass fishing legends Terry “Big Show” Scroggins and Peter “T” Thliveros met, Scroggins was 10 years old and mowing the lawn at Ditto lure company where Thliveros worked as a teen pouring Ditto’s famous Fire Claws, and Gator Tail worms.
Both youngsters had dreams of fishing for a living, but it’s doubtful they imagined back in 1979 that Peter “T” would later create a unique finesse Carolina Rig that would put thousands of dollars in their pockets as pros.
Yes indeed, credit the “Petey Rig” for a portion of the $4 million dollars the two best buddies have won as pros, including Scroggins’ Bassmaster Open win at Lake Toho, and Thliveros’ victory at the 2007 Bassmaster Memorial at Onondaga Lake near Syracuse.
“Yup, I’ve known Pete for 42 years. And anytime you’re struggling to get a bite, that Petey Rig he came up with will save your butt,” insists Scroggins who also shares a love of cooking and grilling with Thliveros.
So, what exactly is a Petey Rig?
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By Josh Lantz, Traditions Media
Cody Hahner of Wausau, Wisconsin with a nice smallmouth
For most bass anglers, crankbaits are just flat-out fun to fish. Designed to fish on a constant (or near-constant) retrieve while maintaining contact with and deflecting off structure, crankbaits provide the angler with tons of feedback.
“The main reason I like it is because you’re actively cranking and you’re feeling what the bait is doing the whole time,” says Addison, Alabama tournament angler and MLF competitor, Jesse Wiggins. “You feel exactly what that bottom or piece of structure is, and there’s no mistaking when the fish actually eats the bait. Plus, crankbaits help you cover a lot of water.”
FLW pro and northern river specialist, Cody Hahner of Wausau, Wisconsin, agrees. “Crankbait fishing is one of the more exciting ways to fish. It’s an amazing way to cover water for sure, but what’s more important to me is how I’m able to feel the bottom and the contours of the structure,” he says. “I can feel the sweet spots and I can feel how a crankbait reacts over certain types of structure. I’m not partial to any hard bait brand, so I can say openly that every crankbait reacts differently to the type of structure you fish. You could line up four crankbaits that all run four feet deep, but one will work best in gravel, one in sand to rock, one in timber, and one in busted concrete. It’s almost like finding the right soft plastic for the current situation. At this time of year, I’ll have at least 5 different crankbaits on my deck.”
For Hahner, “this time of year” – late September through October – is his absolute favorite time to throw a crankbait for river smallmouth. “In the north country our summer is over and the fall transition is in full swing. The first major cold snap will cause river smallmouth to get fidgety and begin the move to their winter pools,” he says. “Much like us northerners gathering firewood, these smallmouth are preparing to deal with winter, too.”