Bucca Builds a Better (and More Affordable) Crawler

One of the greatest memories from our twenty or so trips to Lake El Salto is a rainy June day when we absolutely knocked the snot out of the fish—once we dialed in the right topwaters. For Hanna, that meant a couple of expensive crawler-style baits. The ferocity of those strikes is still etched in my mind, and I'll be ready when that window opens up again.

Unfortunately, many of the best crawler-style topwaters have traditionally been garage-built baits, making them both expensive and difficult to find. Beyond that, they're often fragile. Not necessarily the bodies, but the wings, which get dinged up, bent, and never quite run the same again.

That's why one of my first stops at ICAST 2026 was to visit big-bait innovator Mike Bucca. His new Trick Crawler addresses many of the shortcomings that have plagued crawler baits for years, combining durability, fish-catching action, and a price point that won't make you cringe every time a bass explodes on it. We asked Mike to explain what makes it different.

Ready to give one a try? Pick up a Bucca Trick Crawler at Tackle Warehouse. And if you're dreaming about watching giant bass explode on one in Mexico, let us help you plan your Lake El Salto adventure. We'll also be carrying a few to Argentina later this year to see if they can survive the brutal strikes of golden dorado. Stay tuned for reports.