Grumpy Bait Company

THE 2026–2027 GRUMPY BAITS LINEUP IS HERE!

We’ve got the complete lineup together — including TWO all-new baits!

In our latest video, we break down the design behind each bait, what makes them different, and the rigging techniques that can help you get more out of your presentation.

From our legendary GOBY Series to our FINESSE, MINN-FIN, GRUBBY and specialty baits, we’ll show you what each one was designed to do — and how to fish it.

Whether you're chasing Great Lakes smallmouth, Northern walleye, Eire perch, trout, Lake Simcoe whitefish or other predators, there’s a Grumpy bait built with a purpose.

Watch the full 2026–2027 lineup video and see what’s NEW!

Why These Baits Catch Fish | The Complete Grumpy Baits Lineup & Rigging Guide There’s a lot more to choosing a soft plastic bait than picking a c...

Are Goby Baits That Important for Great Lakes Anglers? Let’s See.

Most avid Great Lakes anglers already know gobies are an important food source.

But here’s the question:

Does your tackle box actually reflect how important gobies have become?

• In Lake Erie, Round Goby accounted for 87% of smallmouth bass diet occurrence in 2022.

• In Lake Ontario, Round Goby represented 86% of smallmouth bass stomach contents in one study.

• In Lake Erie, Round Goby made up 49% of largemouth bass diets in 2022. (Grumpy Baits)

Yet look inside many tackle boxes and goby baits still represent a surprisingly small part of the selection.

A worm, craw or tube in a “goby color” may catch fish — but is it really representing the forage?

A Round Goby has a very distinct anatomy, profile and movement. It has two dorsal fins, bulging eyes, a tubular body and a vertically oriented caudal fin. It spends its time hopping, scurrying and sitting along the bottom rather than swimming freely through the water column.

That matters.

Back in 2019, we saw a gap in the market. There were very few true goby imitations, and none offered the combination of anatomical accuracy, sizes and colour options we believed Great Lakes anglers needed.

So we created the first complete family of anatomically correct Round Goby baits.

Since then, we’ve continued developing new goby styles, sizes and colours — designed for multiple species, multiple techniques and multiple seasons.

Cast and retrieve.
Drop shot.
Ned.
Vertical jigging.
Ice fishing.

One forage. A lot of ways to fish it.

The goby isn’t new.

The question is whether your tackle box has truly caught up.

See the attached research summary and see with your own eyes!

And if you’re looking for anatomically correct goby baits with the variety to match different Great Lakes fisheries, check out www.grumpybaits.com

— Marty Draeger
Founder, GRUMPY Bait Company

I headed out to Long Point, Lake Erie, to try something a little different than the usual trolling for walleye. This time, I focused on deep-water jigging on light tackle with the GRUMPY Baits 4" Minn-FIN.

Did we catch fish? The video speaks for itself!

Along the way, I share some tips and tricks for deep-water walleye jigging, including how to use forward-facing sonar, work your bait, and react to what the fish are doing.

If you're looking for another exciting way to target Lake Erie walleye, give deep-water jigging a try!

Check out the full video and see how we did it! https://youtu.be/DmzwbZ6OexQ?si=IKrZ2EuCOBPs0ZNP

-GRUMPY Baits 4" Minn-FIN
-Made in Canada
-Deep-water jigging
-Light tackle
- Garmin LiveScope
- Long Point, Lake Erie, The Elbow

To learn about our complete line-up of baits designed for the Great Lakes region, or to find a local dealer, please visit www.grumpybaits.com

Lake Erie Walleye Jigging | A New Way to Catch Walleye

VERTICAL JIGGING FOR GREAT LAKES CHINOOK SALMON

Forget everything you thought you knew about salmon fishing.

One of the fastest-growing techniques on the Great Lakes is vertical jigging, and when the conditions are right, nothing compares to watching a Chinook rocket off the bottom to crush your bait.

It All Starts With Matching the Hatch

The average smelt found throughout the Great Lakes is remarkably similar in size and profile to our 4" Minn-FIN. That natural baitfish profile, combined with an erratic darting action, perfectly imitates the forage Chinook salmon feed on every day.

Rig your Minn-FIN on a quality minnow-style jighead, such as the NISHINE LURE WORKS (Smelthead), and you'll have a presentation that closely matches the natural forage these fish are hunting.

Our favourite Minn-FIN colours for salmon include:

- Smelt
- Emerald Shiner
- Fathead Minnow
- Snowy Crackle
- Lime Ricky

Find the Fish

Modern sonar has completely changed this fishery.

As you cruise the lake, watch your electronics for dense bait schools suspended near the thermocline. Chinook salmon often appear as individual hooks positioned above, below, or around those bait clouds.

Once you find them...

- Stop the boat.
- Engage Spot-Lock on your Minn Kota.
- Drop your Minn-FIN directly to the depth of the fish.

Now watch your screen.

One of the coolest parts of vertical jigging is seeing the salmon actually move toward your bait. When one of those hooks starts rising to meet your lure, get ready...

Because the strike feels like a freight train.

Then the real battle begins.

Recommended Tackle:

• 3000-size spinning reel (minimum) - or 4000
• 30 lb braided main line (minimum)
• 20 lb fluorocarbon leader
• 3–5 ft leader length

This setup gives you the sensitivity needed to watch your bait on sonar while still having the power to battle hard-charging Chinook salmon.

We've been using this system with outstanding success over the past several seasons, and it continues to put trophy salmon in the boat.

Ready to experience one of the most exciting techniques on the Great Lakes?

Visit www.grumpybaits.com and explore our complete line-up of Minn-FIN colours designed to match the hatch and trigger aggressive strikes from Great Lakes salmon.

See our spring Salmon Video: https://youtu.be/iMdNgU6FYaw?si=fV7jpNcdggMikKfi