Turkey sandwich Posted July 27, 2015 Share Posted July 27, 2015 I had a conversation with another angler on the river yesterday and simply couldn't make sense of this shared observation: Susquehanna River smallmouth almost always have cray fish in their stomachs, whether you cut them open or simply feel around. This isn't a surprise because the river is packed with them. However, using them as live bait in the river is extremely slow fishing, and they're outperformed by stone cats and helgramites (clippers) beyond comparison. Has anyone else noticed this? Thoughts? Explanation? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paleus Posted July 27, 2015 Share Posted July 27, 2015 Could it be that the crawfish take much longer to digest because of the exoskeleton? Even if a fish didn't eat crawfish often, it would be in their stomach for longer than a more easily digestible prey. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neil McCauley Posted July 27, 2015 Share Posted July 27, 2015 Could it be that the crawfish take much longer to digest because of the exoskeleton? Even if a fish didn't eat crawfish often, it would be in their stomach for longer than a more easily digestible prey. Really good thought imo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turkey sandwich Posted July 28, 2015 Author Share Posted July 28, 2015 Definitely an interesting thought, but it's strange to think that even if that were the case, they'd be more willing to deal with the spines on a stone cat than the slow digestion of the crayfish. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super User roadwarrior Posted July 28, 2015 Super User Share Posted July 28, 2015 The main reason live craws don't work very well in a river is the presentation. Then tend to ball up in current and look like stinkbait. Minnows are a much better option. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MassBass Posted July 28, 2015 Share Posted July 28, 2015 You can't really cover water with a craw. It doesn't have the attracting quality of a lively fish. When a craw is on a hook it doesn't act normally. I never had much luck with a craw on a hook, but a craw with no hook scoots around and the bass nail it. You would have to fish it in an area you know there is bass. I would say give it up and use a tube and rebel craw crankbait instead. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Comcam Posted July 28, 2015 Share Posted July 28, 2015 Rebel craws work great for smallies in the current river in MO. I normally fish with them exclusively Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turkey sandwich Posted July 29, 2015 Author Share Posted July 29, 2015 I never thought much about the craw behavior once it's hooked. Over the years, I've had a lot of success with craw imitations (Crankbaits, soft plastic craws, tubes, etc) in locations where just casts prior with a live crawfish I'd gotten nothing. I guess, this also says something about the ridiculous resiliency of a hooked clipper or stone cat. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super User webertime Posted August 1, 2015 Super User Share Posted August 1, 2015 Your craw is also now 1 in a million. A Helgramite, is a bit more of an oddity/treat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Balshy Fishing Posted August 3, 2015 Share Posted August 3, 2015 Where on the Susquehanna do you fish?! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turkey sandwich Posted August 3, 2015 Author Share Posted August 3, 2015 Where on the Susquehanna do you fish?! I grew up near Wilkes-Barre and still try to get up that way to fish the north branch whenever I can. We did a drift from Tunkhannok (White's Ferry Launch) all the way down to Apple Tree Rd Harding yesterday. Not a great day for size (a bit frustrating), but I took a friend out who's never fished a river for smallies. We put 20+ in the boat and missed another 10-15 on 9 or 10 different lures. I lost one well over 15 around 7:15 or so on a Skitter Pop. Where do you typically get on the river? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Balshy Fishing Posted August 4, 2015 Share Posted August 4, 2015 I'm right around the Harrisburg area fishing along TMI. It's been pretty bad as of late as far as results. I'm getting frustrated! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sokyfishing Posted August 4, 2015 Share Posted August 4, 2015 Thanks for the education guys. I've thought about using live craws, but after reading this thread, I think I'll sitck to craw lures instead of actual crawfish. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
offsidewing Posted August 13, 2015 Share Posted August 13, 2015 When fishing with a live craw, I put a rubber band around the tail and slip the hook under the rubber band. The craw acts more natural that way. Still, i prefer artificial lures. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super User smalljaw67 Posted August 15, 2015 Super User Share Posted August 15, 2015 I fish the Susquehanna a lot all year until it freezes and if it doesn't freeze then all the better. I'll tell you exactly why you see helgramites and stone cats working better than craws as live bait and it isn't hard to understand. The Susquehaa became a world class smallmouth fishery because the place is a crawfish factory and when it comes to craws, smallmouth feed on them at leisure. Helgamites and stone cats on the other hand are only available during certain times, like rapidly rising water will force stone cats to move and it will dislodge helgramites and when they are out the smallmouth go into a feeding spree. So when you put a stone cat or helgramite on a hook and begin working a hole, any smallmouth in the area will take advantage of the easy meal, but a crawfish can be had anytime and unless it is right in front of the fish that it doesn't have to move to get it, you won't get bit unless that fish is actively feeding. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turkey sandwich Posted August 17, 2015 Author Share Posted August 17, 2015 I'm right around the Harrisburg area fishing along TMI. It's been pretty bad as of late as far as results. I'm getting frustrated! We've been crushing numbers, but haven't gotten any monsters. I've been taking friends out that have never seriously fished or have never fished rivers for smallmouth and basically guiding them on drifts, so getting them on fish has been more important than me catching 4lbers. That said, I'd really love some 4lbers. Tubes and craw imitations have been really consistent producers this summer, but I've also noticed a lot of the better fish I've had on the river have come via perch pattern Crankbaits and poppers. I'm really hoping to get on the water more out your way next summer after I'm recovered from back surgery. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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