An old lure I had given up on is finally producing

[Cgolf]

Back in my days on riversmallies a gentleman that fished Wisconsin and Illinois rivers regularly, Bill Schultz? @Munkin may remember him, fished the Rebel Teeny Wee craw a lot and had great success with it. I tried it many times back then and never even caught a fish on it. Well 10+ years later I have pulled it out of retirement and had very good success with it. Only thing I can figure is this year there is less current than previous years so maybe the bait doesn't do well in heavy current. Whatever it is I will take it, it made a slow period on the river active again, doesn't get much better than that.

[TnRiver46]

Those things are fish catching machines, very sticky hooks 

[Spankey]

Don’t hesitate to throw the Deep Wee Craw or the Big Craw. Let them bang the bottom. They are not too big or run too deep for skinny water. 
 

That whole series of different craw has been a river favorite for 40 years 

 

I bought a few spares a month or so ago, color selection is not that great these days. BUT good producing colors are still out there. 

[Cgolf]

10 minutes ago, TnRiver46 said:

Those things are fish catching machines, very sticky hooks 

 

It's like the Ned rig of crankbaits the thing is so small. Even with the bill it is under 2" long.

[Mobasser]

I've used them a good amount, and it's probably my wife's favourite lure. She calls it the " catch all". Fun to fish, and catches everything

[Tennessee Boy]

When I was wading creeks as a young man the Rebel Teeny Wee Craw and Original Rapala Floater was all I threw.  It's definitely a great bait for numbers of smallmouth.   I don't throw them as much now because I fish more for size.  It may sound strange but this lure has always been a sentimental favorite.  When I got my current boat a few years back I tied on a Wee Craw and it was the only thing I threw until I caught a fish.  I wanted the first fish in my new boat to be caught on a Rebel Craw.  It didn't take long to catch that first fish,  a three inch long Green Sunfish.  

[desmobob]

I thought smallmouth fishermen still threw all three sizes of Rebel craws and the deep version too!

 

I have some in my box that are probably older than a lot of guys on the forum, and some brand new.   Just a great lure...

 

[Spankey]

1 hour ago, desmobob said:

I thought smallmouth fishermen still threw all three sizes of Rebel craws and the deep version too!

 

I have some in my box that are probably older than a lot of guys on the forum, and some brand new.   Just a great lure...

 

I still throw them. Not all day long or every time out but I’ve never put those away for good. River Smallie fishing they are just one of the must haves that produce. Maybe 40 years of fishing it.  

[Smells like fish]

Great lure. Every lure catches at some point.

[Spankey]

I’m not short on colors of them. Have a good selection in the various sizes. And I’m not sure if color really means anything anyway. But I could give myself a good butt kicking for never picking up what Rebel calls Softshell Craw. Pretty accurate to color of them in smaller trout streams I fish here. Light grey with a slighter darker bottom. These may just be younger craws. IDK. In bigger rivers the darker greens and darker back version all seem to produce. I don’t throw the smaller UL version anymore. I spent my whole life fishing smaller baits because that’s what I thought I had to do. I throw the bigger versions today, a 3/8 oz. or 7/16 oz. will catch an 8 incher or 20 incher just as well. 

[GetFishorDieTryin]

That was the first CB I did really well on as a kid.

[Wprich]

2 hours ago, GetFishorDieTryin said:

That was the first CB I did really well on as a kid.

That one and the crick hopper are what got me started

[Bluebasser86]

I like the ultralight version they have with the single, barbless hook. 

[the reel ess]

I caught a bunch of largemouth and a striper the first time I threw that bait. The bluegill and redbreast in the river will attack them too.

[Jaderose]

Any you guys ever throw a Yozuri Snap Bean?  I used to love throwing those and caught some decent bass along with panfish on them.