Crawfish

[LrgmouthShad]

https://www.bassmaster.com/how-to/news/understanding-bass-forage-crawfish/

[AlabamaSpothunter]

I've been on a kick lately watching and reading stuff from Bass biologists like Bob Lusk and Steven Bardin.   

 

One thing I've picked up is the fact that Bass don't really prefer Crawdads as a food source, but rather simply can't stand to have them around for whatever evolutionary reason.  This isn't a fact, but rather something I've just deduced from their info.  

 

I've always believed and seen from my fishing results that Crawdad imitating baits produce a much larger fish on average.    It's the smallest profile bait I've ever used that produces big fish consistently.   

 

A Crawdad imitator bait turned my Spring completely around.   Might not ever get back into jigs, but pegging a T-Rigged craw/creature will be tied on every time out going forward.  

[LrgmouthShad]

14 minutes ago, AlabamaSpothunter said:

A Crawdad imitator bait turned my Spring completely around.

After reading more into what crawfish do during the spring, I think some type of craw imitator is a must in the spring. I didn’t fish it enough in the past

[A-Jay]

21 minutes ago, AlabamaSpothunter said:

 

One thing I've picked up is the fact that Bass don't really prefer Crawdads as a food source, but rather simply can't stand to have them around for whatever evolutionary reason. 

I feel the same way about Pizza ~ And that is a fact !

A-Jay

[LrgmouthShad]

3 minutes ago, A-Jay said:

I feel the same way about Pizza ~ And that is a fact !

A-Jay

Nailed that one

[AlabamaSpothunter]

22 minutes ago, LrgmouthShad said:

After reading more into what crawfish do during the spring, I think some type of craw imitator is a must in the spring. I didn’t fish it enough in the past

Same here, I planted my feet in the sand and kept power fishing moving baits.   Finally cried uncle and tied on the craw imitator and the 5lb+ fish valve opened again.    

 

Stubbornness has cost me more fish than anything else.    I'm not good at change in life in general, but I think Bass fishing helps me get better with that as time goes on.   If you don't change in Bass fishing, you just can't reach anywhere near your full potential.   

[Pat Brown]

59 minutes ago, AlabamaSpothunter said:

I've been on a kick lately watching and reading stuff from Bass biologists like Bob Lusk and Steven Bardin.   

 

One thing I've picked up is the fact that Bass don't really prefer Crawdads as a food source, but rather simply can't stand to have them around for whatever evolutionary reason.  This isn't a fact, but rather something I've just deduced from their info.  

 

I've always believed and seen from my fishing results that Crawdad imitating baits produce a much larger fish on average.    It's the smallest profile bait I've ever used that produces big fish consistently.   

 

A Crawdad imitator bait turned my Spring completely around.   Might not ever get back into jigs, but pegging a T-Rigged craw/creature will be tied on every time out going forward.  

 

 

I personally feel the same way about jigs in general that you feel about t rigs but to an even greater degree.  I feel that a jig truly weeds out a lot of the welterweights and zeros in on the giant fish holding to a piece of cover MOST of the year for me.

 

I like to have both tied on because in general I find that they are usually gonna go for one over the other and if they're eating a jig, it's a good day to catch a giant.

[LrgmouthShad]

1 minute ago, Pat Brown said:

 

 

I personally feel the same way about jigs in general that you feel about t rigs but to an even greater degree.  I feel that a jig truly weeds out a lot of the welterweights and zeros in on the giant fish holding to a piece of cover MOST of the year for me.

 

I like to have both tied on because in general I find that they are usually gonna go for one over the other and if they're eating a jig, it's a good day to catch a giant.

Funny enough I used to fish on a reservoir where a jig got more bites than a t-rig, and they were usually small, with the occasional decent one. I agree it’s abnormal though.

 

I have a theory based on experience that jigs are not a bad choice at all for me on lakes that I struggle on. I’m not sure why that is. Maybe because there’s not a lot of negative cues with a jig? Maybe because some anglers seem to shy away from them? Maybe it has to do with the types of cover (I’m thinking rock) that tends to be on reservoirs that are tough for me? Who knows
 

 

[AlabamaSpothunter]

Just now, Pat Brown said:

 

 

I personally feel the same way about jigs in general that you feel about t rigs but to an even greater degree.  I feel that a jig truly weeds out a lot of the welterweights and zeros in on the giant fish holding to a piece of cover MOST of the year for me.

 

I like to have both tied on because in general I find that they are usually gonna go for one over the other and if they're eating a jig, it's a good day to catch a giant.

I was mentored on the fact that jigs are for big fish.     I learned the palomer knot the same day I learned to fish a jig.....both things my fishing mentor stressed were key to catching big Bass.    I didn't realize then why that might be the case, but this thread is starting to illustrate exactly why that is.   

 

@WRB is proof that the jig is truly a big fish bait ?

[Pat Brown]

1 minute ago, LrgmouthShad said:

Funny enough I used to fish on a reservoir where a jig got more bites than a t-rig, and they were usually small, with the occasional decent one. I agree it’s abnormal though.

 

I have a theory based on experience that jigs are not a bad choice at all for me on lakes that I struggle on. I’m not sure why that is. Maybe because there’s not a lot of negative cues with a jig? Maybe because some anglers seem to shy away from them? Maybe it has to do with the types of cover (I’m thinking rock) that tends to be on reservoirs that are tough for me? Who knows
 

 

 

 

I fish multiple lakes and ponds in my state of North Carolina where it's almost like a switch goes on and they want a Texas rig and then the switch goes off and they want the jig again and it happens periodically throughout the year off and on and you've really got to just play around with the fish to see what's going on.

[Jar11591]

1 hour ago, AlabamaSpothunter said:

I've been on a kick lately watching and reading stuff from Bass biologists like Bob Lusk and Steven Bardin.

You should definitely check out the YouTube channel “The Nature Of Fishing”. It’s @Paul Roberts channel. He doesn’t post much here or on YT anymore, but his videos are great. They’re really educational and get into a lot of biology and behavior of bass. You can learn a ton from his videos. I highly recommend checking it out. 

[PhishLI]

1 hour ago, AlabamaSpothunter said:

A Crawdad imitator bait turned my Spring completely around.   Might not ever get back into jigs, but pegging a T-Rigged craw/creature will be tied on every time out going forward.  

I'm liking these instead of bullet weights. They come through weeds and slop so cleanly. There are magnum versions too.

Fin-tech Title Shot Jig 2pk - Tackle Warehouse

[LrgmouthShad]

7 minutes ago, Pat Brown said:

 

 

I fish multiple lakes and ponds in my state of North Carolina where it's almost like a switch goes on and they want a Texas rig and then the switch goes off and they want the jig again and it happens periodically throughout the year off and on and you've really got to just play around with the fish to see what's going on.

That’s what Catt says too. I get what y’all are saying. I don’t have enough personal data to back up what you are saying. 
 

On that reservoir, it wasn’t like one day they would want the jig and one day they would want the TR. I tried both a lot. I’m talking… you could fish a t-rig there and you would catch one. I would fish a jig and catch three. Every day of the week, 24/7/365. But your fish on the t rig might be bigger. 

[AlabamaSpothunter]

9 minutes ago, Jar11591 said:

You should definitely check out the YouTube channel “The Nature Of Fishing”. It’s @Paul Roberts channel. He doesn’t post much here or on YT anymore, but his videos are great. They’re really educational and get into a lot of biology and behavior of bass. You can learn a ton from his videos. I highly recommend checking it out. 

Fantastic, will go check that out right now.  Thanks!  

7 minutes ago, PhishLI said:

I'm liking these instead of bullet weights. They come through weeds and slop so cleanly. There are magnum versions too.

Fin-tech Title Shot Jig 2pk - Tackle Warehouse

Those look delicious, why you got monkey me like that ?

 

eta:   What size hook comes on those, looks kind of like a 3/0

[Catt]

The Texas Rig & Jig-n-Craw are arguably the #1 & #2 most productive lures in whichever order you put them in.

 

Why would you not want to throw both?

 

I have a Texas Rig & Jig-n-Craw tied on 24/7/365!

 

@Pat Brown there are days when one or the other will be more productive. When I fish an area with a Texas Rig first I follow up with a Jig-n-Craw or vice a versa. A lot of times my Texas Rig is are craw worms of some type.

[softwateronly]

49 minutes ago, AlabamaSpothunter said:

Fantastic, will go check that out right now.  Thanks!  

Those look delicious, why you got monkey me like that ?

 

eta:   What size hook comes on those, looks kind of like a 3/0

All sorts of flavors....

 

https://fintechjigs.com/product-category/title-shot/

 

scott

[PhishLI]

51 minutes ago, AlabamaSpothunter said:

What size hook comes on those, looks kind of like a 3/0

The larger size is Title Shot "Original" 1/4oz 4/0. The small is Title Shot "Shorty" Jig 1/8oz 2/0.

[AlabamaSpothunter]

Just now, PhishLI said:

The larger size is Title shot "Original" 1/4oz 4/0. The small is Title Shot "Shorty Jig 1/8oz 2/0.

Bingo, I want that 4/0.  Those sound awesome, got to get other stuff to get dat free shipping yo ?

[PhishLI]

1 minute ago, AlabamaSpothunter said:

got to get other stuff to get dat free shipping yo ?

It's the cross we bear...

[Catt]

Add the hook & craw of your choice.

 

[softwateronly]

Now I'm gonna thread a worm on a jig...

 

[AlabamaSpothunter]

1 hour ago, Jar11591 said:

You should definitely check out the YouTube channel “The Nature Of Fishing”. It’s @Paul Roberts channel. He doesn’t post much here or on YT anymore, but his videos are great. They’re really educational and get into a lot of biology and behavior of bass. You can learn a ton from his videos. I highly recommend checking it out. 

Just finished his Crawfish Hunters video.   Cool stuff.   He's a very methodical man, you can tell he's highly intelligent.    

 

I heard about stitching, but never saw it used until that video, might give that a try tomorrow.  

 

Thanks again.  

[WRB]

 

Myth #1 is crayfish (crawdads) hibernate. I once thought they did because of witnessing Crawdads emerging from clay burrows when the water temps hit about 55 degrees. 

Myth#2 is crawdads live in rocks. Rocks like rip rap give a crawdad a good hiding area but provide little food. Crawdads are scavengers and eat both vegetation and meat.

Crawdads often live in tiny creeks, golf club ponds or stated everywhere in every waterway where bass live.

Myth#3 bass prefer Crawdads with pincher claws. In my experience removing a claw actually increase bass striking a live crawdad. When fishing with live Crawdads in the 60’s bass preferred Crawdads about 3” body length and no claws as long as the crawdad was lively. A dead crawdad has little appeal to bass.

Where I fish in SoCal we do not have native crayfish, the only native is the Signal Crayfish found in NorCal and the Delta.

We also don’t have any native bass! So both bass and Crawdads are transplants. The Southern Swamp Crayfish is a common Crawdads in SoCal waters.

The high % areas in our lakes are clay to rocky transition areas and pre spawn is by far the active feeding time for bass eating Crawdads. Since Crawdads are more active in low light or night becomes a good time to fish with jigs imitating them.

Tom

PS; Crayfish,Crawfish or Crawdad? 

[TnRiver46]

There are over 90 different species of crayfish in TN, better call @Siebert Outdoors and get lots of colors…….

[Catt]

LSU crawfish specialist with the AG Center, Mark Shirley, the freezing temperatures send crawfish into hibernation & make them dormant.