Since it was announced at ICAST, Iâve been hearing a lot about this new Punch Out Craw from Gene Larew. Several of my fishing buddies have been using it with a great deal of success and they were most impressed by its versatility in a number of different situations. So naturally, I had to get my hands on a few packs to see if this bait lived up to all of the hype.
After using it extensively for the past several months and catching lots of nice bass with it, Iâve developed a lot of confidence in this bait. If youâre looking to simplify your soft plastic selection, I think itâs worth careful consideration.
Versatility matters
Like most anglers out there, Iâm guilty of carrying far too many soft plastics in my boat. Iâm on a mission this year to simplify my collection and the Gene Larew Punch Out Craw is going to be a big help. Itâs a great choice for several different techniques.
It has been a major producer for me when pitching and flipping. It comes out of the package with the claws and middle spear connected, which is an effective profile when punching through thick cover. You donât have to constantly shake your rod tip to make the bait fall throughâthis streamlined profile gets it through tiny holes with no problems at all. Iâve also had some success pitching to vertical cover such as dock posts, as the bait glides really nicely when the appendages are all connected.
When the claws are separated, the Punch Out Craw has a beautiful action underwater. You can thread it on a swim jig or bladed jig and the flanges on the claws allow them to kick wildly regardless of retrieve speed. At rest on the bottom, the buoyant claws float nicely, imitating the defensive posture of a crawfish. This makes it a good choice trailer choice for flipping and football jigs, as well.
If the fish are exceptionally finicky, you can actually remove both claws, leaving just the body and the spear. It doesnât look like much at first, but itâll dart and dash from side to side with even the slightest pop of the rod tip. It looks a lot like a juvenile bluegill, which is a favorite food for big bass. If you happen to get some of these Punch Out Craws, make sure you try this when the bite gets tough.
Durability will not be an issue
I have been thoroughly impressed by the durability of this bait. Throughout my testing, it has been nothing for me to catch upwards of five or six bass on a single Punch Out Craw.
The claws remain intact quite well, even when youâre fishing around pesky bluegill. The body of the bait hides a large hook nicely and withstands several fish catches, as well as repeated skip casts underneath cover.
Great looking colors
The color selection of the Punch Out Craw isnât increidbly vast, but it hits the âmust-haveâ colors right on the nose. Youâll have 10 colors to choose from on Tackle Warehouse and regardless of your location or local forage, youâll find a few colors that will work great on your home waters.
When the water is stained, I like their Black Blue, Black Neon and Bama Bug colors. If Iâm fishing relatively clear water, Iâve had a lot of succes with Mad Bluegill, Sooner Run and Sooner Magic.
Iâve noticed that the color consistency is great, as well. All of the Punch Out Craws in each package look the sameâthereâs no discrepencies. I havenât needed to dig through a bag to find one particular bait that has the right combination of color.
Final impressions
This bait catches bass and it works for lots of different techniques and scenarios. If youâre looking to simplify things for yourself this year, take a close look at the Punch Out Craws. Iâve really enjoyed fishing with them.
The Gene Larew Punch Out Craw is available at TackleWarehouse.com.