How To Hook A Crawdad

[Ozark Baby]

OK, a couple of the places I have fished I have seen and would have been able to catch a few crawdads. What I want to know is how to properly put them on a hook to use as bait. Can anyone help me out hre?

[zsmith62]

just slide your hook underneath the big plate on it's back, this way it can still move relatively freely. I'd recommend inserting the hook from the tail end, so it can maintain it's natural backwards motion.

[oneshot]

Got another question to go with this too.Do you pull the Pinchers off? And is it better to fish them under a Float to get them off the bottom?

oneshot

[zsmith62]

Some people take the pinchers off, and some don't, I guess its a manner of personal preference. You actually want them to stay on the bottom, but with enough weight attached to anchor it in one place so the crawdad doesn't just hide under a rock, but still can move around.

[Walleye1]

OK, a couple of the places I have fished I have seen and would have been able to catch a few crawdads. What I want to know is how to properly put them on a hook to use as bait. Can anyone help me out hre?

I fish crawdads quite a bit for smallmouth on the Big Piney and Gasconade Rivers. The best bait crawdads are the green ones about 2 1/2-3" long. I never pull the pinchers off. As one poster said, hook them thru the tail. Insert the hook about 1/2 up the tail from the bottom and bring the hook up thru the top with the point of the hook pointing toward the tails end. I use a #4 gold aberdeen hook with a small split shot about 2 feet up from the hook. There is a learning curve to keep the crawdad just off the bottom and not let it crawl under rocks. When you get bit don't let the fish run too long or you might end up with a short fish with the hook in it's throat. Almost impossible to get a hook out of a fish's throat without killing it. IMHO crawdads are the favorite food for smallmouth's and goggle eyes. Have fun.

[Gavin]

Has anyone tried circle hooks for crawdads? I never fish bait for smallmouth, but I do for catfish in my uncle's pond..Switched to a 1/0 circle hooks a couple years ago and I havent gut hooked one since I switched. There is a learning curve..I missed a few before I learned to skip the hook set and just start realing.

[Ozark Baby]

Thank you all for your help. I shall try them and see how it goes when I get a chance to catch a few.

[Kayser]

When hooking them through the tail, do it off to one side of center. There is a major vein that runs along the top of the shell in the tail, and they die pretty quick if you puncture it. I've used them on trotlines for catfish, and the ones hooked like this lived until morning, unless the catfish found them.

Rob