We were about to run out of leeches recently, so I decided to put on some gulp crayfish-types that were sitting in my tacklebox, dragging them along the bottom. Never figured it would work, but to my surprise I outfished my leech friends by a good margin (granted, the Walters were on the bite). Anyone use artificials like that regularly? Any improved rigging for them?
We used to fish a chain of lakes in Northern WI where crayfish was a huge forage for the system.
We would absolutely smoke the smallies by simply putting a real crayfish caught from the rocks by shore, on to a small hook and casting it to rock piles. We also lindy rigged them off of deep points where we had caught ‘eyes in the past and had success there also.
I’m assuming it was legal? In this day and age we probably did something wrong though!
I’ve caught them in crawfish colored cranks and creature baits in the river many times. Matching the forage base is always important.
Last summer I was was out on Mille Lacs fishing for smallmouth with a football jig and red craw colored rage craw trailers. It caught more walleye than smallmouth. I had to switch because I didn’t want anyone thinking I was fishing for walleye during the closure…..
Artificial Crayfish baits certainly have their time and place. If you’re fishing at night when crayfish and walleyes are most active, it can be a really effective strategy. I’ve used them a lot up on the shallow rocks sight fishing walleyes after dark with good success.
How do you sight fish after dark?
With a high power flashlight…those shiny wall eyes are bright.
Caught many walleye on tube jigs in Canada when we found them puking up crayfish in the livewell. Also work good if they are feeding on gobies or bullhead.
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