Lure of the Month: G-Daddy Baits Hybrid
by Terry Madewell
I rarely encounter a unique crappie fishing bait with such a competitive, creative, and flourishing crappie lure market. The need for a particular bait to fill a niche between two options created a need for a new crappie fishing lure to develop: a hybrid lure.
In this case, G-Daddy Baits has created the ‘Hybrid’, a lure bridging the gap between soft plastic baits and hand-tied hair jigs. The result is the unique and productive G-Daddy Baits Hybrid, the April 2025 CrappieNOW Lure of the Month.
Frank Langston is the G-Daddy of G-Daddy Baits, but in the case of the Hybrid, his wife Karen is this lure’s concept creator and design engineer.
“Our son, Dan Langston, is a full-time crappie guide in Texas, and he described how he occasionally encountered times when our plastic lure, the Crappie Shad, worked ideally, but other times a hand-tied jig seemed best,” Karen said. “He wanted to test a lure that incorporated some of each profile built into the lure. I created a concept Dan thought may work, then began building the lure. The first profile was sent to him and other staff members, and with their excellent feedback, I tweaked the lure and sent it out again.”
She said the reworked Hybrid was a huge hit, with all their crappie pros raving about it and wanting more to fish with.
G-Daddy Baits put it into production three years ago.
“It seems like we just released it; it’s been such a big hit,” she said. “I’ve researched the market and cannot find anything else like it, and we had the mold custom-made.”
She said the Hybrid offers glow, scent, and shad-like action, and the hair material on the side flutters, mimicking the fins on a minnow. This lure does require more time to produce than the traditional plastic lures they manufacture.
“I probably spend twice as much time on these because the process is more elaborate,” Karen said. “The unique design of the lure sets it apart, so it’s worthwhile.”
While several crappie pros fish the Hybrid, Dan has adopted the lure as one of his favorites for tournament fishing and his crappie-fishing guide business.
“I needed a lure to bridge the gap where I fish,” he said. “During the winter and spring, the plastic lures usually work great. But during the summer, the hand-tied hair jigs are lethal. The Hybrid has filled the need by combining the traits of both lures and is an asset to my year-round fishing.
“I use Forward-Facing sonar most of the time, so I fish the Hybrid with a tight line presentation,” he said. “But it works fine on cast and retrieve, too.”
Dan, who guides with River Bottom Boys Guide Service (405-464-6644), said the fall rate is slightly slower because of the addition of ‘hair’ on the plastic grub body. That’s often a positive by keeping the lure in the zone of a crappie’s vision longer.
“Plus, the lure’s profile, with the hair, reflects light and gives the lure a more lifelike appearance,” he said. “I’ve found it attracts fish’s attention quicker. It’s available in the 2-inch and 1.5-inch sizes in multiple color patterns. I’ll use it on jigheads from 1/32-to-1/4 ounce, depending on the targeted fish depth.
“I want my lure to get to the fish zone fast, so I begin with a heavier jighead and the 2-inch Hybrid,” he said. “If fish are finicky, I’ll downsize to smaller heads and move down to the 1.5-inch size. I’ll play with different colors, and usually with the Hybrid, I’ll find the size and color combination that crappie can’t resist, and the bite is on.”
Combining positive traits of different lures is a tried-and-true formula for success in many types of fishing. The G-Daddy Baits Hybrid combines the positive characteristics of plastics and hand-tied hair lures. And the more options, the better when trying to get crappies to eat, especially on those finicky-bite days.
Terry Madewell of Ridgeway, S.C., has been an outdoor communicator for nearly 50 years. He holds a degree in Wildlife and Fisheries Management and has a long career as a professional wildlife biologist/natural resources manager. He’s passionate about sharing outdoor adventures with others.
