What Is Missile Baits? Complete Guide to John Crews' Pro Bass Tackle Brand

Missile Baits is an American soft plastics and jig company founded in 2012 by professional bass angler John Crews. Based in Salem, Virginia, the brand makes serious tournament-grade tackle designed and refined by anglers competing at the highest level of professional bass fishing. Every bait in the lineup — soft plastics, jigs, jigheads, terminal tackle — is designed straight from the top tier of B.A.S.S. Elite Series competition, then tested until it produces fish reliably under tournament pressure.

This guide breaks down what Missile Baits actually makes, which baits are best for which techniques, who the brand is built for, and how to choose your first Missile Baits purchase. If you've heard pros talk about the D Bomb and wondered what the fuss is about, this answers it.

The Story Behind the Brand

Most bass fishing brands started as garage projects that grew. Missile Baits is the opposite: it started with a pro angler who already knew exactly which baits weren't being made and decided to make them himself.

John Crews is a Bassmaster Elite Series competitor with multiple major-tournament wins, including the 2010 Bassmaster Elite Series Falcon Lake event. After more than a decade of competing at the top level — and watching his sponsor companies miss what tournament anglers actually needed — Crews founded Missile Baits in January 2012 to design soft plastics and jigs straight from his own tournament experience.

The brand's positioning has stayed consistent for over a decade: serious baits for serious bass anglers, designed by someone who fishes them in real competition. That's reflected in the product range — every bait has a specific tournament technique it was built for, not generic shapes hoping to catch fish from beginners.

What Missile Baits Actually Makes

The lineup falls into five main categories. Most serious bass anglers carry baits from at least three of them in their box at any time.

Creature Baits

The flagship category. Creature baits are bulky, multi-appendaged soft plastics designed to imitate crawfish, bluegill, and other prey items. They're rigged Texas-style, on a punch rig, or as jig trailers. Missile Baits' creature lineup includes the famous D Bomb, the smaller Baby D Bomb, the more aggressive D Stroyer, the compact Baby D Stroyer, and the Craw Father.

The D Bomb is the flagship — a thick-bodied, ribbed soft plastic that's accounted for major tournament wins and is widely considered one of the best punch baits ever made.

Worms

Soft plastic worms for finesse and power techniques. The lineup covers different profiles for different presentations:

• Tomahawk Curly Tail Worm — Classic curly tail with strong vibration, ideal for Carolina rigs and shaky head
• The 48 — A 4.8-inch finesse worm built for ned rig, shaky head, and Neko rig presentations
• Quiver (4.5, 6.5, and 7.5) — Straight-tail worm with subtle action, designed for shaky head and finesse
• Magic Worm — A versatile worm fishable many ways

Swimbaits and Paddle Tails

Soft plastic swimbaits with kicking tails for swim jig trailers, chatterbaits, or solo paddle tail presentations:

• Spunk Shad (3.5, 4.5, 5.5 inch) — Pintail swimbait with a ribbed body and enticing shimmy
• Shockwave (3.5 and 4.25 inch) — Paddle tail swimbait with strong tail action

Drop Shot and Finesse Plastics

Smaller, more subtle baits for finesse situations:

• Bomb Shot — A finesse-sized creature bait designed specifically for drop shot rigs
• Drop Craw — Compact craw imitation for drop shot and finesse presentations

Jigs, Jigheads, and Terminal Tackle

Hard-component tackle to rig the soft plastics with:

• Ike's Mini Flip Jig — Compact flipping jig (sized down for finesse flipping presentations)
• Ike's Flip Out Jig — Full-size flipping jig (larger sibling of the Mini Flip)
• Eye Roll Jighead — Designed for rolling and swinging action with paddle tails
• Nedball Jighead — Purpose-built jighead for ned rig presentations
• Neko Weights — Specialized weights for the Neko rig finesse technique
• Twin Turbo — Jig trailer with twin appendages

The D Bomb — The Bait That Built the Brand

If Missile Baits has a signature bait, it's the D Bomb. A 4.5-inch ribbed creature bait with paddle appendages, it's earned a reputation as one of the best soft plastics ever made for punching heavy cover, flipping mats, and Texas-rigging in vegetation.

What makes it work: the ribbed body creates a thin profile that slips through cover without hanging up, while the soft plastic compound stretches enough to let hooks bury easily on the strike. The flat tail planes during the fall, giving the bait a slight gliding action that triggers fish in matted vegetation where most baits drop straight down.

The D Bomb has produced tournament wins at the Bassmaster Elite level multiple times. It's the bait that put Missile Baits on the map and remains the brand's best-seller more than a decade after release.

Who Missile Baits Is For

Tournament Bass Anglers

The brand's core audience. Missile Baits was designed for tournament fishing — that's not marketing, it's the literal design brief. If you fish bass tournaments or fish hard enough that bait quality matters, this is what the pros are throwing.

Serious Recreational Anglers

Anglers who want pro-quality tackle even if they're not competing. Missile Baits costs slightly more than budget plastics, but the design quality and durability justify the price for people who fish frequently.

Punch Fishermen

If you flip and punch heavy vegetation, the D Bomb is one of the most respected baits in that category. Anglers who fish mats, slop, or thick cover should have D Bombs in their box.

Finesse Anglers

The Quiver, The 48, Bomb Shot, and Drop Craw cover finesse presentations — drop shot, shaky head, ned rig, Neko rig. The brand isn't just for power techniques.

Anglers Wanting USA-Made Tackle

All Missile Baits soft plastics are manufactured in the USA — specifically at the brand's facility in Salem, Virginia. For anglers who prefer domestic-made tackle, this matters.

How to Choose Your First Missile Baits Purchase

"I want the most versatile bait to start with."

→ D Bomb. It's the brand's flagship for a reason. Works Texas-rigged, on punch rigs, as a jig trailer, and on weighted hooks. If you only buy one Missile Baits bait, make it this one.

"I primarily fish heavy cover and vegetation."

→ D Bomb for punching mats and flipping vegetation. Add the Ike's Flip Out Jig for jig presentations in the same situations.

"I'm a finesse angler — drop shot, ned rig, shaky head."

→ Start with the The 48 worm for shaky head and ned rig. Add the Bomb Shot for drop shot, and the Quiver in the 4.5 or 6.5 size for shaky head work. The Nedball Jighead and Neko Weights handle the rigging.

"I throw a lot of swim jigs, chatterbaits, or swimbaits."

→ Spunk Shad (4.5 or 5.5 inch) as a swim jig trailer or solo on a swimbait hook. Shockwave for paddle tail presentations on jigheads.

"I'm new to bass fishing and want to start with quality tackle."

→ Start with a D Bomb and a couple packs of Spunk Shad. The D Bomb teaches Texas rigging and flipping; the Spunk Shad teaches swimbait presentations. Together they cover most of what beginners need to learn first.

For a deeper bass fishing strategy breakdown using Missile Baits products, see the Missile Baits 2026 Bass Fishing Guide.

What Sets Missile Baits Apart

Tournament-Designed Specifications

Every bait was designed by someone fishing at the top level of competition. That means the shapes, sizes, and actions reflect what actually catches tournament fish — not what looks good in a catalog photo.

Quality Soft Plastic Compounds

Missile Baits uses softer, more durable plastic compounds than most budget brands. Soft plastic that's too hard prevents proper hookups; too soft and the bait disintegrates after one fish. Missile Baits' compound is engineered to maximize hookup ratios while still allowing multiple fish per bait.

USA Manufacturing

All soft plastics are made in Salem, Virginia. Quality control is tighter than most overseas-manufactured competitors, and color consistency is more reliable.

Color Selection

Missile Baits releases colors that match what works in tournaments — proven combinations like Bruiser Flash, California Love, and Bruised Banana that anglers have voted into the lineup based on actual tournament results.

Continuous Innovation

The brand regularly releases new colors, sizes, and bait designs based on what professional anglers are doing in current tournament conditions. Missile Baits isn't a static lineup — it evolves with the sport.

Common Mistakes

Buying random colors without thinking about water clarity. Dark colors (black, blue, watermelon red) work in stained water. Natural colors (green pumpkin, junebug, california love) work in clear water. Bright colors (chartreuse, white) work in muddy water. Match the color to conditions, not preference.

Using the wrong size for the technique. The 4.5-inch D Bomb is built for power techniques (Texas rig, punch rig, flipping). The smaller Baby D Bomb is for finesse or smaller fish. The Bomb Shot is for drop shot, not Texas rig. Match bait size to technique.

Cheaping out on hooks. A premium soft plastic on a $0.20 hook is wasted money. Use quality hooks (Owner, Gamakatsu, VMC) sized correctly for the bait and the technique. The hook is what holds the fish — don't skimp.

Throwing the same bait everywhere. Missile Baits' lineup is built around technique specialization. The D Bomb isn't a finesse bait. The Quiver isn't a punch bait. Use each one for what it's designed for.

Not adjusting weight for conditions. A 1/2-ounce weight on calm water is overkill; a 1/8-ounce weight in heavy current doesn't get the bait down. Carry multiple weight sizes and adjust based on depth, current, and wind.

Ignoring scent and salt content. Missile Baits' plastics include scent and salt. Re-applying scent during a slow bite often triggers strikes when nothing else changes.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Missile Baits known for?

Tournament-designed soft plastics for bass fishing — especially the D Bomb creature bait, which is widely considered one of the best punch and Texas rig soft plastics ever made. The brand is built around the philosophy that pro-level tackle should be available to all anglers, not just pros.

Who owns Missile Baits?

John Crews, a Bassmaster Elite Series professional angler with multiple major-tournament wins. He founded the company in January 2012 and continues to lead product development based on his own tournament fishing experience.

Where are Missile Baits made?

All Missile Baits soft plastics are manufactured in the USA, specifically at the brand's facility in Salem, Virginia. This is one of the brand's key differentiators from competitors that manufacture overseas.

What's the best Missile Baits bait for beginners?

The D Bomb. It's the most versatile single bait in the lineup — works Texas-rigged for most bass situations, as a jig trailer, on punch rigs, and on weighted hooks. Buy a pack in green pumpkin or junebug and learn to Texas rig with it.

How does the D Bomb compare to other creature baits?

The D Bomb has a thinner, ribbed profile than most creature baits, which lets it slip through heavy cover without hanging up. It's also softer than competitors like the Zoom Brush Hog or Strike King Rage Bug, which improves hookup rates. Many serious anglers consider it the best punch bait available — though personal preference varies.

Are Missile Baits worth the price?

For serious anglers, yes. They cost slightly more than budget brands but the design quality, durability, and color selection are noticeably better. For occasional weekend fishing, the difference matters less. For tournament or frequent fishing, the difference is worth it.

What sizes do Missile Baits come in?

Pack sizes vary by bait. Most soft plastics come in 5-, 6-, 8-, or 10-count packs. The D Bomb is available in 5-count and 25-count bulk packs — the 25-pack is significantly better value if you fish the bait regularly.

What's the difference between the D Bomb and the Baby D Bomb?

The D Bomb is 4.5 inches, designed for power techniques in heavier cover. The Baby D Bomb is smaller (3.5 inches), built for finesse presentations, smaller fish, or pressured water where the larger bait gets ignored. Same shape, different applications.

How do I rig a D Bomb?

The standard rigging is Texas-rigged with a 4/0 or 5/0 EWG (extra wide gap) hook and a 1/4 to 1/2 oz tungsten weight. For punching heavy cover, use a 3/4 to 1.5 oz weight with a peg. For flipping, drop down to a 1/4 to 3/8 oz weight without a peg. The bait can also be rigged on a jig as a trailer or on a weighted swimbait hook.

Do Missile Baits work in clear water?

Yes, with the right color selection. Green pumpkin, california love, and watermelon red work well in clear conditions. The D Bomb's thinner profile is actually an advantage in clear water — bulkier creature baits can spook clear-water fish. Just downsize weights and use natural colors.

Key Takeaway

Missile Baits is what you buy when you want pro-tournament-quality bass fishing tackle without buying a different brand for each technique. John Crews built the lineup around real tournament experience, and every bait has a specific purpose it does better than most competitors.

For your first Missile Baits purchase, get a pack of D Bombs in green pumpkin or junebug. It's the most versatile bait in the lineup and the one that built the brand's reputation. Add a pack of Spunk Shads for swimbait work, the The 48 worm for finesse, and you've covered most bass fishing situations with three baits.

For a deeper breakdown of how to fish Missile Baits products effectively across different conditions and techniques, see the Missile Baits 2026 Bass Fishing Guide. Browse the complete Missile Baits selection at Happibee for soft plastics, jigs, jigheads, and terminal tackle from the brand pro anglers actually fish.