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The Rebel Crawfish has gained a lot of hype in recent years. Reviews and commercials have shown it to be a highly effective shallow-running crankbait.
But is it worth the hype?
I recently gave it a shot recently and fished it in a variety of locations.
No surprises here: I’m impressed!
Here’s why: While some lures merely capture the silhouette and illusion of a crawfish, with others mimicking a bluegill or shad, Rebel has constructed a craw lure that tells the fish “its dinner time and it’s time for some fine dining!”
This lure is spot on, shooting backward with its pinchers pulled in tightly toward the body. It’s not surprising that a lure like this would eventually come on the market. I’m just surprised it took me this long to fish it! What’s more, it fishes well in a wide variety of environments.
Rebel Craw: Why Fish it?
Most craw lures seem to be a hybrid version of something that only resembles a craw, or a craw in a defensive position (like a Texas-rigged soft plastic, for instance).
The Rebel Crawfish doesn’t play games, though. It presents the fish with a defenseless meal and doesn’t suggest otherwise. Right out the gate, I will say this lure has possibly the best action of any crank bait I’ve fished.
The tight, side-to-side wobble looks awesome and doesn’t put out overwhelming vibration – but, rest assured, there’s a still a bit. You definitely will feel the action in your rod tip on a slow retrieval.
Being that everything that flies, swims, and scampers devours these little morsels, it’s no shock that the Rebel Crawfish is a fantastic multi-species bait.
You Can Fish It Any Time, Anywhere
You can fish it year-round for a variety of species. You can also fish it in lakes, streams, rivers, and ponds. The shallower the water, the better, as it presents well kicking up debris.
Those stained, muddied waters are great environments as many fish will feed shallow. Ripping the Rebel Crawfish through grass isn’t impossible either, giving you a perfect search bait that machetes that hatch.
Extended Diving Range
The F76 Wee Craw is a mere 1/5 oz and dives 5-7 ft while the the D74 model dives to 8-10 ft. As you may have heard, the Rebel Teeny Wee Craw, which dives to 3 feet, can run through rocks and weeds alike.
With this range, you get a good sweep of the water column.
It is also worth repeating: I am beyond impressed by the action of this thing. I’ve casted it over rocky bottoms and tested the deflection action and diving depths, and it feels great.
There’s no mistaking this for anything but a frightened crawdad, which I like. For this, it’s easy to fish the Rebel Crawfish for bass during the pre-spawn as the shallows are a primary target location.
It deflects well around rocks and wood, and it matches its environment well as most crayfish take shelter in rocks. I also run it along jetties, rock piles, and gravel bottoms. So far, I have yet to find a situation where the lure didn’t work.
Incredible Detail
The greatest attribute of this lure might just be the fine detail – I’m a sucker for aesthetics. Each lure is painted with the precise detail of a crawdad. Small ridges along the back of the tail and detailed appendages pulled close the the body bring this lure to life.
The presentation is that of a crawdad in escape mode. This presents an easier meal for predators as there is less chance of taking a nasty pinch.
Can’t Go Wrong With A Crank Bait
All the rules that apply to a crank bait are relevant to this lure. Your main objective is to get it down to the bottom and make some commotion, smack it around on rocks and wood, and even pull it though and around grass.
The Rebel Crawfish looks amazing kicking up mud and silt, too. Even more, each craw is built with a rattle chamber inside, allowing it to emit the sound of a scurrying critter.
Multi-Species Sniper
Bass aren’t the only freshwater predators that target these snappy bugs. I’ve fished the Rebel Craw for trout and have added this versatile weapon as a regular staple of my arsenal.
On those bright days when a spinner might put out too much flash, or after the fish have seen a few dozen Rapala Minnows and Panther Martins, hit them with the Rebel Crawfish to load up!
It’s a solid lure for pressured fish. The Rebel Teeny Wee Craw is also great when fished for bluegill and crappie. I fished it along with structure, weed-lines, and banks of reeds, and got a few good snaps on the Teeny Wee Craw.
A Variety of Colors
I like the Ditch Brown and Cajun Craw, as they match much of the environment where I fish. But other colors such as Stream Craw and Nest Robber also follow natural patterns.
Final Thoughts on the Rebel Crawfish
The Rebel Craw is proving its worth as a multi-species finesse lure. I love the action it produces, the fine detail, and the ability to fish it in shallow water.
I would recommend this lure for anyone seriously fishing year-round, as it appeals to bass, trout, bluegill, and crappie. If it swims, it’ll bite the Rebel Crawfish!
The presentation, when incorporating a stop-go retrieve, is uncanny to a real craw. For this, it’s now one of my go-to lures for year-round, multi-species fishing.
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