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Fishing with live crawdads
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08-22-2008, 02:48 AM
The option has always been available to me (except in tournaments) but I have never fished with live crawdads before. How do you rig them? How is your success rate?
Where and when do you fish them? I'm not shy about using live bait for bass where legal, can't beat the real thing. [signature] 
08-22-2008, 03:25 AM
You will fish the live Crawdads, Crawfish, Crayfish, or Mudbugs as many refer to them much in the same way that you will fish the plastic version of them.
There is only 2 key differences. 1. Use an O ring that is big enough to go around the Crawdads body and slip it on over the tail. Put your hook through the O ring and not the live bait. Same hook up as for a whacky worm with the Oring. 2. Let the Crawdad do most of the work for you. You may be inclined to twitch from time to time which is OK but most of the time, the crawdad will be crawling around and trying to hide from the big Bass. You just give it a little twitch when it is trying to set still and not be noticed. I love this technique and in CA it is legal in 98% of the Bass lakes. We are able to buy and transport or catch/transport. As you stated, check your local regulations before attempting this. I know that they frown on transporting live crawdads in UT but you are allowed to catch them and use them, on the spot, in some areas.[cool] One more note: You can use the Live Crawdads anytime of the day. You just need to follow the bait schedule as the Crawdads do. The Crawdads go the shore at night which puts bank fishing at an advantage and the go from shore to depths in the day which puts Boats, Float Tubes, Pontoons or other water craft at an advantage in the morning hours.[  ][signature]
08-22-2008, 03:28 AM
![[Image: rostrumhooking.gif]](http://www.catcherman.com/images/featureimages/fishchris/livecrawdads/rostrumhooking.gif) Hooking through the "rostrum" here keepsem moving naturally. I suggest this while freelining.I found it from this site- [url "http://www.catcherman.com/features/rigging/crawdading030825fishchris.htm"]http://www.catcherman.com/features/rigging/crawdading030825fishchris.htm[/url] [signature]
08-22-2008, 06:00 AM
If you are going to hook them in that spot, I would suggest something that is minimal on destruction but would still allow a good hook set.
Owner Mutu light wire in a 3/0. It is much smaller than a standard 3/0 worm hook for plastics.[cool] Good illustration on behalf of bassmasta.[ ][signature]
08-22-2008, 07:16 PM
I like the O-ring idea with a Gamakatsu 1/0 Finesse Hook. The only luck I've had with crayfish is on smallies in a river. Hellgrammites are usually more effective than crayfish, so I rarely use them.
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08-22-2008, 08:42 PM
Amen on the Helgramites bro. Anytime those are around, they are the "Go to" bait.[cool]
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08-22-2008, 11:08 PM
I was only able to use them once on a guided trip and we put them just in front of the tail. God forbid we tossed the tail in the water if a smallie took the front part. The guide went berserk. Last time we went with him.
![[Image: angry.gif]](http://www.bigfishtackle.com/images/gforum/angry.gif) [signature]
08-23-2008, 02:53 AM
Hey John, i have used them a bunch at Mantua, the berry, and a few other small lakes. They are gangbusters at Mantua. The hard part is stopping fishing to find them. If you know where to go to find them it makes for a VERY interesting day. We need to hook up and try it one of these days. I also am working on the mice thing. Stay tuned for the 10 o'clock news to hear more.[
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08-23-2008, 03:18 AM
If you have a rig for live mice, I would like to know. I'll even trade you that for my secret on fishing with live Rattlers.[cool]
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08-24-2008, 04:29 PM
I'll tell you about mice, but i care not to learn about rattlers.[pirate][crazy]
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08-24-2008, 04:49 PM
I'd like to hear about it as well, LH2. Maybe I can get a bass over 5lb.once. White or brown? Or do we match the hatch?
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