crawfish

striker23 · 02-18-06, 08:58 AM

where exactly are they found in the water? ive only seem them out of the water but i dont know what part of the water it would be good to fish a crawfish lure. also, the ones i see are about half the size of my hand, seems a little big for even a big bass to eat, so do bass only eat the smaller crawfishes? any help appreciated, thanks.

JB · 02-18-06, 09:54 AM

most of the time fish will feed on them on riprap(rocks) along the shoreline, or any body of water near the bank...some bodies of water have craws, others do not.

Fish On · 02-18-06, 10:23 AM

You may want to try a bagley crawfish. The crawfish lure is about 5 inches long. I find crawfish on rocks and sand bottoms. Even if there are no crawfish jigs, tubes and other crawfish baits always seem to work.

bassnman30 · 02-18-06, 03:10 PM

Bass prefer crawfish over most other baits. I don't think (personnaly) that it matters if there are crawfish in the lake that you are fishing. The bass will still bite it.

K-Driz · 02-18-06, 04:26 PM

Bass will go for any size of crawdad big or small. Try out the YUM crawdads on Arkie weedless jigheads. Those work for me.

fishn'fool · 02-18-06, 04:36 PM

I think crayfish can be found at any depts of the lake as long there is rock! I started out using berkley craws on a jig head, but I've played around with texas rigging them and carolina rigging them. They are very effective at any depth. If the water is fairly clear I try and use plastic crayfish that really looks like the real deal, Yum makes there craws really life like.

NCYankee · 02-19-06, 12:36 AM

Never doubt the appetite of a largemouth. I caught this little guy on this craw jig.

Mac3 · 02-20-06, 06:41 PM

If given a choice of various sizes, bass will hit the smaller craws first, then the wounded craws having only one pincer, and finally will hit the larger craws...this is according to research done by Berkley I believe. Some also contend that a not so lifelike craw imitator such as a tube is more effective in catching bass than a very detailed representation. In thinking the other way, though, some go to the trouble of catching a few live ones to match the color and size.

Personally, I think you will have good luck either way, but I do recommend weighting as little as possible.

bass kicker · 02-20-06, 08:05 PM

you find crawfish anywhere near rock or wood and in canada the bass tend to eat the smaller ones IMO

lizardsrule · 02-20-06, 08:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mac3

If given a choice of various sizes, bass will hit the smaller craws first, then the wounded craws having only one pincer, and finally will hit the larger craws...this is according to research done by Berkley I believe. Some also contend that a not so lifelike craw imitator such as a tube is more effective in catching bass than a very detailed representation. In thinking the other way, though, some go to the trouble of catching a few live ones to match the color and size.

Personally, I think you will have good luck either way, but I do recommend weighting as little as possible.

Mac I beleive I read that article, but the thing that got me about it was, that they first started off using a whole crawdad. Then took off 1 pincer then the other. I'm guessing by the time they were used to the food, the hits just got to be automatic. I didn't do the reseach of course, just thought they should've tested it seperately on differnt fish, not one after the other. Kinda like the Pavlov's dog thing to me. Am I incorrect on this?

Lizards

bass kicker · 02-20-06, 08:57 PM

the only crawfish bait i have had much luck with is a rebel craw

skeeter944 · 02-21-06, 02:13 PM

ncyankee,how long was that fish?it looked to me to be around 6or7''?

JB · 02-21-06, 02:42 PM

We used to fish the black and blue 3 or 4 inch Power craw religiously. One day after I had been killing them all week prior, I went to flippn' the wood on the dam, nothing..over and over, no bites...I started to take the length off the tail section to shorten up the profile of the bait, and once I got it down to about 1 and 1/2 inch , texas rigged, BINGO! man thats what they wanted that day...hard to believe sometimes the mood of the bass....
My only experience with the craw comming back with a pincher gone, is that the bluegills are nippin' at them...or thats what I've always heard was happening..

Hawgin' · 02-21-06, 02:56 PM

My buddy caught a 2lbs, 14 inch bass one day while we were out that died in the livewell. Since it was already dead he decided to keep the fillets, and as he was working on it he noticed a hard lump in it's stomach. We cut it open, and there was a claw in there that looked like it came off a freaking lobster. It was a blue claw, which is strange because I have never seen a blue crawdad before. The fish came from a small farm pond with a mud bottom and very little structure.

Mac3 · 02-21-06, 03:36 PM

Lizards, on the article I read, they dumped a mixed lot and watched the smallies feed. They included small, medium and large...some had only one pincer, some none. As I recall, and it's been a while, they went for the smallest first, then the medium wounded, the larger wounded and lastly took the healthy med and large last.

As for the blue claw.....yes, there are a couple species of blue crawfish. All in all, there are over 300 species in the USA alone.

There was a fellow on one of the boards raising blue craws. He finally found a large market in Japan for them....and is doing well raising and selling.

NCYankee · 02-21-06, 07:34 PM

I think the crawdad was about 3 inches, so I'd say 7 inches is a good guess.

squack15 · 02-21-06, 08:13 PM

A lot of times the crayfish carapace and claws will turn bright colors after they've been dead for a while. Depending on the species the colors can range from blue to green to red, pretty much any color. Thats why jigs and crawfish imitating baits come in so many colors. Also, I've seen a lot of people mention riprap and sand, but don't forget about clay banks and flats. These areas can be loaded with crayfish, I like taking a jig or a square lipped crank in crawfish color and bouncing it around these areas. Some times of the year bass will stack up and gorge themselves on craws around seemingly void clay banks and flats. Another thing I like to do is get dirty and dig up a few crayfish in the lakes and rivers I like to fish to see what colors they are to better mimic the basses prey item.

02-18-06, 08:58 AM	#1
striker23 BassFishin.Com Active Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Ashburn, Virginia Posts: 199	crawfish where exactly are they found in the water? ive only seem them out of the water but i dont know what part of the water it would be good to fish a crawfish lure. also, the ones i see are about half the size of my hand, seems a little big for even a big bass to eat, so do bass only eat the smaller crawfishes? any help appreciated, thanks.

02-18-06, 10:23 AM	#3
Fish On BassFishin.Com Active Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Hauppauge, NY Posts: 368	You may want to try a bagley crawfish. The crawfish lure is about 5 inches long. I find crawfish on rocks and sand bottoms. Even if there are no crawfish jigs, tubes and other crawfish baits always seem to work. __________________ David Scott

02-18-06, 03:10 PM	#4
bassnman30 BassFishin.Com Super Veteran Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Lexington,NC-Worlds best BBQ. Posts: 1,945	Bass prefer crawfish over most other baits. I don't think (personnaly) that it matters if there are crawfish in the lake that you are fishing. The bass will still bite it. __________________ Lexington,NC.

02-18-06, 04:36 PM	#6
fishn'fool BassFishin.Com Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Iowa Posts: 96	I think crayfish can be found at any depts of the lake as long there is rock! I started out using berkley craws on a jig head, but I've played around with texas rigging them and carolina rigging them. They are very effective at any depth. If the water is fairly clear I try and use plastic crayfish that really looks like the real deal, Yum makes there craws really life like. __________________ Fish Hard -- A Conservation and Biology Student

02-20-06, 08:05 PM	#9
bass kicker BassFishin.Com Super Veteran Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Beamsville,ONTARIO,CANADA Posts: 2,023	you find crawfish anywhere near rock or wood and in canada the bass tend to eat the smaller ones IMO __________________ Rob Downs St. Catharines BASSMASTERS

02-18-06, 09:54 AM	#2
JB BassFishin.Com Premier Elite Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 8,655	most of the time fish will feed on them on riprap(rocks) along the shoreline, or any body of water near the bank...some bodies of water have craws, others do not.

02-18-06, 04:26 PM	#5
K-Driz BassFishin.Com Active Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Murray or Smithfield, KY Posts: 209	Bass will go for any size of crawdad big or small. Try out the YUM crawdads on Arkie weedless jigheads. Those work for me.

02-19-06, 12:36 AM	#7
NCYankee BassFishin.Com Active Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Cincinnati, OH Posts: 188	Never doubt the appetite of a largemouth. I caught this little guy on this craw jig.

02-20-06, 06:41 PM	#8
Mac3 BassFishin.Com Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 76	If given a choice of various sizes, bass will hit the smaller craws first, then the wounded craws having only one pincer, and finally will hit the larger craws...this is according to research done by Berkley I believe. Some also contend that a not so lifelike craw imitator such as a tube is more effective in catching bass than a very detailed representation. In thinking the other way, though, some go to the trouble of catching a few live ones to match the color and size. Personally, I think you will have good luck either way, but I do recommend weighting as little as possible.

02-20-06, 08:57 PM	#11
bass kicker BassFishin.Com Super Veteran Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Beamsville,ONTARIO,CANADA Posts: 2,023	the only crawfish bait i have had much luck with is a rebel craw __________________ Rob Downs St. Catharines BASSMASTERS

02-21-06, 02:13 PM	#12
skeeter944 BassFishin.Com Super Veteran Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Somewhere in South Carolina Posts: 2,377	ncyankee,how long was that fish?it looked to me to be around 6or7''?

02-21-06, 02:42 PM	#13
JB BassFishin.Com Premier Elite Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 8,655	We used to fish the black and blue 3 or 4 inch Power craw religiously. One day after I had been killing them all week prior, I went to flippn' the wood on the dam, nothing..over and over, no bites...I started to take the length off the tail section to shorten up the profile of the bait, and once I got it down to about 1 and 1/2 inch , texas rigged, BINGO! man thats what they wanted that day...hard to believe sometimes the mood of the bass.... My only experience with the craw comming back with a pincher gone, is that the bluegills are nippin' at them...or thats what I've always heard was happening..

02-21-06, 02:56 PM	#14
Hawgin' BassFishin.Com Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Kansas City, MO Posts: 42	My buddy caught a 2lbs, 14 inch bass one day while we were out that died in the livewell. Since it was already dead he decided to keep the fillets, and as he was working on it he noticed a hard lump in it's stomach. We cut it open, and there was a claw in there that looked like it came off a freaking lobster. It was a blue claw, which is strange because I have never seen a blue crawdad before. The fish came from a small farm pond with a mud bottom and very little structure.

02-21-06, 03:36 PM	#15
Mac3 BassFishin.Com Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 76	Lizards, on the article I read, they dumped a mixed lot and watched the smallies feed. They included small, medium and large...some had only one pincer, some none. As I recall, and it's been a while, they went for the smallest first, then the medium wounded, the larger wounded and lastly took the healthy med and large last. As for the blue claw.....yes, there are a couple species of blue crawfish. All in all, there are over 300 species in the USA alone. There was a fellow on one of the boards raising blue craws. He finally found a large market in Japan for them....and is doing well raising and selling.

02-21-06, 07:34 PM	#16
NCYankee BassFishin.Com Active Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Cincinnati, OH Posts: 188	I think the crawdad was about 3 inches, so I'd say 7 inches is a good guess.

02-21-06, 08:13 PM	#17
squack15 BassFishin.Com Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 73	A lot of times the crayfish carapace and claws will turn bright colors after they've been dead for a while. Depending on the species the colors can range from blue to green to red, pretty much any color. Thats why jigs and crawfish imitating baits come in so many colors. Also, I've seen a lot of people mention riprap and sand, but don't forget about clay banks and flats. These areas can be loaded with crayfish, I like taking a jig or a square lipped crank in crawfish color and bouncing it around these areas. Some times of the year bass will stack up and gorge themselves on craws around seemingly void clay banks and flats. Another thing I like to do is get dirty and dig up a few crayfish in the lakes and rivers I like to fish to see what colors they are to better mimic the basses prey item.

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