Tips for fishing imitation crayfish?

[carlcmc]

I really only started fishing this summer for bass, and have recently settled into the soft plastics (texas rigged). I bought a pack of cabelas crayfish and tried hooking it with a weedless hook(wire guard ) but have not caught anything on it.

Any advice on which crayfish imitations to use, how you rig em and and fish em?

I know its illegal to sell crayfishin here in minnesota, but is there an easy way to catch them to fish with, or is it even worth it?

[Guest]

Use a 3/8 oz terminator or all-terain bass jig with a plastic craw trailer. I prefer the gene lawrew salt craws. Black n blue is a classic, otherwise some variation of pumkinseed can also be killer. If you are fishing docks that have already been fished, try a white yes WHITE jig n craw There are many other ways to imitate a craw. You can imitate the color, the shape, or both. A wide deep-running crank with a craw pattern will simulate a crawdad skirting along the bottom. The jig I mentioned earlier is more of a vertical bait than horizontal presentation of a crank. If you know exactly where you want to put your craw presentation, use the jig.(ie docks, isolated weed beds, wood, etc) If you want to cover a lot of water, tie on the crank.

[Jim W]

WIth a 3 inch craw, take a 1 ot off-set hook.
Hook through about an 1/8 of an inch into "tail" of the craw imitation. In from the very end of it, coming out about an 1/8 of inch.

Then, twist your plastic around on the little off-set of the hook so it is barely hangin on.

Then, lay your plastic as flat as you possibly can hooking it just under the plastic.

If the craw isn't laying flat your crawler will not look or swim in a "natural" fashion.

Now you have a weedless set-up as well.

Wooops, I generally use a 1/8 bullet weight. This is put on the line before tying the hook with the "bullet" facing/pointing towards the end of your rod.

WOrk it slow with staggered retrieves.

Keep the rods bendin'!!!

Jim W

[Aquaman01]

Crawdads may not be sold as live bait, but may be trapped and used in the same body of water they were caught. I don't know how far up the tributaries to those waters one may use them, though.

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Aquaman
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Peace and Fishes

[EBass]

The only place I know where to get tons and tons of crayfish is of course none other Mille Lacs. But I tried them and don't let them sit on the botton or you will get stuck. So I like platics and cranks instead. And jigs to. Never forget the jig.

I have some crawfish plastics, but I haven't used them.

[Guest]

Try out the Yum Craw Bug. This thing is so realistic it is spooky... You can either run it t-rigged on a offset worm hook and slip sinker, with a slider head, or run it on a bass jig.

bitsy bug bass jig..

[Bobb-o]

The new storm plastic crayfish are very lifelike. They also come with all you need to fish them and instructions on how to rig them. A very good bait for someone beginning to learn how to use them.

~Quick question on the side: What would the law be as far as catching crayfish and preserving them, It says that you cannot use live crayfish but as far as i know it doesnt say anything aboot preserved ones??

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"...And that person shall be known as the Tree Inspector"

[This message has been edited by Bobb-o (edited 08-06-2003).]