Realistic soft Craw baits?

[evilcatfish]

Hey guys, I'm looking to find some realistic soft plastic craw baits.  I've been a big fan of Huddlebugs for some time now but after my current supply runs out don't plan on purchasing anymore.  If anybody has any suggestions in regards to ultra realistic craws I'd appreciate it. I'm familiar with most of the mainstream stuff found on BPS and whatnot, but am hoping ya'll might know of some lesser known options.  Thanks for any and all help!

[Cgolf]

Personally the best I have found is the Yum Crawbug. Not only are they cheap, but have two decent sizes along with good colors and well over the last six years have accounted for half of my river smallmouth catch. For me personally no reason to try anything else anymore. 

[iabass8]

Yum Crawbug

Kinami Psycho Dad

Big Bite baits craw worm

[eyedabassman]

Try the Netbait Paca Craw,Baby paca craw and the new Slim paca craw. They down wright put a hurt'in on the Bass. The new slim Paca is going to be a killer this year!

[Heron]

I would also add, the Venom imitation craw.

 

[bowhunter63]

Rage and Baby Rage are really great craws.

[IndianaFinesse]

         The most realistic plastic craws are probably the yum crawbug, savage gear crawfish, and the z-man crawfish.  Even though they are the most realistic, they aren't my favorite except when bed fishing when a realistic presentation is vital.  The rage crawfish, the paca craw, and the chigger craw are usually my go-to crawfish imitating baits.

[WRB]

The Savage Gear craw in Glenn's give away contest looks good.

Chigger craws are arguably the ugliest craw on the market and a excellent bass catching soft plastic. 

Tom

 

 

[Catt]

None listed are anywhere close to realistic & even more so when compared to a Huddlebug!

Now that aint saying they will not catch, they just don't look like a crawfish.

Huddlebug below!

[primetime]

Yum Crawbug....Savage Floating Craws on a stand up head look as real as they come...Big but real looking..The crawbug from yum for the price is as good as they get imo, also Lindy makes a small craw that looks really good....Super Realistic and great trailers for the bitsy bug flip jigs strike King makes or on a split shot rig...Lindy craws...Forget the exact name, but Yum is way to go with price...Good colors, Savage is super realistic but expensive, for a craw, if a bass is looking that long, it probably is over anyway...That is why 1.5 ounce flipping weights in clear water are so popular...Don't want fish to get a good look...in water without sunlight, which is most water we fish, they can't tell a yum from a Huddle bug from a Craw tube...

[Slade House]

d**n , there is the best realistic craw looking bait period, but they are always sold out or dont have enough supply so for once i can't disclose

 

[Catt]

37 minutes ago, primetime said:

Yum Crawbug....Savage Floating Craws on a stand up head look as real as they come...Big but real looking..The crawbug from yum for the price is as good as they get imo, also Lindy makes a small craw that looks really good....Super Realistic and great trailers for the bitsy bug flip jigs strike King makes or on a split shot rig...Lindy craws...Forget the exact name, but Yum is way to go with price...Good colors, Savage is super realistic but expensive, for a craw, if a bass is looking that long, it probably is over anyway...That is why 1.5 ounce flipping weights in clear water are so popular...Don't want fish to get a good look...in water without sunlight, which is most water we fish, they can't tell a yum from a Huddle bug from a Craw tube...

The Yum Crawbug is a copy of the Mad Man Crawfish

[eyedabassman]

36 minutes ago, Catt said:

 

The Man Man was the first real looking craw that came out! What a great bait company and I miss them great people! O by the way I am selling some of the Mad Man Craw Worms and the Craw tubes on the sell trade fourm.

[blckshirt98]

I've never fished them but I've always thought the River2Sea Standing Yabbies looked pretty realistic.

[Bluebasser86]

3 hours ago, Catt said:

None listed are anywhere close to realistic & even more so when compared to a Huddlebug!

Now that aint saying they will not catch, they just don't look like a crawfish.

Huddlebug below!

But the OP said he doesn't want to buy the Huddlebugs anymore...

 

Savage Gear 3D craws have a very profile, but none of the colors match the craws around here very well. Not that it's a huge issue because they still catch fish, but when I'm trying to get a bait that looks really natural I'd like it to match all the way down to the color. 

[Catt]

2 hours ago, Bluebasser86 said:

But the OP said he doesn't want to buy the Huddlebugs anymore...

I simply said some like Rage, Paca, Chigger, Zoom & others don't fit the bill of being realistic.

When it comes to crawfish lures realistic looking most often doesn't matter to the bass.

My most productive is Gene Larew which is just a big o chunk of plastic!

[WRB]

When Mad Man craws hit the local market they were a hot item, good colors and very realistic. I bought them and spent way too much time fishing them unsuccessfully trying a verity of jigs and keel weighted hook rigs. Yes I caught some bass on these realistic craws but a jig & pig out fished the soft plastic 10 to 1. Still have a collection of Mad Mans stored away.

Tom

 

[ww2farmer]

FWIW............you guys can keep all your "realistic" looking plastic craws. Even in gin clear water, I find that things that look nothing like a "real" craw out fish those pretty fisherman catching craw baits by a wide margin.

[Munkin]

I have a whole plano 3700 box full of them that I will sell for $5 plus shipping. They are Madman Storm and Yum baits from what I can remember?

 

Allen

[Spankey]

Guido Bug style craws are my favorite. To me, some of the more realistic do perform as well. This is just my situation, only speaking for myself. They do manufacture some great imitations.   

[primetime]

12 hours ago, eyedabassman said:

The Man Man was the first real looking craw that came out! What a great bait company and I miss them great people! O by the way I am selling some of the Mad Man Craw Worms and the Craw tubes on the sell trade fourm.

I didn't know that, That is a great looking bait...Thanks for posting that picture...I wonder what happened to the bait company, I guess they probably were swallowed up by larger companies but it is no doubt a Craw Bug and I love that color you posted. I feel bad for small companies who design a bait and then have it copied, but it seems as if that is the norm these days. 

I would buy some but I have way too many plastics as it is, but anyone looking for a good craw bait I would by those for sure, That style craw is my favorite clear water split shot craw bait to use, but it is deadly no matter how you fish them....Bass Seem to love them if you let them soak, the hollow inside cavity allows you to insert a rattle or scent, extra weight, but it also provides buoyancy so they are great baits..

Thanks again for the info....Did not know that....

8 hours ago, Catt said:

I simply said some like Rage, Paca, Chigger, Zoom & others don't fit the bill of being realistic.

When it comes to crawfish lures realistic looking most often doesn't matter to the bass.

My most productive is Gene Larew which is just a big o chunk of plastic!

I would agree that "realistic" is tough to define in terms of fishing...Is it shape, color, action, speed....I find almost any craw soft bait will work, the one's you mention are all really good, I tend to use the Chigger Craw as I have always loved Power bait but the Larew Craw worms slip through cover really well, and the Paca craws have great legs for action...So many on the market that  are great, black and blue Zoom Critter craw in both sizes is a great trailer and stand along bait especially when you want muted action..

I still have a bunch of the old salt craws that I have not used in a while, I picked up some flat bottom flipping craws when I had a BPS gift card that I really like, but the salt craw is nice because it is thin....Good call.

[1234567]

This the same Evilcatfish from SU??  If it is pm me

[eyedabassman]

1 hour ago, primetime said:

I didn't know that, That is a great looking bait...Thanks for posting that picture...I wonder what happened to the bait company, I guess they probably were swallowed up by larger companies but it is no doubt a Craw Bug and I love that color you posted. I feel bad for small companies who design a bait and then have it copied, but it seems as if that is the norm these days. 

I would buy some but I have way too many plastics as it is, but anyone looking for a good craw bait I would by those for sure, That style craw is my favorite clear water split shot craw bait to use, but it is deadly no matter how you fish them....Bass Seem to love them if you let them soak, the hollow inside cavity allows you to insert a rattle or scent, extra weight, but it also provides buoyancy so they are great baits..

Thanks again for the info....Did not know that....

I would agree that "realistic" is tough to define in terms of fishing...Is it shape, color, action, speed....I find almost any craw soft bait will work, the one's you mention are all really good, I tend to use the Chigger Craw as I have always loved Power bait but the Larew Craw worms slip through cover really well, and the Paca craws have great legs for action...So many on the market that  are great, black and blue Zoom Critter craw in both sizes is a great trailer and stand along bait especially when you want muted action..

I still have a bunch of the old salt craws that I have not used in a while, I picked up some flat bottom flipping craws when I had a BPS gift card that I really like, but the salt craw is nice because it is thin....Good call.

Mad Man closed there doors because other bait company's did knock off's of there Craw Tube's and could not compete in there price range>And someone was stealing money from within the company! I was a rep for them from day one to the end and like I said they were GREAT people to work for and they took very good care of they rep's.If they were still out there today I would still be with them for sure!!!!!!!

[Munkin]

1 hour ago, eyedabassman said:

Mad Man closed there doors because other bait company's did knock off's of there Craw Tube's and could not compete in there price range>And someone was stealing money from within the company! I was a rep for them from day one to the end and like I said they were GREAT people to work for and they took very good care of they rep's.If they were still out there today I would still be with them for sure!!!!!!!

I am looking for Mad Man baits in a color called "Volcano", do you have any or know where I can get some?

Allen

[eyedabassman]

18 minutes ago, Munkin said:

I am looking for Mad Man baits in a color called "Volcano", do you have any or know where I can get some?

Allen

No I don't have that one. And not sure where to get them.I could call the former owner and see? I do have Mad man Craw tubes in goby,they look cool!