Barracuda Baits Tournament Series 3.5" inch Bomber Grub Soft Plastic Bait
Barracuda Baits
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Barracuda Baits
Barracuda Baits Tournament Series 3.5" inch Bomber Grub Soft Plastic Bait
How, where, and why it excels
Arky / Flipping Jig (3/8–3/4 oz)
When & where: Heavy cover, stained/dirty water, current.
How: Short, accurate pitches; pendulum fall; shake to flare the claws.
Why this trailer: Bigger body + aggressive flap = displacement to pull fish from cover.
Color picks: Stain/current → Black Sapphire, Junebug. Mixed cover → GP Black, GP Purple.
Football Jig (3/8–3/4 oz)
When & where: Rock points, breaks, hard transitions.
How: Slow drag with 6–12" pulls; pause on rock tops and drops.
Why this trailer: Wide claws thump on the pull and “hover” on the settle for reaction bites.
Color picks: Sun/rock → Green Pumpkin Gold. Clear rock → Smoked Watermelon, Watermelon Red.
Swim Jig Trailer (1/4–3/8 oz) — situational
When & where: Sparse grass, docks, stained flats.
How: Steady retrieve with occasional handle pops; kill for 1 sec after a bump.
Why this trailer: Adds bulk/visibility without needing a paddletail; shows a larger “bluegill/craw” silhouette in stain.
Color picks: Grass lanes → GP Black, GP Purple. Wind/stain → Watermelon Red, White/Chart accents (on skirt).
Spinnerbait Trailer (3/8–1/2 oz)
When & where: Windy banks, grass edges, and shad/bream lanes.
How: Slow‑roll to medium over cover; brief quarter‑turn pops after ticking grass/wood; trim 1/4" off the nose if the frame feels mushy.
Why: Adds body and lift, stabilizes the frame, and complements blade vibration without a wide wobble.
Color picks: Flash/shad → Silver Bullet, Disco Gator. Natural/clear → Baby Bass, Smoked Watermelon. Stain/low light → Black Sapphire, Black w/ Red Flake. Sunny rock/grass → Green Pumpkin w/ Gold Flake, Bluegill.
Texas Rig (1/8–1/4 oz • pegged)
When & where: Laydowns, edges of vegetation, docks.
How: Short pitches; semi‑slack fall; shake in place; slide through lanes.
Why this rig: When big creatures get ignored, the Critter Craw keeps action but stays compact.
Color picks: Clear → Baby Bass, Smoked Watermelon. Muddy/night → Black w/ Red Flake, Black Sapphire.
Carolina (finesse 1/4–3/8 oz)
When & where: Gravel bars, points, and flats with scattered rock.
How: 18–24" leader; slow pull‑pause; keep contact but feed slack to let the bait “float” behind.
Why: Natural craw look for smallmouth/walleye when a full‑size creature is too much.
Ned / Compact Jig (trim 1/2–3/4") — situational
When & where: Ultra‑clear or pressured fish on rock/gravel.
How: Trim head flat; 1/16–1/8 oz head; drag‑shake with long pauses so the claws hover.
Why: Gives a unique two‑claw quiver when they’ve seen standard Ned shapes.
Bladed Jig Trailer (3/8–1/2 oz) — situational
When & where: Stain/wind over grass or rock transitions.
How: Slow‑roll to medium; quarter‑turn pops to re‑engage the blade after contact.
Why: Bulks the profile without killing vibration; if thump dulls, shorten 1/4–1/2".
Trim & Mods (quick hits)
- Rib trim: Remove 1–2 ribs for faster fall through cover; leave full for more hang time.
- Claw taper: Slight taper tightens the kick in colder water.
- Scent/lock: Add gel scent if desired; tiny dot of super glue at keeper to extend life.
Dial it in
- Clear (6–10+ ft): Baby Bass; Smoked Watermelon; Watermelon Red (sunny).
- Stained (2–6 ft): GP Black; GP Purple; Green Pumpkin Gold (sun/rock).
- Dirty (<2 ft) / Night: Black Sapphire; Black w/ Red Flake.
- Wind/grass lanes: Watermelon Red; GP Black; add skirt contrast (touch of chartreuse on skirt, not trailer).
- Seasonal cues: Pre‑spawn = darker/high contrast around wood & staging rock; Summer = drag on offshore rock/edges; Fall = speed up on flats; Winter = slow pulls and long pauses.
Stocked Colors (initial set)
- Baby Bass: clear water / mixed forage; subtle green back over pearl belly.
- Black Sapphire: deep stain & wind; strong silhouette.
- Black w Red Flake: muddy water or night; silhouette with spark.
- Bluegill: bream forage; pairs well as a swim jig trailer.
- Disco Gator: high‑flash pick for wind lanes and bait pushes.
- Green Pumpkin Black: natural all‑around for mixed clarity.
- Green Pumpkin w Gold Flake: sunny rock/grass; subtle gold flash.
- June Bug: dark vegetation / low light confidence color.
- Silver Bullet: bright sun, shad scenarios, and underspin work.
- Smoked Violet: clear water finesse with a hint of color.
- Watermelon Red Flake: sunny grass flats and lanes.
Specs & Build
- Length: 3.4" (86.4 mm)
- Profile: Flat beaver/paddle‑tail body with ribbed core; fish as a single pad tail or split into twin flaps for extra kick; neutral roll with moderate lift.
- Material: Plastisol soft plastic
- Species: Bass (LM/SM/Spots), Walleye, Trout (rivers)
- Best Pairings: Arky/Flipping (3/8–3/4), Football (3/8–3/4), Swim Jig (1/4–3/8, situational), Texas (1/8–1/4), Ned/Compact Jig (trim 1/2–3/4; 1/16–1/8), Carolina (finesse 1/4–3/8), Bladed Jig (situational)
- Availability: Ships in 1–3 days from San Antonio, TX. Some orders may ship from Cedar Falls, IA.
Care & Storage
Store flat in the original bag. Separate darks/lights to avoid dye bleed. Bagged (no clamshell). Compatible with gel scents.
Plastics Recycling
Don't toss torn baits, recycle or dispose of properly. Learn more here: Soft Plastics Recycling.
Proof & Community
On‑the‑Water Notes
- Rock transitions: Football long pulls + pauses; most strikes on the settle.
- Heavy cover: Flip/pitch short and controlled; shake to flare claws in place.
- Pressured fish: Compact jig + subtle lifts; trim one rib for a quicker fall through cover.
Species Notes
- Bass: All jig roles + Texas/Ned (trim). Natural/translucent in clear; black/blue & junebug for stain/wind.
- Walleye: Football or finesse C‑rig on rock bars; slow pulls and stalls; add a stinger if short‑biting.
- Trout (rivers): Ned/ball‑head on seams and tailouts; long pauses to let the claws hover in current.
Related Products
- So Good 3.25" Lil Craw (hand‑poured) — premium finesse craw with garlic scent; great behind compact jigs.
- Barracuda 2.25" Finesse Craw — downsized option for ultra‑clear water and post‑front days.
- Barracuda 2.75" Bat Craw — compact wide‑claw craw when you want more thump in a smaller body.
- Jiggin’ Johnson’s 1" Craw Babies — micro craws for panfish/trout or ultra‑tough bass bites.
- Barracuda 3.5" Crawdad — larger profile with stronger kick for stain and current.
- Doug’s 3.75" Rampage Craw — big‑presence trailer when you want to call them out of heavy cover.
Q&A
Q: Why pick the Critter Craw over the Bat Craw or Crawdad?
A: Critter Craw balances compact body with aggressive claw face—more presence than a finesse craw, less bulk than full‑size creatures. It crosses from football/flip to Texas/Ned trims without losing action.
