Powerbait Crazy Legs Chigger Craw

[BaitMonkey1984]

So this is the first full year I have been using predominately bait casters. For many years I was a jerk bait/crankbait fisherman and the past 5 years a soft plastic fisherman- fishing almost exclusively wacky rigged GYCB senkos. This year I decided not only to get good at bait casters but also to catch fish on all different kinds of lures. I have a soft plastic collection that rivals the local Dicks Sporting Goods but was busy learning other techniques. 3 weeks ago I concentrated on Jigs and weighted t-rigged baits.

 

On the Texas rig i would use the GYCB  (light weight and gammagstu ewg 4/0 hook) flapping hawg and did pretty good but soon used up the 3 packs or so that I had of that bait. I then switched to the Powerbait Crazy Legs Chigger Craw and the bite exploded. This bait is amazing in my small lake consistently producing numbers and quality alike.

 

As I am new to using craw style baits, I would ask for anyone with experience with this bait or with texas rigged baits in general for beginner tips. For example, I found that if I waited a second to set the hook I had better hook up ratios, similar to a frog bite. Perhaps that is why I got more fish and better percentage of hookups with the powerboat than the GYCB, as Powerboat claims fish hold on 18x longer than regular baits. 

 

I have lived and died with the GYCB senko for years, but my seance rod has seen little action over the past month. What really gets me about this bait is that it produces so much better than similar baits in the same size, same color, etc. I prefer GYCB but I could get bit on other competitors stick baits almost as good. Here there is such a noticeable difference between the Powerbait Crazy Legs Chigger craw and other lures. 

 

So any advice/tips/tricks to a beginner using this bait t-rigged would be helpful.

[MIbassyaker]

I haven't tried the crazy legs, but I use the regular chigger craws all the time on a basic texas rig. The claws flap nicely with a little bit of movement. To be honest, though, most craw baits I've tried are pretty effective on a texas rig; I have a few favorites, but I haven't really noticed consistent differences in production. I don't intentionally wait to set the hook, but I'm usually fishing from a sitting position low on the water, on a kayak, and to get a good hookset I usually take a split second to reel down and turn my body to a better angle.

[the reel ess]

I've used the Zoom Super Speed Craw. It produced so well I ran out of it and no one short of BPS and Cabela's has it so I settled for the Chigger Craw at Academy. I've only used it once with no success. But the timing was bad after a front. The Zoom craw produced so well I caught a PB on it. I've been using it a few years now. I see no reason the Powerbait won't work. It sure smells like fish food. I like black/blue flake, but I also bought a bag of watermelon candy to match the sunfish.

[WRB]

I had completely over looked the Berkley Chigger Craws favoring GYCB twin tail grubs until last spring.

Fishing with a friend that was using the Chigger craw and catching more bass got my attention, borrowed a few and that changed my thinking.

The first thing I noticed was how poorly the chigger craws were made compared to GYCB grubs or SK Rage craws, the chiggers were ugly but swam differently with a slower alternating leg kick like a person swimming with up and down alternating leg motion. The bass preferred the chiggers craws swimming action on that day and where I fish are still working good.

Tom

[the reel ess]

I caught a 6.3# on the Chigger Craw black/blue fleck last night. Obviously it's my new fav big craw soft plastic. I only bought it because, apparently, everywhere I buy tackle, including Amazon Prime, has decided not to sell the Zoom Super Speed Craw. I can tell you they'll hang onto the Chigger. I cast it into a blowdown and thought the bait was hung on a tree branch. I pulled, it pulled, I pulled back, it pulled back. Then it decided to swim away still holding the bait long enough for me to set the hook. I probably shouldn't have caught that fish but it held on.  I caught another 2.4# on it too. This at a time when I'm being told by my buddy, a good fisherman who has shown me a lot, they aren't biting at all. I'm seeing no schooling activity whatsoever.

[Ratherbfishing]

I have more "standard" and crazy leg chigger craws than any other bait in my arsenal.  Either dragged, hopped or swam, they are difficult to beat-especially when the bass don't want to hold on very long. 

[bassr95]

A Chigger Craw is my go to bait on a Texas rig. Deep, shallow, sunny, cloudy, middle of the night, they always seem to get bit. 

[LuckyGia]

Caught my PB last week on "Green pumpkin crazy legs" on a skirted jig.

I first started using it last winter while holding out in Florida.

Florida fishing is way different than NY fishing.

I just let it hit bottom and wait a bit, then slowly twitch.

I would guess that 25% -50% of the bite happens on the original fall.

[Nice_Bass]

Swimming a jumbo chigger craw is great.  Big bait that can be texas rigged on bottom and swam when needed to whithout changing setups. 

Berkley powerbait is hands down the best soft plastic line out there.

[the reel ess]

Swimming a jumbo chigger craw is great.  Big bait that can be texas rigged on bottom and swam when needed to whithout changing setups. 

Berkley powerbait is hands down the best soft plastic line out there.

I've been a Zoom disciple, but I'm coming around.

[the reel ess]

I got another 5.88 pounder on this bait Saturday. I discovered how easily Powerbaits get chewed up when fish are biting it well. If they don't completely tear the hook out of the nose of the bait, you can flip it over and rig upside-down. Like putting money in the bank.

[Ratherbfishing]

I got another 5.88 pounder on this bait Saturday. I discovered how easily Powerbaits get chewed up when fish are biting it well. If they don't completely tear the hook out of the nose of the bait, you can flip it over and rig upside-down. Like putting money in the bank.

 

If a claw or "flipper" breaks off (which they have a tendency to do), you can string a flipper from another worn out chigger craw onto the hook-(just prior to running the point through the bait the second (final) time).  It's not perfect but especially when the bite is fast and furious,  it'll save some $$$$.

[the reel ess]

If a craw or "flipper" breaks off (which they have a tendency to do), you can string a flipper from another worn out chigger craw onto the hook-(just prior to running the point through the bait the second (final) time).  It's not perfect but especially when the bite is fast and furious,  it'll save some $$$$.

I have read that they'll still bite it with one flipper. Maybe even better since it looks less defensive.

[WRB]

There isn't a crawdad on the planet that looks or swims like a Chigger Craw. The "claws" are more like a baitfish swimming or something the bass react to as a live critter to eat. When a crawdad is sitting still in defensive posture with claws raised, then the chigger craw can be considered a crawdad. Most, if not all, the strikes for me occur when the Chigger Craw is moving, not sitting still.

Tom

[Senko lover]

So this is the first full year I have been using predominately bait casters. For many years I was a jerk bait/crankbait fisherman and the past 5 years a soft plastic fisherman- fishing almost exclusively wacky rigged GYCB senkos. This year I decided not only to get good at bait casters but also to catch fish on all different kinds of lures. I have a soft plastic collection that rivals the local Dicks Sporting Goods but was busy learning other techniques. 3 weeks ago I concentrated on Jigs and weighted t-rigged baits.

 

On the Texas rig i would use the GYCB  (light weight and gammagstu ewg 4/0 hook) flapping hawg and did pretty good but soon used up the 3 packs or so that I had of that bait. I then switched to the Powerbait Crazy Legs Chigger Craw and the bite exploded. This bait is amazing in my small lake consistently producing numbers and quality alike.

 

As I am new to using craw style baits, I would ask for anyone with experience with this bait or with texas rigged baits in general for beginner tips. For example, I found that if I waited a second to set the hook I had better hook up ratios, similar to a frog bite. Perhaps that is why I got more fish and better percentage of hookups with the powerboat than the GYCB, as Powerboat claims fish hold on 18x longer than regular baits. 

 

I have lived and died with the GYCB senko for years, but my seance rod has seen little action over the past month. What really gets me about this bait is that it produces so much better than similar baits in the same size, same color, etc. I prefer GYCB but I could get bit on other competitors stick baits almost as good. Here there is such a noticeable difference between the Powerbait Crazy Legs Chigger craw and other lures. 

 

So any advice/tips/tricks to a beginner using this bait t-rigged would be helpful.

 

I'm just curious man, what company sells a séance rod? Is that a way to talk to all the giant bass that shook your hook? JK, I hate autocorrect too, although I can't live without it.

[Big Bait Fishing]

I've used the Zoom Super Speed Craw. It produced so well I ran out of it and no one short of BPS and Cabela's has it so I settled for the Chigger Craw at Academy. I've only used it once with no success. But the timing was bad after a front. The Zoom craw produced so well I caught a PB on it. I've been using it a few years now. I see no reason the Powerbait won't work. It sure smells like fish food. I like black/blue flake, but I also bought a bag of watermelon candy to match the sunfish.

TW has a bunch(Zoom Super Speed Craw) , some of the colors are sold out but a lot are in stock

[MIbassyaker]

Consider my arm twisted. Next TW sale I see, I'm picking up some Crazy Legs Chiggers and the Zoom Super speed craws. I haven't used either of those, although I do use -- and like a lot--  the normal chigger craws and the Zoom ultra vibes.

[the reel ess]

Consider my arm twisted. Next TW sale I see, I'm picking up some Crazy Legs Chiggers and the Zoom Super speed craws. I haven't used either of those, although I do use -- and like a lot--  the normal chigger craws and the Zoom ultra vibes.

After using the Chigger Craw a few more times, I prefer it. I've caught several nice bass on them. They smell like a seafood restaurant's dumpster. Fish won't drop them even if they feel pressure from you.

[MIbassyaker]

They smell like a seafood restaurant's dumpster. Fish won't drop them even if they feel pressure from you.

 

Love that PowerBait. The reason I picked up some chigger craws initially was because I like the Power Worms so much. I am never going to get tired of those worms in 4", 7" and 10".

[ww2farmer]

The chigger craw has always flown under my own personal radar, despite them being around for a good while now..................until this year. I was always a Paca Craw fan, but got tired of having to order them on-line because local availability sucked, this spring I decided to find a "replacement" for them that was cost effective, and available locally. At first I tired the Yum Christie Craw...........I like it, I like it a lot. It meets both of my sticking points ($2.99/pack, and the Walmart 5 mins away has them), and I also grabbed a few packs of Chigger Craws, and Crazy legs Chigger Craws from the same Walmart . I like the chigger craws a lot too. So...I basically replaced 1 craw ..............the Paca.............with 3.................that makes  perfect sense LOL.  

[FryDog62]

I fish for smallies a lot - the 2 crawfish plastics I use are 1) Baby Rage and 2) Crazy Legs.  I use the Crazy Legs when in clear water and a slow retrieve, or especially when you stop and just let it sit.  The big flaps move when you swim it, but when sitting still, the little crazy legs do "undulate" in the water and coax strikes.  

[bowhunter63]

I have been a Rage craw fan for along time.Gonna try a chigger craw and see what happens.

[the reel ess]

Consider my arm twisted. Next TW sale I see, I'm picking up some Crazy Legs Chiggers and the Zoom Super speed craws. I haven't used either of those, although I do use -- and like a lot--  the normal chigger craws and the Zoom ultra vibes.

How do you rig the Ultra Vibe size? I find them about too small for T-rigs. I ordered some thinking they were the 4". I have 2 bags I'm not using.

[MIbassyaker]

How do you rig the Ultra Vibe size? I find them about too small for T-rigs. I ordered some thinking they were the 4". I have 2 bags I'm not using.

2/0 or 3/0 ewg. Weightless for buzzing on top, bullet weight for hopping or dragging on bottom. I also put them sometimes on a 1/8 or 1/16 owner ultrahead finesse ball head 2/0 hook.

[The Fisher]

Green Pumpkin or black blue fleck 3" chigger craws are my go to jig trailers. I don't swim jigs but they get bit on flipping jigs.