October 15, 2013
By Ned Kehde
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Since 1977, when Dion Hibdon was a young schoolboy in Versailles, Missouri, and he created the first soft-plastic crayfish for a science project, bass anglers have been fascinated with various renditions of these creatures.
The Hibdon family called Dion's creation the Guido Bug, and his father, Guido Hibdon, used it to catch untold numbers of largemouth bass and win scores of bass tournaments. And for a number of years, it was a much sought after bait across the Heartland.
Nowadays, there is a multitude of soft-plastic crayfish for bass anglers to wield. In fact, Strike King Lure Company has seven: Rage Craw, Baby Craw, Rage Lobster, Bitsy Bug Crawfish, Denny Brauer Chunk, KVD Chunk, and at the International Convention of Allied Sportfishing Trades show in July at Las Vegas, Strike King unveiled a new one that they call Rage DB Craw.
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It is four-inch crayfish with a tail that is divided into four segments and a nose that is embellished with two tiny antennas. Each of its claws is rimmed with a flange, which creates subtle and bewitching gyrations.
According the professional anglers who work with the lure designers at Strike King, it was developed to fill the gap between the Rage Craw and the KVD Chunk or Denny Brauer Chunk. The Rage Craw brandishes a lot of radical gyrations and works well in warm-water scenarios, while the KVD and Denny Brauer Chunks exhibit delicate and faint movements and are ideal for cold-water endeavors. Thus, the Rage DB Craw shimmies rather than wobbles, which is ideal for cool-water situations or when a touch of finesse is necessary.
The folks at Strike King say that it can be used on a Carolina rig, a slip-sinker rig, a split-shot rig, a weightless hook, and skirted jig. It is said to be an ideal bait for flipping and pitching into thick, matted and entangled lairs.
What's more, one Midwest finesse angler on the Finesse News Network thought that it would also work on a Gopher Tackle's 3/32-ounce Mushroom Head Jig --especially if it was shortened a tad. (To see how Midwest anglers would rig the Rage DB Craw, see the three photographs at the end of this blog.)
It is available in five colors, which can be seen in the top of this blog.
A package of seven can be purchased for $4.99 at some retailers.
