- The proper equipment is key to fishing successfully with live crayfish. A 6.5-foot medium-action rod, paired with a reel spooled with 6- to 8-pound test line is a good choice. That length and action of rod will help ensure the crayfish doesn't fly off the hook when you cast. Use a size 2 or 4 hook and hook the crayfish through the underside of its tail. Attach a split shot weight or two about 12 inches up the line from the hook.
- Rocks are the best place to fish for smallmouth bass with live crayfish. Rocks are natural crayfish habitat, and that is where smallmouths hunt for them. The best rocks are those near deep water. If there is a rocky shoal, for example, that tops off at 10 feet and is surrounded by water that is 30 feet deep, the smallmouths will drop into the deeper water when the sun is shining, and move on top of the shoal to feed under low-light conditions. The best areas have a mix of rock sizes.
- It takes some effort to keep crayfish lively, but it is a key part of catching smallmouth bass with them. Smallmouths may ignore a crayfish sitting stationary on the bottom, but attack one that is moving naturally. To keep them fresh, put them in a bait bucket with a little bit of grass and wet newspaper. If the air temperature is hot, add a little water from time to time to keep the bucket cool.
- Cast the crayfish to the rocky spot you are fishing and let it sink to the bottom. Then allow the crayfish to move around on its own. Wait at least a few minutes before you retrieve and cast again. Letting the crayfish maneuver on its own does not allow you to cover much water, so if you are fishing a large area and have not pinpointed where the bass are, it is okay to reel in the crayfish along the bottom -- but do it slowly. Cast the bait out and let it sink. Reel in about 6 inches of line, wait 10 seconds, and then reel in another 6 inches. It's a slow process, but it can produce huge smallmouths.
Equipment
The Right Spots
Lively Bait
Slow Down
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