What If There Are No Crawdads 2024
Big Stick Joe reply :
Hey guys,
The little pond i fish at doesn't have any crawfish in it, i've fished it for almost year but it does have frogs. My question is if this pond doesn't have crawfish, will chigger craws, sweet beavers or anything that imitates crawfish work at the pond even though they have never seen it before?
scrutch reply :
Yes. They'll work just fine. In fact they might be awesome!
I believe it is an instinctual response when a bass eats something that has gotten it's attention.
Ever seen a goldfish get dropped in a fish tank full of bass?
lmoore reply :
I would have an EXTREMELY hard time believeing there are no crayfish in the pond. Crayfish will travel a long ways at certain times of the year and almost any continuous body of water will have them if it's been around for some time.
That being said, if there really are no crayfish those lures will still work, but oyu might find better success matching what the bass are actually eating.
Nitrofreak reply :
yes, yes, and yes, All will work, just work them slow at first to see what they like, drop it in pause, hop hop, pause, hop hop, or try dragging very slowly across the bottom.
The clearer the water the lighter the color, slightly stained to stained go with darker colors.
Nitrofreak reply :
P.S. What's the deal with you busting the dwarf man ?...What he wouldn't give you snow white's number ? LOL.
Missouribassman95 reply :
I think it could have some crawdads in it. One of the ponds I fish is pretty much surrounded by a dairy farm, and when the owener mows the grass you can see crawdad shells. There's no creek anywhere near by. And at another pond I fish Chigger Craws kill. Look at the Brush hog, and other creature baits. They don't really look like anything yet they catch fish..alot of fish.
basscrusher reply :
Folks, it is entirely possible the lake has no crawdads. there's a planned community near me where virtually all of the ponds have no crawdads. NONE. They were never stocked and are suburban enough to not have any nearby bodies of water with craws. Having said that, one of the regulars in that community slays the bass on a jig w/ craw trailer. If it looks alive and tempting enough, bass will eat it. A craw bait probably wouldn't be my first choice, but it will work, especially if that's your confidence lure.
lmoore reply :
On 3/2/2012 at 10:00 AM, basscrusher said:Folks, it is entirely possible the lake has no crawdads. there's a planned community near me where virtually all of the ponds have no crawdads. NONE. They were never stocked and are suburban enough to not have any nearby bodies of water with craws. Having said that, one of the regulars in that community slays the bass on a jig w/ craw trailer. If it looks alive and tempting enough, bass will eat it. A craw bait probably wouldn't be my first choice, but it will work, especially if that's your confidence lure.
Again, I would doubt those ponds have no crayfish in them. Certainly possible, but just because you don't see them, doesn't mean they aren't there. Case in point, my parents small pond. Build in the 80's with no crayfish stocked and the nearest water of any kind is a small creek, maybe 3 feet across and 6 inches deep that's about 1/4-1/2 a mile away through the woods. The nearest pond of any kind is half mile away. I've never once seen a crayfish in that pond, the only reason I know they are there is because it's a type of burrowing crayfish and every now and then a new burrow shows up. Plus once I found on in the mouth of a bass I caught. If it were a non-burrowing species, I would have almost no idea that crayfish lived there.
I agree, however, that even if they really aren't there, bass will eat just about anything that looks alive and edible.
NCbassmaster4Life reply :
Either way think about it crawdads or not it's a known natural bait...that should even make the lure a must to use...it's known that bass will go after things they are not used to seeing...in this case a crawfish is still natural reguardless if they're in the pond or not.
Hooligan reply :
Arguing whether or not the pond has crayfish is arbitrary. The bass will eat anything that looks like food, whether they've previously eaten it or not.
In terms of whether it does or does not have crayfish, they don't live everywhere, period. It's more than possible that they're not present in a water body.
Randall reply :
I fish a lake that has had a poor crawfish population for years. Past few years the crawfish population has rebounded. They bite a jig and crawfish imitations much better now then in the past. But I also think a jig could represent a bluegill or something else if fished with a swimming motion. If you know the lake or pond has few crawfish those type baits wouldn't be my first choice but I would mix them in and try to learn what the fish will hit when the fish are active. If you are catching them good on a worm then mix in the jig etc. to see what happens. Best time to try things you have little confidence in is when the fish are biting and easy to catch vs. trying to find the right bait when they aren't eating.
Big Stick Joe reply :
This pond DOESN'T have craw fish. This pond doesn't have any external outlet of water. This pond is in the middle of a trailer park, i found it on google maps about a year ago and have fished it ever since. This was kinda a loaded question because i've caught a 5 lber using a blk/blu sweet beaver but that has been the only time i've ever got a bite with a sweet beaver or chigger craw and was wondering if that could have been a fluke or something. As far as this pond goes, the only food that i could tell for the bass is small frogs, fish (but don't know what type of fish since all i've caught is bass out of there) and probably snakes. Thanks for everyone's input.
lmoore reply :
On 3/2/2012 at 10:52 PM, Big Stick Joe said:This pond DOESN'T have craw fish. This pond doesn't have any external outlet of water. This pond is in the middle of a trailer park, i found it on google maps about a year ago and have fished it ever since. This was kinda a loaded question because i've caught a 5 lber using a blk/blu sweet beaver but that has been the only time i've ever got a bite with a sweet beaver or chigger craw and was wondering if that could have been a fluke or something. As far as this pond goes, the only food that i could tell for the bass is small frogs, fish (but don't know what type of fish since all i've caught is bass out of there) and probably snakes. Thanks for everyone's input.
I've always though it'd be fun to use those topwater snake lures and see a bass crush one....never done it yet though.
grimlin reply :
I ask myself this.....How often does a bass see a real worm swimming the bottom of a lake? Other than rain maybe washing them in,I've never heard of a worm swimming in the water. Yet Bass eat them pretty readily anywhere and everywhere. Just because it's not in the water doesn't mean Bass won't eat it.
I don't have shad in my pond at work,yet they'll hammer the shad pattern crankbait.Bass are predators,if they can fit it in their mouth,they'll try and eat it.
tomustang reply :
You could texas rig a shoe string and catch a bass, don't overestimate a hungry bass they will mostly eat anything in front of them.
Shinyboy reply :
On 3/3/2012 at 1:14 AM, Tom D. said:You could texas rig a shoe string and catch a bass, don't overestimate a hungry bass they will mostly eat anything in front of them.
Darn Right.
B@ssCrzy reply :
If a bass will eat a hot dog on a bobber, I am gonna bet he'll eat something that looks and moves more like his natural prey even if he doesn't know what it is.
tomustang reply :
Not to mention you could probably dip a stick in JJs magic and they'll eat it
AirbusAngler reply :
My tiny city lake (a cement fish bowl for Arizona States Rowing team is more accurate) in arizona is completely concrete with absolutely zero cover. It doesnt have crawdads lol guaranfrickenteed. But they love those Rage Chunks!
redboat reply :
On 3/2/2012 at 10:14 AM, lmoore said:Again, I would doubt those ponds have no crayfish in them. Certainly possible, but just because you don't see them, doesn't mean they aren't there. Case in point, my parents small pond. Build in the 80's with no crayfish stocked and the nearest water of any kind is a small creek, maybe 3 feet across and 6 inches deep that's about 1/4-1/2 a mile away through the woods. The nearest pond of any kind is half mile away. I've never once seen a crayfish in that pond, the only reason I know they are there is because it's a type of burrowing crayfish and every now and then a new burrow shows up. Plus once I found on in the mouth of a bass I caught. If it were a non-burrowing species, I would have almost no idea that crayfish lived there.
I agree, however, that even if they really aren't there, bass will eat just about anything that looks alive and edible.
Few people know that crawdads when fully grown have wings. They fly over bodies of water and drop their eggs; that is how they get into so many detached ponds.
aclark609 reply :
Man I've caught tons of bass in ponds where there isn't any crawfish on crawfish imitating lures. Depending on the cover you have in the pond is how you should fish lures like jigs and soft plastics that would indicate crawfish or anything else. I believe the bass bite it due to territory, predatory nature, and even curiosity. Very little cover would indicate to me to fish fast and look for a reaction bite. Burning a jig with a trailer that has a lot of action has proved to be absolutely fantastic on some days. Fish could be anywhere in a pond with little cover, but they'll probably be on the banks most of the time or suspended somewhere off the bank, and believe me they will chase down a fast moving lure in both scenarios. Heck most of the jigs I've burned to catch some true pond monsters have been crawfish patterned with chigger craws or rage craws as trailers. Thicker cover like lilly pads, grass, willow trees etc. would indicate some texas rigged soft plastics or everyone's favorite, TOPWATER. Snag Proof Ish's Phat Frog is my absolute favorite. In regards to frogs being a food source in your pond, I would say probably not at the top of the bass' list. I believe they don't necessarily want to bite a frog imitating bait because it looks like a frog but because of the action it imparts, regardless of whether it's topwater or subsurface. I've been fishing this pond for the past few summers to test out new equipment, lures, etc. and the same frogs sit in the same place every time I go down there. If bass loved frog's so much, there wouldn't be hardly any in ponds in my opinion. Any way you want to look at it, I believe a bass's predatory nature, territorial instincts, and curiosity, are the main reasons they would bite any artificial lure in the first place. So experiment around and even match the hatch sometimes, but I've seen days where a hot pink creature bait will fish a bluegill patterned paddle tail into the ground. So chew on that lol. Good Luck!
basscrusher reply :
On 3/3/2012 at 4:33 AM, redboat said:Few people know that crawdads when fully grown have wings. They fly over bodies of water and drop their eggs; that is how they get into so many detached ponds.
Might wanna check those invertebrate zoology books again...
Big Stick Joe reply :
@Fishin4AZ: My wife grad from ASU in 2007 lol, i know where your talking about lol
@nwabass609: Very well put. Thank you
This pond i fish is probably 250/300 yards in length and at the fat end of the lake is probably 70-80 yards and during the summer, the entire lake is ringed with lilly pads that extend 5 feet from the shore. The only problem with the lake is there are only a few spots to fish from the shore due to bushes and weeds blocking the shore...and not to mention those d**n cottonmouths that live around the pond. I've never caught a fish off a frog but cranks/spinnerbaits worked. I do plan this year to somehow fish the entire lake from the shore, i just need snake boots or a jon boat...which ever is cheaper to get lmao j/k.
If you want to see where i fish. Googlemaps "Lake McKay Spring Lake NC" and look at bubble "C" and you will see what i'm talking about. I've caught all my fish on the southeast side walking the bank counter clockwise. Let me know what you guys think.
McAlpine reply :
my grandfather used to have a small lure that looked like a mini budweiser bottle. I bet him I could catch a bass on it and he told me I was nuts. Took it out on the pier and Bam...caught one.
I'd be the first to admit I am a sucker for the marketing and have too many lures, but Bass dont eat lures, they eat a moving shape because it's the right size. Put anything in the right column of water with the correct general shape and move it right and you will catch bass.
It's fishermen that worry about color, brand, etc. not fish.
redboat reply :
On 3/3/2012 at 7:51 AM, basscrusher said:Might wanna check those invertebrate zoology books again...
Its true! Another thing most people don't know: Bass actually migrate to Mexico in winter then return in spring; that's why you can never catch one in a month that ends in "er" or "ary"...
Raul reply :
What if there are no crawdads:
It doesn´t matter if there is/are or there aren´t. I´m a non believer of the "match the hatch" school of thought, why ? cuz many places I fish don´t have this or that or the other yet baits that theoretically imitate this, that or the other work even though bass livin´ there have never ever seen this, that or/and the other.
Case:
Many of my relatives are farmers, down here the only rain their crops see either falls from the sky or is pumped from a well ( many times from hundreds of feet below the surface ), the water is pumped from the well and then poured into a pond and from there it´s pumped again into the irrigation systems. Those ponds are stocked with bass, bluegills, tilapias, guppies n´such, plus local wildlife that ocassionally arrives like toads and frogs They have no ´dads in them and bass have never seen one, yet, ´dads and ´dad imitator catch fish.
So, what if there are no ´dads ----> it don´t matter, if you fish with ´dad imitators most probably you will catch fish.
grimlin reply :
On 3/3/2012 at 1:14 AM, Tom D. said:You could texas rig a shoe string and catch a bass, don't overestimate a hungry bass they will mostly eat anything in front of them.
Somebody here did that and caught a nice bass on it. I wish I remembered who it was!
JoePhish reply :
I catch fish on a Smokin' Rooster all the time. I'm pretty sure there are no roosters in the lakes I fish. 
deep reply :
IMO, jigs and worms look "natural". It doesn't matter if the bass are actually eating crawdads. If it looks like food, a hungry bass will eat it. Or at the very least, a curious bass will check it out, and a bass doesn't have hands.
rubba bubba reply :
On 3/3/2012 at 7:51 AM, basscrusher said:Might wanna check those invertebrate zoology books again...
Might want to get your humor-meter checked.
WRB reply :
If a body of water is large enough to support a bass population, it more than likely also has a crayfish population that provides a source of food for those bass. It would extremely rare if the pond in question doesn't have crayfish or crawdads as they are more commonly known as.
The bass were planted by someone and that person also planted forage to support those bass, otherwise those bass would die off.
If you want to know, put out a trap. If you don't care, then don't bother.
Crayfish can't fly; the birds that feed on them like herons do. Baby crayfish hang onto the mothers undershell and it's common for birds to carry a crayfish from one body of water to another as they eat and discard parts of the crayfish like shells with baby crayfish attached. Crayfish have been around for thousands of years and are wide spread around world.
If something looks like food to a bass, they only way they can test it out is to bite it, they don't have hands. If you make the lure look interesting to the bass and it may give it try or it may not.
Tom
VolFan reply :
Crawdads/crayfish are second only to ants and cockroaches (third then maybe) in their distribution. Look it up. They live in cow pastures, drainage ditches, and even under an old shed we had. They don't need alot of water to survive and reproduce. Most of them burrow. When it rains, the burrows fill with water and they can survive in there for MONTHS. All of your bodies of water have water flowing into and out of them, and birds and other critters coming and going. If there are not crawdads in your pond, there will be.
Which brings me to my point: Rage craws catch fish everywhere.
grimlin reply :
On 3/5/2012 at 10:44 AM, VolFan said:Crawdads/crayfish are second only to ants and cockroaches (third then maybe) in their distribution. Look it up. They live in cow pastures, drainage ditches, and even under an old shed we had. They don't need alot of water to survive and reproduce. Most of them burrow. When it rains, the burrows fill with water and they can survive in there for MONTHS. All of your bodies of water have water flowing into and out of them, and birds and other critters coming and going. If there are not crawdads in your pond, there will be.
Which brings me to my point: Rage craws catch fish everywhere.
Very,very good point here! I got a drainage creek right by the trailer park I live in and kids around here has told me there is crayfish in there. I remember growing up and there's a little creek where I used to catch crayfish with raw bacon on a string.It would dry up every summer in Texas being it gets so hot down there. Then comes spring and they would magically appear again in that little creek.
Big Stick Joe reply :
Sorry guys but no crayfish lol but yesterday i did catch 2 fish on a netbait b bug (their version of a sweet beaver). caught them on isolated cover. they both hit it hard. I guess those fish along with you guys answered my question whether or not there are any crayfish/crawdads. Thanks to everyone who helped me.
bigbill reply :
I constantly throw the Rebel BIG Claw crankbait that dives up to 10ft. in black back green body with a wisk of chartruece. At some places i never seen the crawfish but i'm sure they are there because this lure works most of the time.
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