how to fish live crayfish for smallmouth bass

[redpearl99]

Im going to muskoka next week and would like to know what is the proper method of fishing with live crayfish... I've never used them before. Am I suppose to just cast out and let it do its own work like you would with a minnow or worm? or are you suppose to slowly reel it in like you would a worm? also let it sink completely to the bottom or use a bobber?

 

thanks

[Luke V.]

I just hook them through the body. Add a little wheight. and give it a slight cast. Dont whip it out there, as they dont really have any "meat" to hold tight on the hook. You can fish it all the ways u described. I prefer to let it sit on the bottom. They dont last long when the fish are around

 

Tight lines!

[BillM]

I like the Berkley power crayfish on a 60 degree shaky head with the screw retainer.

[Millhouse2020]

Never tried it myself but saw an article once that suggested using small elastics to attach crayfish to a long shanked live bait hook. Apparantly this kept the crayfish alive much longer and they are much more lively.

 

 

I have great success on smallies with live leeches this time of year. Any Berkley gulp product works well also and you dont have to worry about bait dying on you although leeches are very tough and will keep in a fridge for quite some time.

[Dutch]

IF you use them - use the elastic. If not, don't hook through the body that will kill them quick. Hook them through the tail a little off centre. Only use craw fish from the body of water you will be fishing.

 

As mentioned above - tubes or imitation craw fish will catch the same fish and less likely to cause permanent damage or death to the fish.

[northernpike56]

I have had issues with them wrapping themselves around the line into a ball. The solution was to break their claws a little bit. Not like your ripping them off- just snap them a bit. That way they also can't defend themselves from the smallies, so the fish will grab on better and quicker. I have always just hooked them through the tail and let them sit on the bottom with a split shot, but I'm sure pulling them back slowly would work fine too. Good luck tell us how it goes!!

 

Matt.

Edited September 15, 2012 by northernpike56

[blaque]

I dont always use live bait.....but when i do, i prefer leeches. Stay thirsty my friends.

[redpearl99]

so you guys thing leeches are better than crayfish? would u use a bobber with the leeches or let them sit on bottom?

 

also, if you don't use a bobber for crayfish, then isnt there a good chance that they'll just go hide under a rock or something?

[OhioFisherman]

I usually fished them on a jig like a fuzzy grub, hooked from the bottom up a couple of segments up from the tail flap. I could cast them or just drop them to the bottom and reel in enough to keep them from crawling under rocks and drift over an area.

 

It`s been a long time since I used them, at 4.75 a dozen they seemed like pretty pricy meals to feed the sheephead on lake erie.

[blaque]

 

 

It`s been a long time since I used them, at 4.75 a dozen they seemed like pretty pricy meals to feed the sheephead on lake erie.

 

Exactamundo.......and the ones in the baitshops were always softshell crabs. If you were just getting a couple thumps and then nothing........you knew you just got robbed right quick. Home caught hardshells (from same body of water your fishing) is the more durable way to go

 

On the topic of them crawling under rocks. Just drop shot them, with a short tag so you can hover them just off bottom

[Leecher]

so you guys thing leeches are better than crayfish? would u use a bobber with the leeches or let them sit on bottom?

 

Smallies definitely love live leeches and it's an effective bait to use wacky style... up here in QC it's the only live bait I can use other than dew worms as live craws is a no no. How I rig it is simply put it on hook, cast and let the presentation slowly fall to bottom, no split shots required. I can assure you, if there is smallies around, your presentation will not get to the bottom

 

How to place on hook is as follows: place a leech in your hand and let it suck for a few seconds (don't worry they don't byte lol) stick the hook into it behind the head and careful not to poke your hand... it will roll on itself causing a ball. Pull on hook to release it from your hand and you will hear a pop noise like a suction cup grab it's tail, unroll it and pass it onto the hook again... it will roll again in a ball and as soon as it hits the water, watch it expand and try to swim

 

 

also, if you don't use a bobber for crayfish, then isnt there a good chance that they'll just go hide under a rock or something?

 

Yep... you'll get snag.

[blaque]

cast and let the presentation slowly fall to bottom, no split shots required.

 

Love this technique, Fish just cant resist the natural presentation......it almost feels like cheating

[Leecher]

Love this technique, Fish just cant resist the natural presentation......it almost feels like cheating

 

Yep

 

Live crayfish and frogs for bass is cheating for sure!

Smallies will gladly hit jerkbaits, squarebills, poppers, spinnerbaits, lipless cranks, grubs, tubes, flippin jigs, senkos.

Live bait isn't worth the hassle, IMO.

 

I'm talking about leeches here Sinclair not craws and frogs... they're illegal up here in QC

 

Your right about the ones you mentioned above... talk about senkos, one I like throwing at them is a 7" Minnow Gulp cherry seed rigged wacky style on a 4/0 wide gap octopus hook They just can't get enough of it

[Roy]

not craws and frogs... they're illegal up here in QC

 

Hey Jacques! Since when?

[misfish]

I dont always use live bait.....but when i do, i prefer leeches. Stay thirsty my friends.

 

[Joeytier]

Live bait isn't worth the hassle, IMO.

Unless you prefer fishing with live bait...

 

I grew up catching crayfish and using them as bait. Tubes obviously work excellent, but there's nothing like watching a monster smallie come up and grab the crayfish you caught yourself.

 

I still enjoy doing it the odd time. Just hook once lightly thru the back...no weight...cast lightly

[ctranter]

there's nothing like watching a monster smallie come up and grab the crayfish you caught yourself

 

Indeed I had experienced this often as a kid, but now it is even more enthralling to tie a crayfish pattern fly and have it catch several smallies, and trust me I have brought in many tanks. There is just something so satisfying about a fish that decides to eat something that you have created yourself.

 

To the OP, when I use live crays I hook them through the tail on a dropshot rig and focus on rocky areas and structure. I find that when you hook them in any part of their body they die instantly and lose their movement.

[Leecher]

Hey Jacques! Since when?

 

Roy I read it here:

 

MRNF

 

Unless I'm reading it wrong

[Ralph Field]

I love fishing crayfish! I like to hook them in the tail ( 3 sections up ), then toss it out and let it sink. If I haven't had a hit by the time it hits bottom , then I retrieve it very slowly with a slight lift drop action so that the crayfish doesn't bury itself in the rocks. If small mouth are present you won't have to wait long. Crayfish are easy to catch and fun to fish, and better than leeches IMHO.

[doubleheader]

I used to fish crayfish quite a bit. This time of year you should be able to find softshell crabs, a primo bait, and peelers (those just getting ready to shed), but you can break the shells on a hardshell crabs as well. We always removed the pinchers on the hardshell crabs too. We hooked them by going down thru the meat where the tail meats the mid section then back up into the tail end. Just about anything will hit these things. We'd leave our bail open and just watch the line.

[redpearl99]

so is it a common thing to leave the bail open? will you still be able to see the strike on the rod tip that way?

[Ralph Field]

If you leave the bail open you would see the line coming off the reel and the rod tip may or may not move. I would think that this method would only be feasible on calm days. I always fish with the bail closed and my index finger on the line similar to bottom bouncing for steelhead. I cast out and let the crayfish sink. If there isn't a hit on the drop I close the bail and with my index finger on the line I raise the tip of my rod from 9 o'clock to 11 o'clock, I then temporarily remove my index finger from the line and wind in the slack line,then my index finger goes back on the line and I repeat the before mentioned lift. When I feel a hit I open the bail and give the bass a couple of seconds to turn the crayfish in it's mouth before setting the hook( I like circle hooks).If I haven't had any hits by the time my crayfish is back to the boat, I reel in slowly as I often get hit at this stage, then I cast again and repeat the procedure.