Gene Larew Favorites Transitioning to YUM

Anglers will be the primary beneficiaries as the most popular baits from Gene Larew Lures transition to YUM Bait Company in 2025. The benefit comes in the form of savings because the YUM-branded versions of these beloved baits sell for 3.99 instead of 6.99.

Soft plastic baits transitioning to the YUM brand include the Salt Craw, Hammer Craw, Hoo Daddy Jr, Scutter Bug and Scutter Bug Jr, with the latter two being the baits known as the Biffle Bug and Biffle Bug Jr under Gene Larew. YUM also will offer Hard Heads in five sizes and Glass Rattles, both from the former Gene Larew brand.

“Closing out a brand is never easy, but financially it was the best decision,” said Chad Warner, Vice President of Brand Management for PRADCO-Fishing. “We have taken the most successful shapes and terminal pieces and put those under the YUM brand. Those shapes and terminal choices compliment that brand extremely well, and from a price point perspective, it’s a win for the consumer!”

The transition will also strengthen the YUM brand and provide retailers with a broader selection of proven producers as YUM Baits. The YUM versions of these baits will be available in their most popular original colors, but also in some of YUM’s top colors.

"This transition aligns perfectly with our overall strategy for the YUM brand. By bringing these well-respected lures into the YUM family, we're strengthening our position in the market and providing anglers with a more comprehensive range of options," Warner said. "We understand that the Gene Larew brand holds a special place in the hearts of many anglers. We want to assure you that we're honoring that legacy by preserving the quality and performance of these classic lures."

The original craw worm, the iconic 4-inch Salt Craw remains a favorite of many anglers because of its subtle action and highly natural shaping. The Salt Craw’s slender profile makes it a great choice for classic plastic worm presentations, like Texas rigging, Carolina rigging or split shot rigging. Natural crawfish shaping also makes the Salt Craw an outstanding jig trailer, especially when the water is cold or in other conditions that dictate subtle movement.

The 3.5-inch Hammer Craw is another slender-bodied crawfish imitation, but it is quite different from the Salt Craw in its appeals. The claws are curved, like a grub tail, with a swim foot at the end of each. The design produces a quick thumping action any time the Hammer Craw is moving forward, rising or falling in the water column. A ribbed underside creates additional water movement. Active claws make the Hammer Craw great for swimming through sparse vegetation and hopping among branches of downed trees. Like the Salt Craw, the Hammer Craw can be rigged on its own or as a jig trailer. Either way, it is designed to trigger strikes, more so than coaxing them.

The 4.5-inch Hoo Daddy Jr moves a lot of water with its deeply ribbed body, flappers and twin curled tails, but with a generally slender profile and collapsable nature that allows it to penetrate cover. Versatile in applications, the Hoo Daddy Jr commonly gets rigged on a jighead for bottom hopping and swimming presentations, Texas rigged with a heavy weight for pitching and flipping into cover and Carolina rigged for working points, humps and bars. The wavering legs and buoyancy from the ribbed body make the Hoo Daddy Jr a favorite for Carolina rigging.

Although developed originally as a flipping and pitching bait (a role in which it still excels), the Scutter Bug and its little brother the Scutter Bug Jr are most often associated with the “bugging” technique, which involves rigging the bait on a Hard Head, casting it, letting it sink, and reeling it steadily, so it scoots across the bottom. The Scutter Bug’s hollow ribbed body feels natural when fish bite down and provides a place to add scent and/or a rattle. The overall profile is compact but can be made even more compact to punch vegetation and to enhance the glide by pinching off the two kicking legs.

The Hard Head is a unique jointed football jig with an offset hook that swings from side to side. It’s available in five sizes ranging from 3/16 ounce to 1 ounce. As noted above, the Hard Head is most frequently paired with a Scutter Bug or Scutter Bug Jr for the bugging technique. That said, the same rigging and presentation works for various soft plastic lures, so baits with a range of profiles and actions can scurry across the bottom. As an example, a large Hard Head works wonderfully for fishing ledges during the summer when matched with a large worm like a YUM Mighty Worm.

Sound, which is often overlooked by anglers fishing with soft-plastic lures, can be important for helping fish find offerings and for prompting strikes. YUM Glass Rattles, which are designed to insert into hollow soft plastics like Scutter Bugs, Craw Papis and CrawBugs send out a loud, single-rattle thumping sound any time a bait shifts. They work wonderfully for the bugging technique because the bait shifts continually as it scurries across the bottom and for flipping in dark places with the rattles engaged by shakes of the bait.