Specifically speaking about working a jig on the bottom, not swim jigs.

 

In south Florida, I’ve noticed the bodies of water I fish most frequently don’t seem to have any crawfish. What’s more, the bass in these bodies of water often won’t bite jigs with craw trailers like the rage craw. Even Texas rigs with craw baits don’t seem to get bit. On the other hand, beaver baits used as jig trailers or Texas rigs catch and them like crazy. 
 

What I’m wondering is what type of prey am I mimicking when using a jig with a beaver dragging/hopping across the bottom? Or even using a T-rigged beaver?
 

Also, is it possible there are craws in these bodies of water and I just don’t see them? These ponds just don’t seem to be good habitat for craws. Lots of vegetation and no rocks. 
 

So, what am I trying to mimic while using a jig/T-rig beaver on the bottom in ponds with no craws? Instead of the standard craw colors, what are some colors I should focus on more?

What kind of prey are you mimicking when you throw a purple plastic night crawler with green glitter?  To the best of my knowledge,  night crawlers don't swim and aren't purple.   If a fish lived its entire life in a tank eating pellet food and you threw a live crawfish in the tank,  would the fish eat it?  My guess is it would.

 

I have no idea what a bass is thinking when they hit a lure.   My approach is I try to match prey when I know fish is actively feeding on a particular species of prey.  Otherwise,  I throw whatever I think I can catch them with,  like a swimming purple night crawler. 😊

I think alot of the bites people get are more reaction than visual. I know matching the hatch is a thing and clear water calls for a different type of more finessey presentation but I think when I bass sees a jig go by their face on the drop the have a primal urge to strike at it. I also believe that's why most of your strikes come after you pop the jig and it comes to rest. I'm no biologist however, I'm just a redneck with a fishing rod.😂

1 hour ago, Tennessee Boy said:

What kind of prey are you mimicking when you throw a purple plastic night crawler with green glitter?  To the best of my knowledge,  night crawlers don't swim and aren't purple.   If a fish lived its entire life in a tank eating pellet food and you threw a live crawfish in the tank,  would the fish eat it?  My guess is it would.

 

I have no idea what a bass is thinking when they hit a lure.   My approach is I try to match prey when I know fish is actively feeding on a particular species of prey.  Otherwise,  I throw whatever I think I can catch them with,  like a swimming purple night crawler. 😊

 

1 hour ago, IYAOYAS said:

I think alot of the bites people get are more reaction than visual. I know matching the hatch is a thing and clear water calls for a different type of more finessey presentation but I think when I bass sees a jig go by their face on the drop the have a primal urge to strike at it. I also believe that's why most of your strikes come after you pop the jig and it comes to rest. I'm no biologist however, I'm just a redneck with a fishing rod.😂

I agree with both of you. One thing that really changed my outlook on bass fishing was when I was young and tried a zoom brush hog for the first time. I said to myself “no way a fish would eat this crazy thing.” To my surprise, the fish loved it!

 

From then on I’ve always thought in most situations it’s more about throwing something that looks edible and elicits a response vs mimicking a specific prey type. I do still believe there are some occasions where matching the hatch are appropriate, which is the point of my question in the original post since it seems that these bass are more interested in beavers then craws. 
 

Just something I found interesting. Since the beaver and craw are quite similar, could they be different enough to be imitating different prey? 

South Florida here. Beaver baits by far catch me more big bass than craws.

Craws as a trailer I make em vertical so it looks like a fish tail. That said, a Gambler BB cricket used to be a great t rig bait but not the past few years.

Thinkin the Beaver is a bigger meal!!

If it looks good, eat it.

There are craws or their cousins everywhere all over the globe. They are like cockroaches. It is extremely unlikely in FL that there aren’t craws in that pond unless there is a significant chemical problem. 
That said, beavers work better for me in Florida too. I can’t really explain it. 

8 hours ago, Columbia Craw said:

If it looks good, eat it.

That's how I got to where I am today...

 

10 hours ago, VolFan said:

There are craws or their cousins everywhere all over the globe. They are like cockroaches. It is extremely unlikely in FL that there aren’t craws in that pond unless there is a significant chemical problem. 
That said, beavers work better for me in Florida too. I can’t really explain it. 

Interesting that you’ve had the same experience with beavers working better than craws. Another user on here said the same thing in a different thread. I wonder why that is?

@woolleyfooley

I've been fishing south Florida for 35+ yrs, palm beach and broward counties. I've seen a lot of stuff in bass' mouths, not once a crawfish. I fish some really clear ponds and have not seen any. I know they're in Lake O, so probably more central Florida and north. As I wrote previously,  big beavers catch big bass. If I do use a craw, like a pit boss, I rig it on a jig vertical so it looks like a fish tail. Although I'd rather use a paddletail, fluke, or zako.

My Tennessee intuition actually makes me think that the craws in FL are larger than in some of the cooler climates and as such, bass avoid big displays of claws as you might see with a Rage Craw or Lobster. Just not worth the heartburn when food is plentiful. Beavers look more like soft shells trying to get away and are more appealing as a less problematic food source. 

best explanation I can come up with…ymmv

 

 

I think jigs often just trigger a reaction strike based on the rate of fall primarily and somewhat on the action and color and profile.

 

I try to intentionally change my jig weights if I haven't been bitten in good areas for a while and often I'll change from small to big or big to small or more to less active trailers etc 

 

As far as lures mimicking forage?  Sometimes it's a good idea to get the little details.

 

Some orange or red if you're around a lot of perch.  Less flashy sparkle if the water is very clear.  Sometimes a bright color makes fish react to it in clear water.

 

I think it doesn't hurt to play with colors with local forage in mind because it can give you confidence and that can help you present a bait more intentionally.

 

I just try to think about profile and rate of fall and action in relation to conditions and depth and speed in trying to fish and sometimes the cover I'm targeting.  

 

I don't really think frogs mimick frogs - I don't think jigs mimick craws - I don't think swimbaits mimic shad - I don't think Jerkbaits mimic wounded baitfish.

 

I think most everything triggers reactions in certain parts of the water column and excel in certain types of cover and under certain conditions and depths and speeds that bass are keyed in on.

 

Jigs are a useful and efficient way of targeting LMB - that's why people fish them.

2 minutes ago, Pat Brown said:

I think jigs often just trigger a reaction strike based on the rate of fall primarily and somewhat on the action and color and profile.

 

I try to intentionally change my jig weights if I haven't been bitten in good areas for a while and often I'll change from small to big or big to small or more to less active trailers etc 

 

As far as lures mimicking forage?  Sometimes it's a good idea to get the little details.

 

Some orange or red if you're around a lot of perch.  Less flashy sparkle if the water is very clear.  Sometimes a bright color makes fish react to it in clear water.

 

I think it doesn't hurt to play with colors with local forage in mind because it can give you confidence and that can help you present a bait more intentionally.

 

I just try to think about profile and rate of fall and action in relation to conditions and depth and speed in trying to fish and sometimes the cover I'm targeting.  

 

I don't really think frogs mimick frogs - I don't think jigs mimick craws - I don't think swimbaits mimic shad - I don't think Jerkbaits mimic wounded baitfish.

 

I think most everything triggers reactions in certain parts of the water column and excel in certain types of cover and under certain conditions and depths and speeds that bass are keyed in on.

 

Jigs are a useful and efficient way of targeting LMB - that's why people fish them.

 

This is where I’m at also.  A 5” bluegill swimbait can look and move just like a bluegill for matching the hatch.  A jig doesn’t look just like anything.  It has a lot of characteristics that trigger fish though.  Bass look at things in the water and decide if they want to try to eat it or not.  With fast moving baits, they don’t get time to examine it.  With baits that have a lot of ‘triggers’ that are moving slower the bass will decide that it’s probably worth eating and do.  A jig has the right size and profile for something walking or pecking along the bottom.  The skirt gives bulk but also movement like and creepy crawly might have.  A trailer adds a little more in a different way.  Having a little color that’s coherent with what they are eating is a little more.  It’s the same reason why you might add a couple strips of skirt material through the middle of a plastic or why a dice cube with skirt legs catches fish- there are enough real like trigger items that an bass just says “sure why not”.

There arent many bodies of fresh water that dont have crawfish.  Theres a stream a few hundred yards from my house that I've fished since I was in 3rd grade.  I can count on one hand the number of times where I've seen craws in the water while fishing.  If you go down there with a fine mesh net, scoop the bottom and empty the contents on the bank, most of the time you will get at least 1 flicking around.  

 

On 5/9/2025 at 11:45 PM, GetFishorDieTryin said:

There arent many bodies of fresh water that dont have crawfish.  Theres a stream a few hundred yards from my house that I've fished since I was in 3rd grade.  I can count on one hand the number of times where I've seen craws in the water while fishing.  If you go down there with a fine mesh net, scoop the bottom and empty the contents on the bank, most of the time you will get at least 1 flicking around.  

 

Interesting. I’d actually like to take some scoops from my local places. It would be really interesting to see what kind of forage I find. 

I think jigs mimic generic “food” more than it imitates a craw. If we’re being real, apart from some swim baits or glide baits, most baits don’t actually imitate their living counterparts . Not very well anyway. Even a bass who has never seen a crawfish probably wouldn’t waste time scarfing it down if he was hungry and the craw was presented to him. 
 

That being said, even if you don’t see them, crawfish can be present in a body of water. They don’t need rocks even if preferred. They’ll use grass, mud, and wood as cover.