Hey all I hope you’re staying dry. Headed out to El Capitan this Sunday and decided I would fish crawdads. I used to love fishing crawdads and haven’t done it for a while because many of my old crawdad holes no longer hold them. I headed out onto El Cap with that in mind, after stopping at East County bait, and tackle and picking some up there, all they had were the red dads and I usually have always done better with the green ones. I figured I would head out anyway and see how it went. I headed to a rock pile that I always like and began fishing. After a while of no bites, I kind of got a little bit bored , and decided to throw out a jig at the same time and see which would catch more fish. I fished back-and-forth between both the live crawdads and the jigs and my astonishment the jigs way out fished the crawdad. I ended up getting 4 Bass on the jigs and zero bites on the live ones I ended up missing several other bites on the jig as well. I was using one of the ones I had picked up for the lake Murray Tube Mobb tournament that was green pumpkin with a little bit of purple and I used a Berkeley power bait fatty craw, green, pumpkin trailer. That seem to be the ticket for me. I talked to many other people that day, who were really struggling, and a few who said that all of their bites came up tight to shore on jigs.
My bites primarily came in about 20 feet of water pulled across rock piles, parallel to shore, I even had a few guys come in with their bass boats saying that the males were up bedding. Not sure if that is true or not still seems a little bit early to me and maybe a little bit too cold but who knows heading out to Hodges tomorrow for the opener for a few hours and will hopefully post what I find there.
Check out the video for more details on my crawdads versus jigs experiment, I guess the best thing about it was that I won either way! Cheers all see you on the water.
Re: Crawdads vs. Jigs: Which Will Catch More Bass
Posted: Tue Feb 06, 2024 3:21 pm
by CorsoEnthusiast
Pourboy wrote: Tue Feb 06, 2024 1:32 pm
Crawdads vs. Jigs: Which Will Catch More?
Hey all I hope you’re staying dry. Headed out to El Capitan this Sunday and decided I would fish crawdads. I used to love fishing crawdads and haven’t done it for a while because many of my old crawdad holes no longer hold them. I headed out onto El Cap with that in mind, after stopping at East County bait, and tackle and picking some up there, all they had were the red dads and I usually have always done better with the green ones. I figured I would head out anyway and see how it went. I headed to a rock pile that I always like and began fishing. After a while of no bites, I kind of got a little bit bored , and decided to throw out a jig at the same time and see which would catch more fish. I fished back-and-forth between both the live crawdads and the jigs and my astonishment the jigs way out fished the crawdad. I ended up getting 4 Bass on the jigs and zero bites on the live ones I ended up missing several other bites on the jig as well. I was using one of the ones I had picked up for the lake Murray Tube Mobb tournament that was green pumpkin with a little bit of purple and I used a Berkeley power bait fatty craw, green, pumpkin trailer. That seem to be the ticket for me. I talked to many other people that day, who were really struggling, and a few who said that all of their bites came up tight to shore on jigs.
My bites primarily came in about 20 feet of water pulled across rock piles, parallel to shore, I even had a few guys come in with their bass boats saying that the males were up bedding. Not sure if that is true or not still seems a little bit early to me and maybe a little bit too cold but who knows heading out to Hodges tomorrow for the opener for a few hours and will hopefully post what I find there.
Check out the video for more details on my crawdads versus jigs experiment, I guess the best thing about it was that I won either way! Cheers all see you on the water.
Enjoyed the video! Result definitely surprised me! Love dragging a jig at Cap!
Re: Crawdads vs. Jigs: Which Will Catch More Bass
Posted: Tue Feb 06, 2024 3:28 pm
by camobass
In my experience, the reds get bit way less than the greenies. They do get bit but not the preferred bait. I bet if you had non red and armored dads, you would have been bit. Did you try releasing the claws on the dads? That can help with getting them bit. I’ve done the experiment you did many of times and never had a jig out fish a dad. But that was from shore more times than not in pretty wide open bites.
Re: Crawdads vs. Jigs: Which Will Catch More Bass
Posted: Tue Feb 06, 2024 3:52 pm
by VinnyBass
I agree with Camobass as when I used to throw them years ago the green crawdads always out fished the red ones.
I will always remember catching bass after bass in Carol Cove at Lake Miramar in about 25 feet of water decades ago.
They were just nailing the green ones and then I hooked on a red one and could not get bit. I took it off after a number of casts and hooked a green one on and very quickly caught a bass. Not to say that I did not catch bass decades ago on red crawdads at Otay or El Cap for example....but just tended to stick mostly to the green ones after those finicky bass at Miramar always stuck in my head.
I would have lost money if I made a bet that a jig would actually out fish a live crawdad at El Cap.
Go figure......
Re: Crawdads vs. Jigs: Which Will Catch More Bass
Posted: Tue Feb 06, 2024 6:45 pm
by Pourboy
Absolutely for green over red dads. I’m keeping my eye out for both the green dads and a new spot to catch them again. My spots have gone bye bye. As for the claws, yes, I usually crunch them but leave them on if possible. I always figured that put some scent in the water.
Re: Crawdads vs. Jigs: Which Will Catch More Bass
Posted: Wed Feb 07, 2024 8:31 am
by camobass
Just hold on to the claw knuckle and they will release them, crunching them can kill them. But totally on the spots. Chance of a hypodermic needle in the hand or a mentally ill ambush. Alpine fisheries usually has a good selection of dads. The older I get, it’s hard to do a late night dad mission followed by an early morning bass mission.
Re: Crawdads vs. Jigs: Which Will Catch More Bass
Posted: Wed Feb 07, 2024 1:09 pm
by Neuroshima
As always, great video and editing.
What's the difference between green and red crawdads? Species? Diet? Life-cycle?
Re: Crawdads vs. Jigs: Which Will Catch More Bass
Posted: Wed Feb 07, 2024 1:47 pm
by Pourboy
camobass wrote: Wed Feb 07, 2024 8:31 am
Just hold on to the claw knuckle and they will release them, crunching them can kill them. But totally on the spots. Chance of a hypodermic needle in the hand or a mentally ill ambush. Alpine fisheries usually has a good selection of dads. The older I get, it’s hard to do a late night dad mission followed by an early morning bass mission.
Thanks for the info! I’ll check that out for sure.
Re: Crawdads vs. Jigs: Which Will Catch More Bass
Posted: Wed Feb 07, 2024 1:53 pm
by Pourboy
Neuroshima wrote: Wed Feb 07, 2024 1:09 pm
As always, great video and editing.
What's the difference between green and red crawdads? Species? Diet? Life-cycle?
Thanks so much! As far as I know the greens are juvenile and the reds are mature. At least when catching them I almost never found small reds. Not sure on what species we have here. Looking into it.
Re: Crawdads vs. Jigs: Which Will Catch More Bass
Posted: Wed Feb 07, 2024 2:31 pm
by TaBASSco
Not surprised at your results. Fake worms seem to outfish real night crawlers, as my experience recalls.. Those have been my results. I have heard that live shiners will outfish fake minnow or crankbaits, but I haven't fished shiners more than once or twice, and I don't remember catching bass with them when I did.
I think that it has to do with being able to control the lures better and covering more water with them, as opposed to live baits. But then....there are "those guys" that get lots of fish, specializing in that live bait technique and presentation.
I'll stick to lures.
Re: Crawdads vs. Jigs: Which Will Catch More Bass
Posted: Wed Feb 07, 2024 5:00 pm
by bendopolo 44+
Bait fishing is an art. Lots to learn. I fish my ‘Dads exactly like Stitching a Plastic Worm, as I was taught by my Father, an excellent Live Bait Fisherman. Done correctly, you should get a Fish or two on each bait. Ideally my ‘Dads slide up the line when I am bringing in my Fish. No difference in Reds or Greens, you just got to put them in front of their mouths. The smaller baits will get more bites, but the average Fish size decreases. We have all hooked big Bass on small Crawdads too. Just the fact that it was in front of their mouths. You can’t just grab some ‘Dads and put a hook in them and sling them out and let them sit. Then give up. They have to cover water, get pulled out of the junk and walked along in a natural way. It takes practice and perseverance. Truthfully, they can get so good at extracting Bass they should be illegal. One hint: you can convert the red ones into blue ones by feeding them color enhancing aquarium Fish Food . Blue ones are great! Finally, they attract Catfish and giant Redears also. This triples your fin fun.
Re: Crawdads vs. Jigs: Which Will Catch More Bass
Posted: Wed Feb 07, 2024 5:51 pm
by camobass
I agree but Jim Henderson never stitched his dads. He’d leave them sit, he said if they weren’t bit, and after time, they adjust to the hook and start doing their dad business on the bottom. He had a wall to prove it all be it was 70s and 80’s. I have caught most my best fish on greens and peanuts. Another deadly technique is pinning two on one hook. And if there is a lot of junk or lettuce, drop shot works well.
Neuroshima wrote: Wed Feb 07, 2024 1:09 pm
As always, great video and editing.
What's the difference between green and red crawdads? Species? Diet? Life-cycle?
Thanks so much! As far as I know the greens are juvenile and the reds are mature. At least when catching them I almost never found small reds. Not sure on what species we have here. Looking into it.
Our CA dads are boring, you should see them west of here. Blue, zebra, orange all sorts of awesome colors. Az has some bright blueish turquoise. Missouri has some of the strangest varieties of colors I’ve ever scene. Even albinos
Re: Crawdads vs. Jigs: Which Will Catch More Bass
Posted: Wed Feb 07, 2024 6:10 pm
by bendopolo 44+
My Pops…
Re: Crawdads vs. Jigs: Which Will Catch More Bass
Posted: Wed Feb 07, 2024 6:16 pm
by bendopolo 44+
Some more Craw….Bass, Various So Cal Lakes. Yes I use a Spinning Rod. Works for me.
Re: Crawdads vs. Jigs: Which Will Catch More Bass
Posted: Wed Feb 07, 2024 6:37 pm
by Pourboy
Awesome! Thanks for sharing!
Re: Crawdads vs. Jigs: Which Will Catch More Bass
Posted: Wed Feb 07, 2024 6:39 pm
by Pourboy
I do have a bunch of dads left from the trip. I think I'll take them to Hodges on Sunday. I don't want them to go to waste. Maybe do a Part 2 Video?
Re: Crawdads vs. Jigs: Which Will Catch More Bass
Posted: Wed Feb 07, 2024 6:43 pm
by Pourboy
Bait fishing is an art form for sure! I think it's funny when people look down on others for it. It is not nearly as easy as it appears. Like fishing shiners and getting them to go where you want. For that I just use a Jedi mind control technique, but everyone has their own ways.
Re: Crawdads vs. Jigs: Which Will Catch More Bass
Posted: Wed Feb 07, 2024 7:17 pm
by bendopolo 44+
Jedi mind control gets me lots of Bites!
Re: Crawdads vs. Jigs: Which Will Catch More Bass
Posted: Wed Feb 07, 2024 9:18 pm
by camobass
I know a few guys that fish dads on spinning gear. It makes total sense especially for casting. I even found an old glass rod to try and go Murphy style. Just never became my thing. I choose to deal with long loops of line between the guides being blown in the wind and getting stuck in the cockleburs…haha
