John Crews [Fall]
DATE: Oct. 25, 2018
VENUE: Lake N, a flatland reservoir
WATER: 65 degrees, stained
WEATHER: 50 degrees, rain
PRO: John Crews, 40, Salem, Va. Crews is a B.A.S.S. tournament veteran and an 11-time Classic qualifier.
BOAT: Bass Cat Lynx with 250-horsepower Mercury Verado outboard, Minn Kota trolling motor, Raymarine electronics on Bass Boat Technologies mounts, twin Power-Pole shallow-water anchors
needs sponsors. How much involvement each pro actually has with his sponsors varies widely. Virginia native John Crews has a talent for designing lures — he’s worked closely with hard-bait manufacturer Spro for years and designed its wildly successful Little John crankbait series. However, some of Crews’ other sponsors proved less receptive to his creativity. “Prior to partnering with Spro, I’d worked with several soft bait manufacturers that I felt were overlooking the serious bass angler with their product offerings,” Crews says. “Tournament anglers are a different breed. They want something the fish haven’t seen before, not the same old worms and lizards.” Both frustrated by his thwarted attempts at suggesting new soft bait designs and encouraged by his success with Spro, Crews took the plunge and started his own soft bait company, Missile Baits, in 2012. “It was pretty crazy early on,” he recalls. “Suddenly, besides my hectic tournament schedule, I had a company to run.” But the risk paid off; today, Missile Baits are big sellers in practically every tackle outlet, as well as online (). “We offer a complete line of soft baits and jigs, all geared exclusively toward tournament anglers and all made in the USA,” Crews says. “We’re constantly developing new baits aimed at giving serious anglers a competitive edge. The business keeps growing; we’re now up to eight employees. It’s hard work, but it’s rewarding being your own sponsor.” As both a pro angler and a lure manufacturer, Crews is uniquely qualified to understand the difference a well-designed bait can make, especially on a gloomy fall day when the bass have lockjaw. Stay tuned and he’ll prove it.
