So around where we fish there aren't lakes, mainly creek and river fishing.  And it seems that crayfish imitators (ex. Rage Craw) are pretty good producers year round.  Just wondering on your thoughts on when to throw them, areas to use them, favorite baits, when to use different sizes, etc.  I know spring is usually a popular time but just hear some other inputs.

I like the netbait paca craw.

I like the netbait paca craw.

I will second that! Also the Baby Paca and the tiny Paca craw. The new Netbait Hardytack craw will be a big hit this year! The Netbait lineup has a ton of colors too. I fish the craw from spring to early fall or when the bass start feeding on shad wright before the turnover.

I like the Yum Craw Papi really well in the 2 smaller sizes. A 3" Berkley Power craw on a shakey head has killed the smallmouth for me a few times.

Ragetail Craw and Baby Ragetail Craw have both been good producers for river Smallies.  They work well rigged by themselves or as a jig trailer, including swim jigs.

Ragetail craws, and the Huddelbug craws work very well..

Throw em' from the time they come out of hibernation until they go back.  Be mindful they change color throughout the season.

I fish creeks in the Ozarks for Smallies & Spots, T-rigged weightless or lightly weighted Speed Craws (Or similar) work great.

For a craw with action, I use the paca craws in all 3 sizes, for a more subtle bait, I will use tubes, and beavers, both are excellant craw inmitations.

You can fish them any time you want, I fish a lot of places where bass have never seen a crayfish and crayfish imitators work just fine.

You can fish them any time you want, I fish a lot of places where bass have never seen a crayfish and crayfish imitators work just fine.

X2!!!!!!!!!!

90% of my flipping and pitchin baits are craws and 90% of my craws are Rage Craws or Lobsters... ;D

Do you think it's posible to catch fish with craw baits in ponds where there isn't crayfish?

I would say yes. And along the theme of this thread our Double X was specifically designed to imitate a medium sized crayfish. The strikes are hard like the fish is trying to kill it when it strikes it and I catch a lot of catfish on this bait. That in itself tells me it is a doing a good job.

Bass eat shad colored cranks in bodies of water with no shad, they eat salamanders and worm imitators but probably rarely see a real one in most bodies of water. If it looks like food and like it would be easy to catch, chances are some bass are going to eat it.

For creek style fishing like it seems like you are talking about, I prefer the smaller craws (Baby Rage Craw). Also, I know this is a little off topic, but don't overlook 4" Zoom Lizards for creeks and smaller rivers.

If your going to toss lizards, check out the ragetail lizard, the action is crazy, and they get bit..

Bass eat craw baits and jigs in South Africa where we don't have any freshwater crayfish. IMO bass will eat anything that looks/ acts alive.

Do you think it's posible to catch fish with craw baits in ponds where there isn't crayfish?

Why not? A lot of the lakes I fish up here do not have crayfish in them and I catch most of fish on either a t-rigged paca craw or jig/paca craw.

I have never bought into the notion that bass will only eat what is in their normal diet. I believe it engages their curiosity more than anything. Take a mouse for instance; how often do bass do mice swimming along? They are one of my favorite top water baits.

I do allot of creek & river fishing...Plastic on the bottom will catch allot of fish, but its usually not my first choice...I'd rather cover the water systematically from top to bottom...If they wont eat a walk the dog plug or a buzzbait on top, I'll try something midwater like a fluke, hard minnow bait, spinnerbait or crankbait. No action on top or mid-water...break out the bottom bouncers..Jig & Chunk or your favorite plastics. Cheers.

Have never used the Rage Craws as have been using Huddlebugs and getting great results with them. But from what everyone has said will try some rage craws for sure now. Thanks for info.

Berkley Chigger craw, and the Crazy Leg Chigger craw produced alot of big bass last year for me. I T-rigged them mainly.

I pitch Zoom Ultravibe speed craws, the big one and small one.

The big one around more sparse cover ie pads in summer

The smaller one is nice for pitching to slop ie mats in summer

Whenever I can get a jig bite going without getting it all gunked up in the slop I'll fish the jig b/c it is just an awesome bait!

22 responses and not one person saying the Yum Craw Bug. This is my go to craw bait when they wont bite anything else. I throw it as a jig trailer, rig it on a skirtless football head, T rig it with a 1/8 oz weight and it has a sloooooooow fall. I love paca craws and rage craws also. I only throw the paca craw as a trailer though, never had luck with it T rigged by itself.

What has worked for me is using the YUM F2 Crawbug in the crawdad color on a 1/4 oz jighead with weed protector hooked through the tail. Cast right onto shore then slowly work it off the bottom like a real crawdad would. THIS WILL CATCH YOU BIG FISH!