CREATURES
Big topic this covering everything from Prawns to Crabs to Brush Hawgs and more. With the more realistic baits such as Crabs and Prawn imitations you are trying to emulate the movement of your chosen creature. With other imitations such as a Brush Hawg it's more about your usual retrieves but making sure to get those appendages to flap, ripple etc.
CRABS:
Below is an image of the excellent ZMan Crabz. It's quite a large bait but a proven bait. Wrasse really smack these lures. Put them on a Texas rig or a great alternative is the Free rig as due to its profile providing resistance when falling through the water it should have a good degree of separation from the weight and once the weight hits the deck the crab should glide slowly to the bottom. Remember to inch these lures along the bottom but if using the free rig add the odd large hop to separate lure and weight again.
SHRIMPS & PRAWNS:
Continuing with the ZMan theme below is the ZMan EZ Shrimpz The minute I saw this lure I knew it would catch fish. They have produce some fantastic colours and I particularly like the Laguna Shrimp colour as I have had wrasse to 4lb on them. Some even have fluorescent tails; if you have ever seen large prawns you will know they have luminous spots on them. It's this bio luminescence that I believe is key in attracting fish. Hop and inch them back on a Texas rig or Cheb rig, it works for me I suppose you could also fish them on a Texas rig.
Below is an image of a kind of shrimp lure that you can get off AliExpress. I've not used them myself but I'm sure they will work:
Just found this amazing item on AliExpress. Check it out! ￡2.32 | HAIMALUO Silicone Bait Soft Lures Pike Fishing Lure Biting Shrimp Carp Bass Sea Worm Swimbait Rockfishing Artificial Baits Gamba
Below is a weighted Shrimp Lure. These will catch wrasse but you might like to try them for Bass or even Gilthead Bream! 🤐
Another Shrimp type lure I have caught on and also has a good range of colours:
Bellows Craw type lures are a fantastic bait for wrasse. Try and find the smaller size but the larger size will work for big fish. I love these on a Jika rig as I can rhythmically tap the bottom with the weight so as to get that body to undulate but they would work well on a Free Rig or as any bait on the Texas Rig.
Below are a couple of lures I source off AliExpress. I have yet to catch on them but have had savage bites. I'm sure they will catch but on the brief occasion I have used them I missed both bites. It was the middle of winter and on some days that is the only bite you will get. I have complete faith in both the brands having caught lots of fish on the other lures in their range.
This lure I haven't used and to be fair it's more of a work bait but that tail is a little different enough to really interest me. I also love the similarities to a Ragworm. One for the future I think. You got to keep trying new things; haven't you.
BrushHawgs: I love these lures but they are very expensive to source here in the UK. I have a few packets left I think I sourced from AGM fishing a few years back. I can't seem to find a copy anywhere either. Great wrasse catcher and they come in a variety of sizes but I prefer the 100cm size.
Just found this amazing item on AliExpress. Check it out! ￡14.69 | ZOOM American Baby Brush Hog Soft bait Perch bass Lizard Bug Dragging Tail
There are a multitude of different creature baits with more coming to the market every day. It's quite exciting really as along with AliExpress etc it gives us the opportunity to experiment, just think about those appendages, how they are going to work and what rig best suited them. If nothing else pop them on a Texas rig, cast them out, fish them on or near the bottom and most will catch wrasse.