Would this do well on a ned rig? How would this work, wouldn’t it be facing up in the defensive position and so invite less strikes?

 

Oh ya, it's designed for Ned fishing. Bass LOVE to attack craws that are 'hunkered down' and trying to defend themselves...they just dart in from the sides or behind.

Oh these things will catch you fish. Don’t even worry about the claws. If you’ve ever seen underwater footage of bass eating craws, you’ll know that they don’t care about getting pinched. IMO the claws standing up gets more bites

I doubt any crayfish ever successfully defended itself against a bass larger than eight or nine inches or so...   ?

 

 

They work pretty well but the claws tend to get tangled under the hook point on the cast or during the retrieve pretty often. 

Try them on a dropshot.

I’ve had good luck with Biwaa Armored Craws. Strong scent, and floating appendages but fairly subtle and not obnoxious like some. The 4 inch is more like a 3.25 and 3 inch is like a 2.5.  The 4 inch on a Ned head, or any jig, skips like no other if you ever want to slide it under a dock or overhang.  The 3 inch works great on a drop-shot:
 

https://www.biwaa.com/product/armored-craw-4/

Best soft plastic craw? Strike king bitsy tube. Not a craw by definition but they bass sure think it’s a craw 

I second a small tube as a good craw imitator. The chigger bug or any double tail grub is a good option as well. Fish them all with a 1/16 oz jig. 

I've caught lots on the 3" Tackle HD Hi Def Craw, as well as the Zoom Ultravibe Speed Craw. The HD is thrown on their 3/16oz head or as a finesse jig trailer for a Bitsy Bug or similar. I like an 1/8oz standup head for the UV.

Rage craw or the new Champ craw by Berkley. I have had some nice ones on the champ craw. Rage craw has been killing it since it came out. 

Ive done best with the zoom speed craw and the Big Bites craw...

21 hours ago, MN Fisher said:

Oh ya, it's designed for Ned fishing. Bass LOVE to attack craws that are 'hunkered down' and trying to defend themselves...they just dart in from the sides or behind.

What size/type ned head, weed less or reg?

1 minute ago, Ohioguy25 said:

What size/type ned head, weed less or reg?

I use 1/10oz Z-Man - regular or weedless depending on the cover.

Those are my preferred low action finesse jig trailers.

Zoom Ultravibe Speed Craw.  

Here are some of the ways to rig the Tackle HD 3" craw. 

I think the Zman TRD Craw is a good starting point for you. The 1/10 oz. size will be fine and you don’t necessarily have to use the ned head if you don’t want to. You may get better results with a more general jig head. 
 

I would try a couple of packs of the Zman. Catch some fish. Build up a confidence level. Than try a few different styles later. Do not underestimate the tubes. The TRD’s are very realistic for sure but tubes can be deadly. Types and colors are endless. 
 

Zman has a color pattern that is called “Greasy Prawn”, like a sand color. I do well with finesse worms that color. Trying to get the local shop to get them in for me without success and will just get them on my own. Should be easy enough. Seem to do well with that color in clear water conditions (late summer/fall). Don’t think it is a natural transition color of a craw but I have the utmost confidence it will work. I see some made in solid white but they don’t float my boat as much as this “Greasy Prawn”. Have never tried white. 
 

Good luck with them. 

On 6/1/2021 at 8:35 PM, Ohioguy25 said:

Would this do well on a ned rig? How would this work, wouldn’t it be facing up in the defensive position and so invite less strikes?

 

Smallies destroy that on a Ned. Hard to go wrong with anything small on a Ned though.