SEVIIN Reels Welcomes John Crews to the Family
PARK FALLS, WIS. (January 22, 2025) – Family man of great faith, proud American, father, competitor, business owner, lure designer, influencer, educator, content creator… there aren’t too many things that John Crews is not or cannot be.
Especially within the modern era of bass fishing.
The creator and owner of soft-plastics juggernaut, Missile Baits, 46-year-old John Crews of Salem, Virginia has competed in the Bassmaster Elites since the series launched in 2006, most recently winning the Bassmaster Elite at St. Johns River in 2022. Hanging his hat on an ethos of continual work and preparation plus a commitment to versatility, Crews has fished in a remarkable 13 Bassmaster Classics.
Launched by St. Croix in 2023, SEVIIN Reels aspires to design, craft, and deliver the most reliable reels available. Tested inside the state-of-the-art SEVIIN laboratory in Park Falls, Wisconsin, proven on the water by top tournament competitors and professional fishing guides, and guaranteed by one of the best warranty and service programs in the industry, SEVIIN Reels is pleased to welcome John Crews as the latest addition to the SEVIIN Reels Family.
“With respect to reels, I’ve fished with five or six brands over the years and I’ve become very particular,” says Crews. “I’ve gotten to the point where I’m not going to fish with anything that I believe puts me at any disadvantage.”
Crews says he got to know Jesse Simpkins and Ryan Teach from the SEVIIN Reels/St. Croix Team through the American Sportfishing Association. “They also started selling Missile Baits in their factory store. It really is a family atmosphere over there in Park Falls… from their ownership and employees to their staff and dealers,” he says. “I’ve always admired and appreciated that.”
Crews picked up and tried a couple SEVIIN reels at the urging of his friend and fellow tournament angler, Derek Hudnall, and was immediately impressed. Fished them for a while. “I was blown away by the quality and tight tolerances. I’ve been fishing them for a while now, and it’s remarkable how well the casting reels can be dialed in for any presentation you want to make. The adjustability is insane, and I don’t know that I’ve fished with a more castable reel.”
The 2025 Bassmaster Elite Season kicks off the first of nine events on February 20 at the St. Johns River in Palatka, Florida. “My goals this year are pretty consistent with those from past seasons,” Crews reports. “Fish all three days of every tournament, make top-50 at all of them, and make as many top-10s as possible. If I do that, everything else will follow.”
To get there, Crews will need to sync with the fish and make constant adjustments, something he’s proven to be good at. “I pride myself on staying versatile,” he says. “Whether that means fishing a Bomb Shot Worm in 50 feet of water on a SEVIIN GX spinning reel or punching a Craw Father through the grass mats with a GS 8.1:1 casting reel, I have a lot of confidence in my ability to adapt on the fly, which is what it takes to compete at bass fishing’s highest level.”
SEVIIN Reels Product Manager, Robert Woods, says Crews is an ideal addition to the SEVIIN Family. “John has been a role model and a touchstone for me personally,” Woods says. “As a father myself in a young, growing family, I’ve admired how John is able to balance his family life with his tournament fishing, content creation, and his business career. He’s a guy with a record of excelling in everything he does while prioritizing what’s most important. We engineer and craft SEVIIN Reels for performance and reliability that’s tested, proven, and guaranteed, and our ambassadors like John are the ‘proven’ part. Like other professionals who choose our reels, we appreciate John’s trust in our products and his experience and feedback in helping make our fishing reels even better.”
Follow Crews’ accomplishments on tour this season at bassmaster.com. Learn more about John and link to his exceptional content across all platforms at johncrews.com. For more information on Missile Baits, visit missilebaits.com.
#SEVIINReels #TrustedProvenGuaranteed
About SEVIIN Reels
Wherever and however you fish, the reel in your hand should help create better experiences. Born from St. Croix’s seven decades of design and manufacturing expertise, industry-leading customer service, and unbroken private ownership by the Schluter family dating back to 1977, SEVIIN reels are meticulously engineered and purpose-built to help anglers conquer every species on every piece of water on the planet. SEVIIN focuses on reels and reels only, designing and crafting products that improve the angling experience, regardless of the rods anglers choose. Seven seas, seven continents, seven days a week, SEVIIN reels are fueled by a collective love of fishing surpassed only by a passion to deliver the most reliable reels on the water. SEVIIN is a part of the St. Croix Family of Brands, including St. Croix Rod, SEVIIN Reels, St. Croix Fly, and Rod Geeks. Learn more at seviinreels.com.