Guide To Rig Soft Plastic Craws More Effectively

One of the most effective bass fishing lures is the soft plastic craw. Anglers swear by them, and bass love them. Crawfish are a food source found in many of the freshwater lakes in the united states. Live craws are a great nutritious snack and bass of all species love them. It is because of this fishing lure companies have invested time and money to make the perfect artificial craw. We previously wrote a blog on 9 Best Soft Plastic Craws All Anglers Need In Their Tackle Box, so we wanted to follow it up on the best ways to rig these craws. As a bass angler, there is no wrong way to rig a soft plastic craw. These are a few of our favorite ways to rig a plastic craw, so you can fish them successfully and catch more fish.

Finding The Best Way To Rig Craws (Photo Credit: Lousiana Fishing Blog)

3 Ways to Rig your plastic craws

Soft Plastic Craw Rig #1: Punch Rig

When you are fishing around heavy vegetation it is in your best interest to you use a punch rig. A punch rig involves the use of a tungsten weight heavy enough to "punch" through the thick vegetation. Several things needed to be successful when using a punch rig are:

• Tungsten Bullet Weight
• Sinker Stopper
• Soft Plastic Craw or Creature Bait
• Punch Skirt
• Straight Shank Hook

Punch Rig: Perfect For Craws (Photo Credit: Pinterest)

When using this punch rig while bass fishing there is a technique that all anglers must remember. When trying to achieve the right action, after pitching the lure lightly apply pressure to spool to stop forward momentum and allowing the tungsten weight to drop first into the water. Once you have successfully got your bait through the vegetation you want to keep it tight to the surface vegetation mat to intimidate a crawfish feeding. Slowly allow for the jig to sink to the bottom, then repeat as needed until the bass bite. 

Soft Plastic Craw Rig #2: Carolina Rig

Carolina Rig For Craws (Photo Credit: CrawsForDays)

 The Carolina rig is a presentation that will drive that bass crazy. It is perfect when fishing for bass along the bottom in a slow manner. It will allow for your plastic craw to present more natural movement that will lead to more bass hookups. Most anglers always think that Carolina rigs are the perfect way for fishing your worms or lizards. The reality is you need to be fishing your craws this way too. It will present the craw in a different light, one that bass will love. 

Soft Plastic Craw Rig #3: Shaky Head Rig

Shaky Rig For Craws (Photo Credit: Scout.com)

There is a distinct look that a crawfish presents when around rocks. They will swim off the bottom in a fast manner then glide back down. It is this movement that made the shaky head rig such a deadly weapon when fishing for largemouth bass. The shakey head jig is a one of a kind design that is weighted down. When jigged properly it creates the same motion that natural crawfish make. When fishing around rocks, bass anglers want to jig it off the bottom and allow for it to fall back down. One reason this is more effective than a finesse worm is that of the position it places the craw in. It makes the craw look as if it is in a defensive position. It is this alert position that drives bass crazy and will get you more hits with the shaky head rig. 

No matter what craw rig you chose there will be one that will allow for you to catch more bass. Anglers always swear by these rigs and love fishing with plastic craws. We hope you will check out a few of these amazing crawfish rigs. If you have any questions please email us at info@hfdepot.com or feel free to leave a comment below. Maybe you are rigging your craws differently, we would love to hear what has been successful for you. Submit your bass photos that you have caught on craws to be featured on our social media pages. Your going to fish with plastic craws, you might as well be doing it right!