Key Takeaways
- Crawfish is the preferred meal for largemouth bass, so using crawfish bait can significantly improve your chances of catching bass.
- Plastic crawfish bait is an exact replica of a real crawfish and is ideal for matching the bait to the hook and line rig to keep it realistic.
- Different species of bass prefer different types of crawfish, so plastic lures are available in a variety of sizes, shapes, and colors to match the type of bass you are fishing for.
- Plastic bait is a more affordable choice overall compared to live crawfish, and it has far more applications.
- Plastic bait is easier to use and can be reeled back quickly before making another cast. It also doesn’t need to be kept alive, which saves time and effort.
Best Crawfish Lures for Bass – Orbit Fishing
Largemouth bass will always enjoy a tasty crawfish. Out of all the fish and aquatic animals the planet has to offer, it is the fish’s preferred meal.
Bass fishing has 30 million active participants, so it’s critical to identify the best techniques to improve your technique. It seems obvious that while you’re out fishing for bass, you should utilize the greatest crawfish lure. Other lures might not be as successful, and we’ll explain why below.
What Is a Crawfish Bait?
An exact replica of a crawfish, which is the preferred prey of bass across the nation, is a plastic crawfish lure or crawfish bait.
They are unaware that what they are seeing is actually a soft-plastic lure made to look like a real crawfish. To keep your hook-and-line rig looking functional and realistic, it’s ideal to match the lure to it.
Different types of crawfish are preferred by different species of bass in different regions. Plastic lures are available in a variety of sizes, shapes, and colors to match the type of bass you are fishing for, just like real crawfish.
When To Fish a Plastic Crawfish Bait
You’re contemplating, “Plastic or live?” in the bait shop. Many anglers struggle with this decision, and the solution depends on your preferences and your financial capabilities.
Plastic bait is initially the more affordable choice overall. Although a live crawfish normally costs more per lure, plastic has far more applications. Every time you hit the water, buying or foraging for crawfish may become expensive.
Plastic is also simpler to reel back before making another cast. If you reel in too quickly when using live bait, you risk losing the crawfish. Every minute counts if your next fishing trip only has a few hours to spare.
Fish prefer live bait more, though, and that is a simple fact. With a live crawfish, your chances of catching bigger and better bass are marginally higher than with plastic.
Why Use a Crawfish Bait Over Other Lure Types
Bass adores crawfish. They have been doing it for millions of years, and even if they are tethered to a hook and a hungry angler, they are not likely to quit. The success of the plastic-like bait is due to this.
Other lure types can still be used to capture bass, but you won’t catch as many and it might take longer. Bass typically eats crawfish as prey. This means that a crawfish-shaped lure is more likely to catch their attention than a lure that is shaped like a different fish.
Additionally, there are numerous varieties of crawfish to choose from, just as there are numerous bass species. Basically, you can be sure that any bass you are fishing for is interested in some kind of crawfish.
Rigs for Plastic Crawfish Baits
You could believe that your work is finished after you select your crawfish lure. Are you prepared to go fishing? Wrong. You must now determine which rig style is ideal for the type of fishing you are doing.
Find a brief summary of the top rig types for crawfish lures below to help you with all your rigging questions.
1. Texas Rig
For many years, both novice and seasoned fishermen have employed the Texas rig. A soft plastic lure can be threaded using this tried-and-true technique, which gives you ample motion and raises your probability of landing a fish.
A Texas Rig is relatively simple to tie. It entails tying your hook, attaching the bait, and first threading a tiny, bullet-shaped metal worm sinker onto the line.
To increase your chances of successfully catching a fish, you should match the size and form of the hook to the sinker. Generally speaking, the heavier your sinker should be, the deeper the water you’re trying to fish in. Lakes or ponds with dense vegetation may also need a heavier rig.
2. Carolina Rig
Another tried-and-true technique for catching a ton of bass is the Carolina rig. Though a little trickier than the Texas Rig, it’s still doable for brand-new learners.
The first step in tying the ideal Carolina Rig is to position a bullet- or egg-shaped weight. Add a swivel tie and a little bead after that. Then, based on the water depth and current, choose a long or short leader. Finally, attach your bait by tying a 3/0 hook or larger to the end.
Again, the secret to success with a Carolina Rig is to match the hook size and sinker weight to the water depth and conditions.
But you also need to consider the length of the leader. Your rig has a higher chance of becoming stuck on vegetation the longer it is. Even if you’re fishing in deep waters, you might have to tie the line shorter than you’d like.
