Ethan Clarke
Rigging a crawfish soft plastic lure is a popular topic among anglers, especially those targeting bass. There are several ways to rig a crawfish soft plastic, including the Texas rig, the Carolina rig, the drop shot, the shaky head, and the swim rig. The Texas rig is a popular choice for anglers fishing in areas with grass, wood, docks, and rocks, as it allows for fishing through and around cover. Anglers often use a shaky head jig with a craw-style soft plastic to mimic the action of crawfish nestling themselves between rocks and hardbottom areas. The Zoom Speed Craw on a shaky head is a popular setup, with some anglers pinching off half of one of the pincers when targeting bigger fish. The Ball N Chains rig is another popular choice for anglers, with many reporting success in catching bass.
Characteristics and Values
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Rigging style | Texas-style, T-rigged, C-rigged, Carolina-rigged, Shakey head, Drop shot, Ball N Chains, Wacky-rigged |
| Bait type | Spider grubs, worms, craw worms, crawdads, lobsters, jig trailers, jig heads, soft plastic |
| Bait brand | Savage Gear, TRD Crawz, Yamamoto, Wave, Berkley Power Worm, Net Bait, Strike King Rage Craw, Raggin Cajun Craw, Xcite Baits, Zoom Speed Craw, Ultravibe Speed Craw, BioSpawn VileCraw |
| Bait size | 2.5", 4.5", 2-5" |
| Bait weight | 1/4oz, 3/8oz, 1/8-3/4oz, 3/16oz, 1/8oz, 3/8-1/2oz |
| Fishing style | Slow irregular retrieve, drag, drag hop, swimming, occasional small hop, erratic jerkbait motion, fast, vertical or horizontal |
| Terrain | Scattered weeds and rocks, shallow flats, heavy cover, grass beds, hydrilla, deep water, pea gravel banks, clay banks, vertical bluffs, steep drops, open flats |
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What You'll Learn
Texas-style rigging
To start, choose a wide-gap hook (usually 3/0 to 5/0, depending on the size of your crawfish bait) and a bullet weight that matches the size of your crawfish. The weight should be as light as possible while still allowing your lure to sink, as most bites come when the lure hits the bottom or during the fall.
Next, insert the hook into the nose of the crawfish, push it through the body, and exit the hook about a quarter of an inch down. Slide the bait up the hook's shank, twist it around, and then bury the hook point back into the bait. This will help keep the hook weedless, allowing you to work through weeds and structure without snagging.
Finally, add the bullet weight to your line above the hook. The weight should be able to slide freely, allowing the crawfish to sink naturally into the cover. You can also use a pegged weight, where the bullet weight is fixed in place with a toothpick or rubber stopper, which can make it easier to punch through thick vegetation.
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T-rigging
To Texas-rig a soft plastic crawfish, start by threading the hook into the nose of the crawfish. Slide the hook down the shank until the soft plastic is snug against the jig head, ensuring the bait is centred so it swims naturally. You can then choose to either swim the jig slowly along the bottom or bounce it off rocks and logs to imitate a crawfish darting in and out of hiding. This technique is perfect for fishing on rocky bottoms, drop-offs, or ledges, and is especially effective when bass are feeding on crayfish or other bottom-dwelling prey.
Texas-rigging is also a good option when fishing in heavier cover, as it can help to provoke a reaction strike when other presentations aren't working. Additionally, when fishing in deeper water or trying to cover more ground, you can use a Carolina rig, which is a variation of the Texas rig. This involves setting up a leader by sliding a bullet or egg sinker onto your mainline, followed by a plastic bead to prevent the sinker from damaging the knot. Tie a swivel to the end of the line and attach a 1-2 foot leader of the lighter line, which will allow the soft plastic crawfish to float just off the bottom.
When using a Texas-rig, it is important to consider the colour and detail of your soft plastic crawfish. You can be as specific as you like, even using ink pens to add detail. Dying the tips of the claws in bright colours such as chartreuse, orange, or red can be effective, or you can stick to more natural colours such as black-and-blue or green pumpkin.
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Wacky rigging
To wacky rig a soft plastic crawfish, start by taking a thin wire hook and piercing it through the middle of the crawfish, so both ends dangle free. This simple hook placement is unlike Texas or Carolina rigs, where the hook is threaded through the bait.
When rigging weightless, the crawfish can be fished in shallow water, creating a slow fall. This method works well in clearer waters where bass can see the subtle, lifelike movement of the bait. Adding a small weight to the hook allows for deeper presentations, and the weight can be chosen to match the size of the crawfish.
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Jig trailers
There are two main ways to rig the craw on the jighead. The first is weedless, like a Texas rig, with the hook point buried in the craw's body, allowing you to work through weeds without snagging. This method is perfect for fishing in dense cover, like grass, wood, docks, and rocks, where bass often hide. Start with a wide-gap hook, usually 3/0 to 5/0, depending on the size of your crawfish bait. Then, add a bullet weight to your line, allowing the crawfish to sink naturally. Thread the hook by inserting it into the nose of the crawfish, pushing it through the body, and exiting about a quarter-inch down. Slide the bait up the hook, twist, and then bury the hook back into the bait.
The second way to rig the craw on the jighead is with an open hook if you are not fishing around snaggy cover. This method is straightforward but highly effective. Choose a jig head size that matches your soft plastic crawfish—a lighter jig head for shallow water, and a heavier one for deeper depths. Thread the crawfish by inserting the hook into its nose and sliding it down the hook's shank until it is snug against the jig head.
When fishing with a jig trailer, you can either swim the jig slowly along the bottom or bounce it off rocks and logs to imitate a crawfish darting in and out of hiding. This technique is perfect for rocky bottoms, drop-offs, or ledges, and is highly effective when bass are feeding on crayfish or other bottom-dwelling prey. Additionally, when fishing around rocks, you can jig the lure off the bottom and let it fall back down, mimicking the defensive posture of a crawfish and enticing bass to bite.
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Spider grubs
When bass fishing with a spider grub, it can be effective to toss out the bait and slowly roll it back like a mini-swimbait to imitate a baitfish, or it can be hopped along the bottom with pauses to imitate a crawfish. Spider grubs can be fished slowly or quickly, and are suitable for both clear and muddy water. They can be used with a variety of rigs, including Texas, Carolina, and drop shot, and are effective when paired with a jig head.
When choosing a colour for your spider grub, consider the forage you are attempting to imitate and the water colour, which is affected by the cloudiness of the sky. Natural colours that blend with the surroundings, such as greens, browns, whites, smokes, and blacks, can be effective, especially when fishing in clear water. However, when fishing in muddy or stained water, a grub with a bit of sparkle can help to attract bass.
When fishing in open water, crank the spider grub crankbait style past obvious ambush points such as large rocks. Don't let the bait sink at first, but as you continue, work it progressively deeper until you are hoping it along the bottom crawfish-style. This technique is particularly effective when fishing for bass that are feeding on crawfish around scattered weeds and rocks.
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Frequently asked questions
There are several ways to rig a crawfish soft plastic, including the Texas rig, the Carolina rig, the drop shot, the shakey head, and the swim.
The Texas rig is a popular way to rig a crawfish soft plastic, allowing you to fish through and around cover like grass, wood, docks, and rocks. Use the lightest bullet weight possible to let the craw bait fall slowly to the bottom while its legs slowly dangle.
The shakey head rig is a good option for night-time fishing. Pair it with a craw soft plastic bait and catch a lot of fish.
You can fish with a plastic crawfish in a variety of terrains, including heavy cover, weeds, docks, pea gravel banks, clay banks, and vertical bluffs.
Some popular brands of crawfish soft plastics include Xcite Baits "Raptor Tail Craw", Berkley Power Worm Craws, Net Bait Craws, and Strike King Rage Craws.
