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  1. #1
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    Firecraw bladed jig and trailer rec.

    Firstly, I know this has been posted several times previously, as I did a search and read what I could under "firecraw".

    I would like to toss some 1/2 oz - 3/4 sizes this late winter/spring and would like some recs for the blades jigs/chatter as well as trailer. If I had the skirts available, I could likely make my own, but I really prefer to use Swimbait style heads with weed guards, as I fish pretty shallow and most times from shore and as well, cast to lots of wood and other structure, more often than grass.

    Thanks in advance.

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    #2
    Get some red dye and make any trailer red.

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    #3
    The ones I "fashion" work very well, but all my swimjig heads that I prefer to use are wire tied and I don't have any firecraw skirts.

    I might see where I can pick up some firecraw/red type colored skirts and just make my own again.

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    #4
    I found firecraw skirts on eBay for cheap

  5. Member DrewFlu33's Avatar
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    #5
    I'm a little unclear, but assuming we're talking about fire craw bladed jigs and matching trailers, it's hard to go wrong with the Jack Hammer for your bladed jig choice, though I'm not sure they make it up to 3/4 in Fire Craw and it's obviously not weedless. They do make the Big Blade in 3/4 oz Fire Craw which may be worth checking out, but is also not weedless. That's a bait I've not had a lot of luck with yet, but do know it will have a time and place. They do make their weedless Crosseyes Chatterbait in Fire Craw, but only up to 1/2 oz.

    Picasso's "Craw Dad" color on their Shock Blade variants is somewhat close to Fire Craw, maybe a little muted, though it could be dressed up with a trailer. They have it available on at least 1 weedless options up to 3/4 ounce, the Carbon Fiber Dredger which has a carbon fiber blade. I've not used that model in particular, but the Picasso Shock Blades in general are among the best bladed jigs available not made by Z-Man, in my experience.

    Lots of swim jig options available in Fire Craw up to 1/2 oz (Berkley, 6th Sense Divine, probably many others) where you could just add something like a Queen Tackle blade. 3/4 oz may be more of a trick.

    If you're just looking for skirts to tack on to your preferred option, Beast Coast makes a couple that I'd classify as "Fire Craw" or at least close, their "Rayburn Red" being the closest match with their "BC Dirt Craw" being a muted variant. Picasso's "Inferno" color in their replacement skirts is a Fire Craw clone, too. Other offerings from Boss and Dirty Jigs get close if not exactly right.

    Tons of options for trailers. Z-Man makes a bunch designed to match their Fire Craw chatterbaits, depending on your preferences. My favorite trailer for a chatterbait is the Razor Shadz which is available in Fire Craw. Also available in that color include Turbo Crawz (think Speed Craw), Hella Crawz (think Rage Craw), Goat in all sizes (think Menace or Z-Craw), Diesel Minnowz (swimbait), and probably others.

    Another option is to look for the "Lava Craw" color from Missile Baits. I have some 3.5" Shock Waves (swimbaits) in that color, though they don't seem to be available anywhere as of right now. They show as out of stock on the Missile website, as does the Craw Father (Speed Craw) in the same color. They've also just released a Spunk Shad under the Missile brand which appears to be a collaboration with Hog Farmer. That's a killer chatterbait trailer, and it's available in the Lava Craw color.

    Big Bite is another company to check. Their Kamikaze Swimon is a great Chatterbait trailer, and the color "Flamethrower" is a great Fire Craw match as is the "Green Pumpkin Flamethrower" if you want to mix in some natural color. They have a Kamikaze Swimon Spit tail in the same colors if you want more subtle, their Kamikaze Craw is available in Flamethrower is you'd prefer a craw profile, and the BFE (more of a flipping bait, but will go on a Chatterbait) is available in the GP Flamethrower.

    I'm sure there are lots more.
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  6. Member
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    #6
    Quote Originally Posted by DrewFlu33 View Post
    I'm a little unclear, but assuming we're talking about fire craw bladed jigs and matching trailers, it's hard to go wrong with the Jack Hammer for your bladed jig choice, though I'm not sure they make it up to 3/4 in Fire Craw and it's obviously not weedless. They do make the Big Blade in 3/4 oz Fire Craw which may be worth checking out, but is also not weedless. That's a bait I've not had a lot of luck with yet, but do know it will have a time and place. They do make their weedless Crosseyes Chatterbait in Fire Craw, but only up to 1/2 oz.

    Picasso's "Craw Dad" color on their Shock Blade variants is somewhat close to Fire Craw, maybe a little muted, though it could be dressed up with a trailer. They have it available on at least 1 weedless options up to 3/4 ounce, the Carbon Fiber Dredger which has a carbon fiber blade. I've not used that model in particular, but the Picasso Shock Blades in general are among the best bladed jigs available not made by Z-Man, in my experience.

    Lots of swim jig options available in Fire Craw up to 1/2 oz (Berkley, 6th Sense Divine, probably many others) where you could just add something like a Queen Tackle blade. 3/4 oz may be more of a trick.

    If you're just looking for skirts to tack on to your preferred option, Beast Coast makes a couple that I'd classify as "Fire Craw" or at least close, their "Rayburn Red" being the closest match with their "BC Dirt Craw" being a muted variant. Picasso's "Inferno" color in their replacement skirts is a Fire Craw clone, too. Other offerings from Boss and Dirty Jigs get close if not exactly right.

    Tons of options for trailers. Z-Man makes a bunch designed to match their Fire Craw chatterbaits, depending on your preferences. My favorite trailer for a chatterbait is the Razor Shadz which is available in Fire Craw. Also available in that color include Turbo Crawz (think Speed Craw), Hella Crawz (think Rage Craw), Goat in all sizes (think Menace or Z-Craw), Diesel Minnowz (swimbait), and probably others.

    Another option is to look for the "Lava Craw" color from Missile Baits. I have some 3.5" Shock Waves (swimbaits) in that color, though they don't seem to be available anywhere as of right now. They show as out of stock on the Missile website, as does the Craw Father (Speed Craw) in the same color. They've also just released a Spunk Shad under the Missile brand which appears to be a collaboration with Hog Farmer. That's a killer chatterbait trailer, and it's available in the Lava Craw color.

    Big Bite is another company to check. Their Kamikaze Swimon is a great Chatterbait trailer, and the color "Flamethrower" is a great Fire Craw match as is the "Green Pumpkin Flamethrower" if you want to mix in some natural color. They have a Kamikaze Swimon Spit tail in the same colors if you want more subtle, their Kamikaze Craw is available in Flamethrower is you'd prefer a craw profile, and the BFE (more of a flipping bait, but will go on a Chatterbait) is available in the GP Flamethrower.

    I'm sure there are lots more.
    DAAAAYYYUUUUM HOMIE!!! Much appreciated...yeppers the big blade ZMan was recommended to me as well. I'll check out the Picassos...would be great if I could locate a few OG Phenix before ZMan lawyered up and locked everyone out of the blade configuration/attachment design.

    Also, 1/2-5/8 is fine as well, it was recommended to me that with a larger/big blade, to go with a heavier head as to help keep the bait down. As well, a thinner trailer will also have less lift, versus say a larger paddletail. FWIW, I usually fish 1/2 oz and wake or fish my bladed jigs pretty shallow, 3 feet or less usually, but I'm wanting to grind some 5-10 feet of water this late winter and pre-spawn with a larger/heavier firecraw type bait and the 3/4 will help it stay down will still allowing me a medium pace of retrieve so that I can cover water faster. I want to do this as I will be tossing a spinnerbait and lipless as well in a couple of smaller lakes that I plan to kayak in.

    Lastly, I thought for sure that one of our sponsors here made skirts?

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    #7
    Quote Originally Posted by basscat tyler View Post
    I found firecraw skirts on eBay for cheap
    Koolio...although I exiled meself from da bay years ago. ;-)

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    #8
    What size Spunk Shad is preferred for most 1/2 oz bladed jigs?

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    #9
    1/2oz jackhammer-4.5
    Mini max- 3.5

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    #10
    Quote Originally Posted by heavyduty View Post
    1/2oz jackhammer-4.5
    Mini max- 3.5
    Appreciate it...I was going to select the 5.5 because of the Firecraw color and likely being used in dirtier water, but I'll choose the 4.5.

  11. Scraps
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    #11
    For the heavier baits think I had to go to the Project chatterbait. Have them up to an ounce. Discount Tackle has some good deals on them. I look at that firecraw Jack Hammer and it just looks like too much bright red to me. I usually go for milder, contrasting colors between bait and trailer. I do like the spunk shad for chatterbaits since most around here in the pressure use a swimbait.
    Last edited by krindgen; 01-15-2023 at 10:08 AM.
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    #12
    Quote Originally Posted by krindgen View Post
    For the heavier baits think I had to go to the Elite chatterbait. Have them up to an ounce. Discount Tackle has some good deals on them. I look at that firecraw Jack Hammer and it just looks like too much bright red to me. I usually go for milder, contrasting colors between bait and trailer. I do like the spunk shad for chatterbaits since most around here in the pressure use a swimbait.
    Appreciate the input...I found a custom tackle maker and gave him the biz. I think his baits are every bit as good or better than mass produced and for about half retail on Jackhammers and other "top tier" bladed jigs.

  13. Member wmitch2's Avatar
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    #13
    Reaction Innovations Sweet Beaver or Double Wide Beaver in "Rhythm and Blues" color.

    https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Reac...page-RISB.html
    Last edited by wmitch2; 01-14-2023 at 04:17 PM.
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    #14
    Quote Originally Posted by wmitch2 View Post
    Reaction Innovations Sweet Beaver or Double Wide Beaver in "Rhythm and Blues" color.

    https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Reac...page-RISB.html
    Rigged horizontal or vertical? Also, this is for the Firecraw color.

  15. Member wmitch2's Avatar
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    #15
    Rigged horizontal and yes, with the Fire Craw color. Also a Yamamoto Zako in Watrmln Copper Org Red Laminate fished vertical/

    https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Yama...age-GYZSB.html
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    #16
    Excellent. Thank you