I've been told soft crayfish are excellent fish bait, if this is true, can you tell me where, when, and how to catch them, and t

[Philip Parrott]

I've been told soft crayfish are excellent fish bait, if this is true, can you tell me where, when, and how to catch them, and the best method of fishing with them? Thank you, Philip Parrott

[bayouwoof]

They are great fish bait.

When Ah lived near the Gulf, we used to scoop them out of flooded roadside ditches with a bait net

[Guest]

Soft crawfish are the result of the crustacean shedding his carapace. Seining and bait scoops are usually effective, but they are very wary when they are in the "soft' stage, due to being easy prey to fish, frogs, snakes, and even other crawfish. You will very rarely catch soft shell crawfish in traps. They are good bait, but bait stealing fish get them a lot easier than when they have a hard shell.

[buckhunter]

Few things can beat a crawfish on a hook. Hook them through the tail with a hook big enough hook to leave a gap large enough to hook a fish. I pull the claws off to make them easier for the fish to swallow and keep them moving so they do not bury themselves under rocks.

[Gary Devine]

Crayfish are a delicious delicacy to largemouth bass.

[DSMbirddog]

Crawfish are a delicacy to me too!

[Ontario Honker Hunter]

KNOW HOW TO IDENTIFY THE RUSTY CRAYFISH!! Though these are native to an isolated part of the Ohio River drainage, the damned things have been transported all over the country by anglers. They are voracious attackers of fish beds, particularly bass and, more importantly, panfish. The rusty crayfish can lift their pincers above them to ward off fish attempting to protect their spawning beds. Then they mop up on the eggs. Native crayfish typically cannot raise their pincers and are easily nabbed or chased off by the brood protector. Panfish, which are not the best of parents anyway, are easily booted off the nest. And, as we all know, panfish are the essential staple for a viable trophy bass fishery. If they get cleaned out, everything goes to hell. NEVER use any live bait except what is already found in the system you are fishing. Most places in the States and Canada you'll get hammered hard if they catch you moving bait around that is not native to the area.

[Ontario Honker Hunter]

Besides anglers, the second worst offenders for spreading the rusty crayfish has been schools. These were formerly farmed and sold nationally to school biology programs. The ones that weren't used were often just dumped at the nearest lake. "Can't kill the poor little things if it's not necessary." Sometimes I have to wonder where many of these science teachers got their education ... Crackerjacks University?

[DakotaMan]

Any crayfish is great for bullheads, catfish and bass. I also take the claws off and that seems to improve hits. I also hook them through the tail in such as way as to be able to pull them backwards through the water easily. I cast them out with a light weight, let them settle to the bottom and very slowly retrieve them. I usually catch them in small creeks with a small seine net.

[santa]

Mudbugs during their growth cycle will get too large to live in their shell and must shed it in order to continue their growth cycle. During the time that the new shell is still soft, they are almost impossible trap. But native crawfish will survive well in a good seasoned home aquarium. If you trap them and then keep them in a home aquarium with plenty of food such that they grow quickly, eventually they will have to shed. Taking them out of the water quickly will keep the new shell from hardening. Then they can be kept that way for several days out of water if you slow down their body functions by keeping them in a cooler at around 36- 40 degrees F.

[Ontario Honker Hunter]

That old Santa is sure a wealth of information!

[gtabassin]

Rig these lures on a stand-up jighead. Green Pumpkin is the best colour.