Imitating soft plastic crayfish or hard plastic crayfish can be one of the most powerful baits you can throw, depending on the time of year and how it is presented. Many anglers today use these imitations and do not understand why they use them and, quite possibly, use them correctly. Imitations come in different shapes, sizes, materials and colors. We will review the selection process and determine when to imitate the best time to follow, and also explain why and how you should use them. After you understand the rituals of mating and molting crayfish, you will definitely have an advantage when using these imitation baits.
There are plastic role models ranging from "to" to 6 inches. Some have a few legs and tongs, while many of them are very authentic, and they can vary greatly between models and brands. In fact, there are companies that took real crayfish and made the mold of this creature and reproduced an exact copy in soft plastic. Some of the most popular brands of plastic crayfish are worms, gamers, magic worms, zoom, nikol, insane man, winner king, tiki sticks, storm, Culprit, Lake Fork, Berkley and Gary Yamamoto to name a few. My personal choice is the Gambler Crawdaddy in a 4-inch model. I have tried many different types and brands, and Crawdaddy consistently produces the most blows for me when it comes to hard crankbaits (there is hard plastic or wood), there are many companies that produce samples of crayfish. Some of them come to mind are Rapala, Storm, Bomber, Yo-Zuri, Mann, Rebels, Smithwick, Rat-L-Trap, Cotton Cordell, Berkeley and Dayva.
I think to truly understand when the best time to use a crayfish type bait, you must first understand why they are eating, and when they find this type of food the most appetizing. Crayfish are located approximately everywhere: from flooded areas to agricultural fields to muddy ditches and, of course, ponds, lakes and reservoirs. In the adjacent 48 states, there is no state that does not have millions of crayfish swimming around and providing a pleasant holiday for local bass populations. The more knowledge you have about crayfish, the higher the likelihood of curing after practice and proper use. I think we need to go back to the science class and tell everyone about this amazing little beast. Like any creature on our planet, crayfish are tied up and determined to eat, mate and protect themselves from predators. You need to understand how this process works to maximize your catch when using imitation baits.
At the end of March - May - the first major period of crayfish activity. This may now change one month ahead or back depending on the state in which you live and other data, such as temperature and water conditions. Cancers usually begin to come out when water reaches 50 degrees. This is the time when they are in wide open areas looking for susceptible females to mate. Most importantly, this is the first time that males walk on rocks, exposing themselves to the effects of bass. When crayfish walk on stones, they create a click noise that is designed to attract females, but it will also attract bass. Keep in mind that the stones - this is the place number 1, which cancers removed from the bass. Look for rocks that are clean enough and free of debris, as crayfish do not have the ability to clean the rock like a bass, using the tail to sweep the spawning bed nicely and cleanly. Crayfish of rare currents and wave actions to sweep the rocks clean for them. Cancers are also very sensitive to light. If the water is shallow, your chances of catching bass are much better in low light conditions, such as early morning or late evening. If crayfish walk over stones in 30 feet of water, you can fish for them at any time of the day.
After mating takes place, the females will disappear back into their small holes and caves to fertilize their eggs with sperm, which was laid on them by males. Then the males of the crayfish will molt, and their calcified genitals will fall. (Oops!) When this happens, the men will try to hide. This is the time when many anglers think that bass will care for crayfish. This is true for evaluation, but not for reasons that may arise! After molting, the males begin to retreat and are less accessible to the predator bass. Crayfish will spend most of their time in their caves and pits, trying to find enough to eat without leaving the open water. They will even leave the shelter in low light conditions, and when this happens, the probability of getting fish will be much greater. In the process of molting, the color of the crayfish will change dramatically. Usually they go from camouflage brown / olive to bright red or orange. This color change will make them much more noticeable for hungry fish traveling along, and this explains why bass, as a rule, feasts on crayfish at this stage.
Depending on the water temperature, the females begin to hatch with eggs, usually after about 30 days. Hatching will remain attached to the female, and depending on the type of crayfish, the chicks will molt every 2-7 days. Then they will fall from the mother after the third molt and will be approximately “long”. Then the females are molted and go into the process of light feeding, and as much as possible remain in their caves and crevices. crawl over cracks and cracks and feed as much as possible until autumn. During this period, small crayfish are more susceptible to lower feeders, and not to bass. the same stones that you caught before the year. Often ignored by most anglers, the mating season or cycle is the most intense.
I think that the best way to catch either hard plastic or soft plastic imitation is to work with them parallel to the rocky shores. Try different depths and always remember to bounce, jump, jig, hit and control the lure over the stones, because this is the area that the bass will search for crayfish. In other words, always keep in touch with the stone structures! If you are using a soft plastic goiter with a bullet type weight, be sure to press and pat this weight against the stones, as this definitely mimics the sounds of click that make crayfish. When using plastic or wooden elbows, use models that contain a rattle device, as this is an excellent imitation. If you are very serious about “matching the hatch,” try my method. I will go ashore a day before going to catch water and dip a crayfish trap in the water. Wait until you catch a few crayfish. Then you can explore these creatures, and when you return home, you can take your soft plastics and match the colors of these lively crayfish. This may require you to buy a few cans of soft plastic paint or several colors or nail polish, and also pull up the tips of the cups and various parts to get an exact match. You have additional questions, please contact me at bassmasters65@yahoo.com.
