Gear

Jocumsen’s tackleboxes for swimbaits and craws

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Photography by
Craig Lamb
“If I create a Bass Mafia Coffin for a specific lure, it’s because the baits are going to be fish catchers for which I need easy and quick access.” These two boxes never leave his boat, and one or more of the baits will always be tied on casting outfits lined up on his front deck, ready for action. 
This box is reserved for the X Zone Lures Adrenaline Craw, designed by fellow Bassmaster Elite Series pro Brandon Palaniuk. The versatile craw has supper aggressive, ribbed claws that generate lifelike action and unmatched water displacement on the retrieve. It’s available in 3.5- and 4.25-inch sizes and 13 color patterns. 
Another go-to box is filled with the X Zone Lures Pro Series Swammer Swimbait, another versatile lure as you will see with Jocumsen’s suggested recommendations. Made with an innovative rib design, soft curved ribbed sides, a unique three-dimensional paddle tail with a keel-shaped body, all combined to impart a unique sonic vibration. It’s available in 3.5- and 4-inch sizes and 22 color patterns. 
“Two standout features of both baits are their unique designs that actually work to enhance whatever they are used on,” Jocumsen said. “And they are both so versatile they can be used for multiple applications.” 
Designed as a swimbait, the Swammer is deadly on underspins, Alabama Rigs and on football heads, weightless on swimbait hooks and football heads. 
Jocumsen prefers the Swammer in the 3.5- and 4.5-inch models for this box. “One of the key technical features is these are hand-poured with the highest quality plastics throughout,” he said. “That adds even more lifelike action to the paddle tail (and appendages for the Adrenaline Craw). 
“The Swammer swims at an extremely slow roll and runs equally well at a face retrieve, even when you burn a spinnerbait,” Jocumsen said. His choice is a Bassman Spinnerbait, an Australian-inspired model used by Jocumsen since his early days. 
“You can’t beat the Swammer as a swim jig trailer,” Jocumsen said. “It swims at a slow roll on the fall, while the paddle tail waves and swims as it sinks; it’s always moving and enhances the visual appeal of the entire package to a fish.” 
Jocumsen’s choice is the Molix GT Swim Jig. 
Jocumsen also favors the Swammer to enhance the action of a bladed jig. 
“The tail’s side-to-side paddling, and erratic action transmit those same attributes to the bladed jig, adding even more movement and action,” he said. 
“This is the number one application for me, which is the ideal soft plastic swimbait for a ball jig,” Jocumsen said. “The action is ideal for cold-water scenarios when you want to crawl it along the bottom.” 
“The overall action is enhanced with the tail thump and head roll of the jig, and it runs true at faster retrieves.” 
A full lineup of applications.
Equally as versatile is the Adrenaline Craw, providing lifelike action as a stand-alone crawfish imitator or enhanced strike appeal when used as a trailer. 
A closer look.
“The claws float and swim on the fall, and they quiver on the bottom that make it irresistible to even the wariest bass, and it’s got just the right profile to make it ideal as a trailer.”
“This is by far my favorite soft plastic as a Texas rig,” Jocumsen said. “From the fall, to the bottom, the thumping and paddling craws and quivering rib appendages impart incredible action while the bait is moving or sitting still.”
Jocumsen favors the Adrenaline Craw as a trailer for this Molix Buzzbait, with or without a skirt.
“It runs true at any retrieve and makes it look like a fleeing baitfish.” 
“It’s my go-to as a jig trailer, adding bulk when needed to displace more water,” Jocumsen said. “The claws add vibration to the jig for even more shimmering action, and the claws move as you work it along the bottom.” 
The claws are constantly moving, and that gives it the qualities of a reaction bait in a finesse setup.”
That makes the Adrenaline Craw also ideal as a swim jig trailer. Jocumsen prefers white patterns to use the swim jig package during a shad spawn, to cover water and the strike zone more thoroughly. “It vibrates even at a slow pace and swims on the fall, adding that lifelike action you need when casting it around swimming shad,” he said. 
For an obscure application, and especially for pressured bass, Jocumsen rigs the Adrenaline Craw on a wobble head with a worm hook. 
He casts the rig out on flats, gravel points and other shallow feeding areas, allowing the wobbling head and thumping claws to draw bass into his bait. 

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