Overview
Delivering undeniable realism that has made the Megabass Sleeper series a staple in many anglers’ arsenals, the Megabass Sleeper Craw is a revolutionary crawfish imitator that catches fish like no other craw bait on the market. Constructed with a concealed weight system, it reduces the chances of snagging and can move over structure and skip under docks much more efficiently than a Texas-rig. Molded from a buoyant, highly durable material with a custom scent, the Sleeper Craw sits with its claws up in a defensive posture and produces subtle lifelike movements that perfectly mimics a live crawfish.
Pushing its realistic appearance a step further, the Sleeper Craw features a razor-sharp jig hook concealed within a hollow cavity in the body that provides natural bite-feel, improved snag-avoidance, and ample clearance when compressed for great hook setting performance. The hidden weight design also eliminates the unnatural sounds of lead or tungsten weights making contact and clicking against rocks or structure. Offered in a huge selection of colors, the Megabass Sleeper Craw is a ultimate craw bait for crawling along the bottom and triggering big fish to bite.
| Length | Weight | Quantity |
| 3" | 5/8oz | 1 |
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Customer Reviews
Insanely overrated baitThis thing could quite possibly be the most overrated thing that megabass sells.
Is the profile on these good? Yes. Are the floating claws a nice touch? Yes. Do they catch fish? Yes. I think generally this is a good bait. They work well. They get bit. At times can be a straight up smallmouth catching machine. But they're certainly not perfect. Now if megabass decides one day that they're going to sell these in a pack of three or something like that and then sell them for $10? Then I think that's more reasonable. And honestly I don't know why it isn't something that they haven't thought of before. They could easily put together a pack with their best selling colors. And if they do so in a competitive price point? Those kits would sell like hotcakes.
The problem with these really is that they just are too expensive for what they are. And in my opinion they don't perform as well as comparable far less expensive baits. This is a heavy bait. 5/8s. Yet with that weight, something with the profile and the weight placement. Something along those lines, these don't cast well at all. They really catch pretty easily in the wind and you just do not get great distance with this bait. The weight of them also makes them fairly prone to snags. They sink fairly slow because of the profile and buoyancy of the claws, but that amount of weight can very easily get dug in and snagged. Pretty expensive mistake considering you can achieve the same effect with just a hook and a soft plastic (that comes in a pack of 10. So it's not the end of the world if you lose one rig). In my experience they're also just not as durable as some people say they are. Sometimes smallmouth will specifically go for claws on baits to try and make for an easier meal. If a claw gets bit on one of these, what do you do?? And you can obviously still fish it. Sometimes I intentionally throw crayfish imitators with missing claws to make the baits look more vulnerable and defenseless. But if you want both claws, what are you supposed to do? Just buy a whole new bait? It's not like they sell packs of just the plastic (which I totally think they should). I've also had instances where the plastic was entirely ripped from The jig head. And I was able to put it back on there. But it was ripped, not in perfect condition and I've had time to where that was after only one fish.
Bottom line for me is, it's a good bait. It catches fish. But it's not good enough for me to panic by 10 of them for the bargain price of $100 because I think it's some magic fish catching machine. 3 stars.
Best craw immitatorThe Durability and action on these baits are insane I have caught bass in creeks ponds canals lakes rivers all year around using this bait Its my go to in the jig world day in and day out I love them and highly recommend you pick some up ASAP
Still a KillerMy favorite bottom searching bait for rocks, I fish these on a p5 super destroyer with a steez sv tw and they feel great. Biggest fish 4.90 LM on the grass craw but several big ones on the red demon as well. Pesky Mayans love them too but they hold up for the most part.
Actually GarbageNot to Klash but, my 5 star review is on the Craw / carefully take them apart / through away the the flawed hook and weight design part and use the craw on your favorite jig as a trailer. Expensive but, the only way I could make Lemonade out of Lemons. I am on the list if the price goes down and I mean a lot. Come on Megabass.
Respectfully of course / Always
RevolutionaryRespectfully, those other 2 reviews are possibly because they are using the wrong gear such as the wrong rod, wrong line, or maybe lack the skills to use the bait successfully, specifically not setting the hook properly. This bait is so innovative, I am apprehensive about reviewing it because of how dangerous it can be if used properly. The sleeper craw is just that, a sleeper. Now, the jig can't ever be replaced...and has its place solidly fixed in bass fishing, forever. So this is not a replacement for the jig. Understandly having said that, as a jig fisherman myself, the sleeper craw can be utilized in finesse applications for stealthier presentations, and it flat out catches them. Imho it can fool the most experienced bass around when paired with the proper scent. As for gear, there is a specific rod that seems to have the best hookup ratio for this bait. I use a dobyns 744 extreme which is perfect for the weight of this bait, 5/8oz I believe. The 744 casts this bait perfectly, and sets the hook deep while keeping the fish pinnned almost like a crankbait rod if you can understand what I mean. Paired with a 2019 shimano Antares and seguar tatsu 12lb full spool, it's a dream. Nothing more than 15lb for sure but I can understand bumping up in line size if flipping heavier cover or heavier rocks which i was preparing to do but havent had to yet. Application: this bait has excelled for me in generally shallow targeted structure and cover like tules, docks, and isolated rock piles definitely under 10'. The nice thing is it can be worked just like a jig, but has amazing swimming action which makes the claws "swim" and can even get bitten on the retrieve back from the cover or structure. Colors matter, and adding scent can make all the difference. Try it and with the right gear you will not be sorry.
Sleeper CrawVery good, realistic soft plastic craw. Looks very good in the water and when fished slowly on the bottom is works amazing
Bass catcher!I have a couple friends that use these and I was like idk if I could spend 10 bills on one plastic.. well I caved in and bought 2 and the first time I used it I caught 3 bass including a 7lb 9oz. Needless to say these are worth it and I will continue to use these.
The sauceSurprised they dont have Moebi color, such a bummer. This thing gets smashed and for everyone saying it’s junk and that they keep losing fish must be using the wrong setup because I catch a bunch on this thing and only lost one. Give them the business on the hookset.
Buyer BewareThis is a poorly designed bait I don't know if it's the size of the hook or the weight distribution but, if you can land one out of ten you're doing better than me.
It has Megabass written on the package but, they do not want anything to do with standing behind this flawed design.
JunkIf you like big as well as small fish jumping and throwing the bait this is the bait you. I tried bending the hook out a bit and it did improve got 3 and caught 3. Would not recommend this bait.
Come on Megabass.
If anyone has any suggestions would love to hear them.
Look great, get bit, but...They look good and they do get bites, but hookup ratio can be poor if you're not using heavier gear. I can accept that you need to pair the right gear with the bait you're using. What I can't accept is having two of them shipped to me with dull hooks. I think there is a QA issue here because I know others who use them and they came out of the package sticky sharp.
The Best!Best bottom contact lure
The DealKeep them in the plastic pack they come in and take care of them. Yes they are not very durable, but they flat out catch them. I personally only throw it when I know I am around big bass. Bring some super glue and a hook sharpener and you are good to go on that aspect. I have about 5 of these in my bag right now. IT GETS BIT and BIG BITES.
Worth itWhen i am not catching anything i throw this bait and it always delivers. I have broken my pb 2 times with this bait. The only thing is after like 15 fish the hook starts to come out of the bait.
no durability, not worth money, wouldn't buycatch fish but absolutely no durability, fish will pull it down the hook. gets snagged easily. not worth the money differential between this and a tx rig craw.
The smallie lure no one is talking aboutI’ve been fishing with the sleeper craw for a year now… all I can say is:
This is *THE* smallie lure no one is talking about
This lure has been a killer in the Boundary Waters and Mille lacs. It has been glued to my hand. The Ned, dropshot, tube, finesse jig and all other traditional bottom contact smallie lures have been left in the boat storage. It has outfished all the lures mentioned above and I can say so cause I fish with two other guys most of time. We all throw different lures and the person who throws the sleeper craw will outfish the other two.
The sleeper craw’s design and muted or “sleeper” design is what makes it so deadly. No loud clinking noise from lead or tungsten, natural craw presentation, no exposed hook, and the realism.
This past spring on Mille lacs, us three guys, prespawn fish, around 100 bass and 95% came off the sleeper craw. The majority of the smallies were 4lbs+.
Post spawn… same deal when the Ned should have been king. The sleeper craw outfished it.
Fall in October…. Same thing
$10 for it? Uhh it’s worth it. It’s not that much more when you compare it to a $5-$7 jig+ $5-$8plastic trailer. I get about 8-10 fish per sleeper craw. Super glue it if the hook pops out of the plastic. It’s fairly even in price…
Hook dulls a lot since I fish rocks with zebras… what do I do? Buy a $5 hook filer and resharpen the hook in 10 seconds.
Hook is too small? Yea but that hook size is what allows it to be hidden. And is more than enough. The hook is an amazing hook.
I see reviews and people use it on too light of gear…. I’m on a full 7’3-7’5 heavy jig rod (destroyer P5 FMJ), 17lb flouro, and a 2022 Daiwa zillion tw HD. You have to fish it with a jig rod with a nice solid hook set. Then you just crank the fish in and don’t allow slack or play in the line. Thats how you get the fish in the boat. After we figured this out, our hooking and landing ratio went from 50% to around 90%. And don’t forget to let the fish eat it a couple of seconds because if you do, the hook will hook the roof of the smallies mouth majority of the time. The smallies WILL engulf it and swallow it like how bass do to senkos.
The hook is very strong and sturdy so don’t be afraid to set that hook. the hook gap is small and it’s a small hook, but that’s why you set it hard and crank the fish in to not allow the fish have any advantage. I’ve caught hundreds of smallies from all sizes to over 20” long, so I can say my observation and recommendation.
I’ve only had one claw ripped off and that was from a dink smallie.
I am surprised the sleeper craw has not receive more media and use for smallies.
The sleeper craw is the new best bait for smallies.
There niceI didn't really think that these would catch any fish but I'm trying new things to expand my horizon and these bait look great in the water and catch lots of fish but it gets hung up alot
Look great, dull hooks.Definitely need sharper hooks.
Excellent Spring BaitAbsolutely love these for fishing up shallow rock especially in spring. They will get hung up on wood. They are not a jig. They excel when fished around shallow rock. They cast well, you can skip them up under brush easy. They fish lighter than the 5/8 that they weigh which is why I tend to fish something else in deeper water, but it’s hard to beat in 10ft or less when fish are on rock getting ready to spawn. They love this bait.
My go to crawSo for reference, my bass fishing experience is low as I recently fell into the sport. That being said, these craws are great. They skip beautifully for getting into tight spots, and the fish react to them wonderfully. I've caught a number of large mouth in a variety of lakes and several small mouth on the river. If I'm having a bad day these have a tendency to become my go to bait. They last a good amount of time and don't get snagged too often.
Don’t buyThey get bit but pinchers WILL NOT last! Poor design and pricy.
Not for meTo start, these things look great. They skip amazing and if you shake the did tip while retrieving back to the boat this thing looks identical to a fleeing craw.
The down side is that I fish with a lot of tungsten. The reason I like tungsten is for bottom contact sensitivity. Something I didn't consider when I was ordering twenty of these baits is the the weight is completely covered in plastic. You never even feel it hit the bottom. Feels like you're dragging in sediment even when your dragging through rock. I'm sure these catch fish and there will be a time when I fall in love with them but dragging the bottom in cold water ....... These ain't it.
GoodGets but but i tend to lose a lot of these....
Previous Feedback
Comments: Kayak angler, meaning hook sets and angles are tougher when setting the hook. Fish them on a Dobyns 7ft heavy fast (Fury series) with an 8:0:1 reel. No issues issues with missed hook sets or throw during jumps. Caught several 4 plus smallies and largies on these which are quality for this area. They get bit for sure. I have noticed that vs a jig they generate bites from smaller bass, they also get bit when conditions are tough. I do love that they fish through cover and structure very well. Very few hangs in rock, weed, and wood. Biggest con is durability. They are about double a normal jig cost as to me they basically fish like a jig. I've had one lose a pincher after 2 fish and the weight harness on one blow out of the plastic after around 8 smaller sized fish. That said...well worth the cost and having in the tacklebox as another option. I usually have around 4 of my favorite colors available just in case.
From: Isaac: New Hampshire 9/29/23
Comments: First one of the three I bought got bit in the first 10 minutes of fishing. Unfortunately, one of the claws was thrown off when the fish jumped. Gets bit but not noticeably better than other offerings that are much cheaper. Megabass is one of the best lure makers out there but this one isn't my favorite tbh. Not a huge fan of the small hook size and small gap either.
From: Tyler: Ky 9/18/23
Comments: The thing flat out gets bit even on tough days. I'm personally having trouble keeping fished pinned though. I had to slightly bend the hook out and line tie to keep the fish pinned which worries me. If they can change the hook design I'd give them an even higher rating. 7/10
From: Nick: Virginia 9/7/23
Comments: It was a warm summer day when I first unpacked mine with great anticipation. Tied it on my medium spinning with 12lb tatsu anticipating some heavy brownies. I knew I was on a good ledge which should have a few smallies so I threw it out waiting to see my line go slack. Immediately I saw my line jump an extra time when I hit the bottom. Leaned back into her and I knew it was a nice one. Then the smallie jumped, the entire lure fell apart with both claws launching 10 feet in opposite directions and the hook came out. 0/10 won't last any decent bass PS: also used a 2nd one that I bought with very similar exploding bait results.
From: Matt E.: Connecticut 8/17/23
Comments: It works, you will definitely catch fish on it. But they MELT and damage other plastics in the same box, especially during warm weather. Do not recommend for California or Texas.
From: fishing_lide.ca: SoCal 8/7/23
Comments: Works great for river spots but they are mean which means poor durability. 2 fish in and the hook ripped out, and by 4 fish the bait was impossible to keep on the hook. I could've glued it but it was practically on life support. Overall super fun to fish and skips well but I can't justify spending 10 bucks on a bait that is similar to a zman craw, and one of those is like a dollar per bait and will last dozens of fish.
From: Skylar: Georgia 8/1/23
Comments: It's my most successful plastic lure of the season. It's getting me consistent bites all of June and into July. It has the “It†factor. Yes once in a while the claws will get ripped off but the last Sleeper Craw caught me 23 bass before that happened. My go to colors are Watermelon Secret and Smoke Sunset. I've been crushing with those two colors. I can't say enough good things about the Sleeper Craw! Real Winner!
From: Dave: Massachusetts 7/8/23
Comments: Not as impressed with this one as I'd hoped I'd be. I'm a big fan of the Dark Sleeper and the Sleeper Gill, but this one was a bit of a letdown. First of all, there's no warning on the packaging that it doesn't play well with other plastics (or even plastic storage boxes, apparently) so I only got one day of fishing out of it before it dissolved into a gelatinous goo. As far as the effectiveness of the bait itself, I've had much more success with the Nikko craws and the Savage Gear craws, especially for the price. I believe I'll be sticking with those and won't bother replacing the one I have....or HAD, I guess.
From: Brian: Nashville, TN 7/2/23
Comments: Buddies been catching fish on this so I gave it a try, first smallmouth I catch jumps a few times, get him to the boat, pull the bait out of his mouth and it no longer has any claws. Yeah I'll stick with the dark sleeper instead.
From: Zane: Oklahoma 7/1/23
Comments: Like other people that have reviewed this, it's an amazing little bait. Hook up can be a bit of a problem. It takes some time to get used to it , when you first start throwing it, I think you miss a lot of fish at first, you need to let them turn with it every time. It skips like no other lure I have used on a baitcaster. My biggest gripe is it's durability. I get about two or three fish out of one bait before the craws get ripped off .. I know it's a Z-Man like material and I've never had this problem with any other bait made of similar material. I'm not sure if I got a bad batch of them but I have 10 of them so far and I've gone through six.. at 10 bucks each. It's just too expensive if the craws are ripping off when you fight a fish .. anybody else have this issue??
From: Steven Bowles: Ontario (gbay) 6/27/23
Comments: Fished one day with this bait: ?Anyone else feel the hook up ratio is low with this bait. I got tons of bites and landed several good fish. I also had (what seemed to be) solid hook sets on a half-dozen fish that pulled off after several cranks. Fished on Medium baitcaster w/ 10lb Fluorocarbon. Yes, I could do medium/heavy but had awesome results with this same setup and"other"g fdg v baits. Hook on Sleeper Craw is sticky sharp. I trimmed the plastic around hook and went 2 for 2 on the next two fish before running out of time. The bait is less weedless now but that trade-off is less frustrating IMO.
From: Jim: Downers Grove, Illinois 6/12/23
Comments: They will melt...if near other soft plastic or in the sun, or if warm Air hits them....had to get a small box with separate compartments and toss that Box on Ice in my cooler if the Sun is out and over 65 Degrees.
From: Lester: Kentucky 6/9/23
Comments: not pleased with them , they didn't say they would melt if near other soft plastics. went to get them out today and they are melting after 2 weeks of setting in the same box with the regular sleepers. had 3 of them in partial jelly form. and now the colors I had aren't in stock.
From: lawrence: Michigan 5/29/23
Comments: I bought a couple of these to give em a shot. they got bit. good hookup. my only problem is, I stored them in a 3700 size tackle box with a couple sleeper gills. the craws started to melt. Just like a Z-Man plastic. so beware. I don't like having to put them back into their flimsy clamshells between uses. not sure what else to do about it. they do work though.
From: Matooba: 5/25/23
Comments: I may just give my wobbleheads away. Reeled steadily through the rocks, nothing looks better than this and when you reel it up to a larger rock and pop it over, hang on tight. Megabass killed it with this design.
From: Calvin: Houston 5/22/23
Comments: This is an absolute pond slayer. The ghost craw color is legit. Megabass crushed it with this lure. You can drag it, hop it, slow retrieve it, and it just gets bit. Spent a couple of hours at a pond and racked up seven bass, a catfish, and a giant bluegill. This bait catches everything. Best purchase I've made in a while. Highly recommend.
From: David: Independence, Mo. 5/11/23
Comments: If you like the Dark Sleeper and Sleeper Gill, you'll love this one. Very durable and easy to cast or skip due to the weight (5/8 oz). Working it like a jig has been great this spring--even the smaller fish have this lure choked down
From: Jacob: Atlanta 5/10/23
Comments: Bought it yesterday and tried it right after buying in couple of hours at the very pressured water. I saw a good large mouth following the craw. Didn't catch something though but I like the Craw overall. As it was mentioned you can cast it everywhere, even during the wind.
From: Russel: California 5/5/23
Comments: Every once in a while you find something that becomes a "go-to." The sleeper craw has become one of those select few confidence baits for me. They are very durable, hook sets always result in the hook in the top of the mouth with little to no chance of the fish shaking the lure, they look great in the water, the color schemes are fantastic, and they just flat out get bites. I've fished some days that most anglers reported very few bites, but I had a great day just throwing the sleeper craw around. I've caught fish out of grass, off of boat docks, off submerged timber, rocky points/slopes, and off of the bed with this lure. I can't think of a scenario in which it hasn't worked. The only negative I've found with this lure is that it gets hung very easily on wood, which is surprising since the hook is sort of encapsulated within the body. Bottom line, if you don't have one of these tied on then you're likely missing out.
From: Unknown: 5/4/23
Comments: Drag it, hop it, swim it, skip it under docks, pop it out the riprap. Its going to get chomped and its going to stick them right in the roof of the mouth because it doesnt roll over. Casts a mile even upwind. You can add your favorite scent to the body cavity. The hook doesn't even require a hook set just a good pull. Megabass has knocked these out of the park. Will last 25 bass or more thanks to the elastomer plastic.
From: Shawn N: Ft Worth, TX 4/12/23