Started trying this, just put a old tube on there.

 

Regarding crews, does anyone think that maybe if a fish hits the craw and gets poked by the hook and spits, but comes back again, I'm almost wondering if the fish might think he got pinched by the craw.

I don’t think the fish are bothered too much by a poke of the hook. After all they eat small bait fish with sharp fins spines all of the time.

 

I am however under the impression that feeling resistance of the line or pull of the line will shy them away. There are some limited tank and field scientific data to support this theory, but nothing definitive.

Back in olden times (late 80's ? ), Bass Pro Shops marketed a line of soft plastic skirts & soft plastic bodies that you would mix & match.   I remember walking into a shop in Columbia, MO and seeing a whole end cap of soft plastic skirts & bodies.   Twin tails, single tails, and maybe several other styles.  I think that Canyon Lures offered a similar set up, but a little smaller and kinda more suited to crappie.  The same store, for a while, carried the full catalog ( more or less) of Brewer Slider 4" worms, all the different weights of crappie heads & slider heads and all the different colors of 3" paddle tail grubs.

 

I dropped $60 or $70 bucks, something like that, but the next time I got to town, 6 months later, the selection was significantly depleted and they never re-stocked, as far as I know.

Thats a cool idea and concept. Never would have thought of cutting a tube. 

 

I agree that until they feel something pulling them or resistance is where they shy away.