Creature Fever: D&M’s Flippin Craw, Power and Finesse?
(continued)

Retrieving:
Within the first two dunks in the water the lure sheds the salt that is on the
surface but the scent is still present as it is soaked into the plastic. The
Flippin Craw is a great choice for punching as the lure’s many appendages come
to life the second the lure breaks through. I also found the bait exceptional
for pitching and flipping and was able to draw strikes during the drop or when
yo-yoing the bait up and down. As a jig trailer the smaller 3.5” size adds extra
realism and I particularly liked the Moody Blue and Red Crawler patterns on the
California Delta.

Om
the side view you can see the thick center body which can accommodate even large
flipping hooks
The extra soft
body of the lure makes it easy to hook up and the bait collapses quickly
allowing for instant hook penetration. The added benefit of such a soft plastic
is that it is light and can be swam weightless and also is more resilient and
can take more abuse before ripping apart. The Flippin Craw is so durable we were
able to catch up to ten fish on each bait before the craw would be so beat up it
needed to be swapped out.

The
lure is so soft it collapses quickly for instant hooksets
Price &
Applications:
D&M products are typically reasonably priced, usually neither the cheapest nor
the most expensive. The Flippin Craw price varies depending on the size and both
the 3.5 and 4.5 inch baits retail for $6.69 a pack while the larger 5.5 inch
size retails for $7.99 a pack. With three sizes to select from these baits can
be used for everything from punching to being rigged as a jig trailer. When it
comes to colors D&M has you covered with over 20 different patterns to choose
from. There are even some custom patterns designed specifically for different
bodies of water including the Okeechobee and Big Tex Laminates and Delta Special
(my personal favorite).
Ratings:
(We've
re-calibrated our
ratings standard for
2008 and have
included a key at
the bottom of the
following matrix as
a guide):
D&M
Flippin
Craw
Ratings
(?/10)
|
Construction/Quality |
Excellent
quality.
These
baits
are very
detailed
and even
the
thinnest
appendages
are
clean.
The
laminate
patterns
are also
very
well
done,
showcasing
custom
hand
pour
skill |
9 |
Performance |
These
lures
performed
very
well in
a wide
range of
applications
and
water
types.
Power
fish in
stained
to murky
water
and
finesse
fish in
clear
water |
9 |
Price |
A good
overall
price
these
lures
are
reasonably
priced
for a
hand
pour
design |
7.5 |
Features |
A great
lineup
of
features
ranging
from the
soft
plastic
construction
to the
use of
salt and
scent
making
this
lure
easy and
messy
free to
rig and
fish |
8 |
Design
(Ergonomics) |
The soft
plastic
also
makes
this
lure
more
durable
and
increases
positive
hooksets |
8 |
Application |
Excellent
range of
capabilities,
whether
you want
to power
or
finesse
fish
this
ultra
soft
plastic
craw
imitator
can get
it done |
9 |
Total
Score
|
8.41 |
Ratings
Key:
1 =
terrible
: 2 =
poor : 3
=
lacking
: 4 =
sub par
: 5 =
mediocre
: 6 =
fair : 7
= good :
8 =
great :
9 =
excellent
: 10 =
unbelievable!
For More
Details
of the
updated
rating
system
visit
our
explanation
here |
Pluses and Minuses:
Plus
Minus
|
+
Soft
plastic
design
gives
this
bait a
wide
range of
capabilities.
Can be
power or
finesse
fished
effectively |
-
Still a
little
hard to
find but
more and
more
e-tailers
are now
picking
up the
D&M line |
+
Can be
rigged
with
large
flipping
hooks |
|
+
Easy to
get hook
penetration
on
hooksets
and lure
collapses
out of
the way |
|
+
Comes
pre-loaded
with
scent |
|
+
Reasonable
price
for a
hand
pour |
|

Whether you are power or finesse fishing the D&M Flippin Craw delivers
Conclusion:
For those anglers that have turned to the D&M Flippin Craw and have considered
it a West Coast Secret, my apologies, this is one secret that is just too good
to keep. While not as well-known as many plastic manufacturers this custom bait
provider continues to gain popularity and though they have grown in skus and
scale the team at D&M continues to deliver the same attention to detail that we
love to see from true custom bait manufacturers. The Flippin Craw is a great
power fishing bait but has unique attributes that make it equally as effective
for finesse fishing in clear water including the ability to be fished on a
Texas, Carolina and split shot rig or simply swam near the surface. It may seem
like an oxymoron but this craw is more than just a “Flippin” bait and delivers
in both power and finesse applications alike.
Looking for the
D&M Flippin Craw? Try
Hi's Tackle Box

|