Crawfish, crayfish, crawdads are the same fish found in freshwater. They are popular as bait for catfish, bass, trout, etc.
Across America, this is a widespread fish to find. Americans find catching fish a very fun activity on holidays. And they tend to use crawfish as bait for bigger fishes.
You have to hook crawfish in the correct method to catch bigger fish. It is a little tricky to hook as here you must maintain the height, width and depth. The technique is not that tricky but includes some special techniques.
Before everything, be sure that catching crawfish is legal in your area. And if yes, you can certainly use them as bait.
Where to find crawfish?
You can find crawfish in freshwater. They can survive and propagate in streams, lakes, ponds, etc. If you want, you can practice farming with these crawfish. They are always on demand as you can commonly use them as bait for catfish.
Crawfish is a retired type of lobster and tends to be in deeper water. So, you might get them under rocks, water plants in deep water. If you’re planning to spend your whole day catching crawfish, it can be a good idea.
Living in deep water, they often keep hiding under rocks/ plants. They are small in size and tend to be risk-free catching for the unprofessional.
Crawfish are more common in America. However, they are also common around the Atlantic, Mediterranean, etc. Crawfish are not commonly farmed everywhere. If you want to catch crawfish, consider knowing what the specific spots known for crawfish in your locality are. You might find them in local lakes or fish firms.
How to hook a crawfish?
Each type of hydro animal requires different methods for hooking. Firstly, hooking means preparing the bait. And while you hook any fish/ hydra animal, you must not attack their major organs.
Before you hook a crawfish, you’ve to find the right type of fishhook. As crawfishes are tiny in size, you don’t have to get any big fish hook here. After all, the hook needs to be handy and able to trap them well.
The prevalent opinion over hooking crawfish is, you need to start by the tail. It is a tiny fish, and the tail is sufficiently hooked. The average size of a crawfish would have a half-inch space on its tail. You can hook it either on the second or third segment of the crawfish tail. It’s a safe space to hook the crawfish.
This method doesn’t only keep the crawfish safe and living. It will also allow them to move naturally. This movement certainly attracts other fishes toward it.
However, you can also hook the crawfish by their horn. Thai is situated over the crawfish’s face and just in front of their eyes. This method keeps the crawfish living and moving for 4 hours at least.
Additionally, You can use a rubber band to tie up the crawfish and hook the rubber band instead of the crawfish body. This method is more effective proven by experts.
However, you don’t have to bother about the movements unless you’re fishing in current water. In current water, you’ll get a natural reflection of the movement of the baits. Whereas, in still water, it is necessary to move the bait as they are meant to attract the other fishes.
Additional information you may need also –
What type of hook for crawfish?
What type of hook you should get will similarly depend on the bait and the fish you’re catching.
Circle hooks are commonly used for crawfish. Circle hooks look like octopus hooks by the structure. These are the smart and safer picks for fishing.
But they have around the bend in between the gaps. The oval area of the hook is sharp and able to catch more fish at once. Moreover, crawfish is a popular bait for catfish catch. And circle hooks are the best hook to catch catfish as well.
This hook will hold the fish only in certain areas. It cuts off the issue of reaching the organs of the bait. Here, the bait will safely get into the fish’s mouth, and you can comfortably bring the fish out.
You might get a lot of brands offering various types of circle hooks/ Go through the review sections/professionals’ recommendations first. Then pick a good quality circle hook to turn fishing into fun.
What size of hook for crawfish?
Choosing the right size of hook for the right bate is essential. After all, the hook should be capable enough to hold up the bait as Well As fish weight.
Crawfish are tiny bait to hook. Here you don’t have to get any bigger hook. However, you should match the crawfish size with the hook size. If the crawfish is about 6 inches, get a hook of 3/0 hook.
If your bate is around 8 inches, get a hook of 4/0 size. This two-size hook would be enough for crawfish. There are rarely any big crawfish as bait.
Related: Carp Fishing Hooks for Beginners
Frequently Asked question
Question: What type of bait for catching crawfish?
Answer: If you want to trap the crawfish easily, getting good bait is necessary. Sunfish, shiners, gizzards, and pogies are efficient in trapping crawfish. However, You can also use crawfish by hand only. That might take a lot of time, and you need to learn a few tricks then. So, you better use bait to catch crawfish.
Question: Can I eat crawfish?
Answer: Yes, crawfish is an edible type of shellfish. But because of its mercury level, the entire body is not edible. There is a very tiny portion of crawfish you can eat. However, it can be infectious for many. Especially babies and pregnant women should not eat this fish.
Wrap up:
Crawfish is a very tiny and commonly used bate. Crawfish is popular as a fish as well as bait. If you love catching catfish, you must use crawfish as their bait. But for that, you must learn how to hook a crawfish. It takes a little trick and consciousness to follow. Get the correct type of hook to hold up these fishes correctly.
