Crayfish Resistant Baits - Am I just dreaming?

[Tigger]

By the way, I have had lots of crays when trotting lobs off the bottom for perch, when they're really having it there really isn't much you can do, apart from try a different swim.

 

 

Surely trotting a bait up in the water will lessen the hasstle of crays ?

 

Dales, you could trott a live bait (or even ledger one), I was doing ok yesterday trotting small lip hooked lives with only a 14's hook LOL. I trotted each live several times then let it go and caught a fresh one, it eased my consience a bit doing it that way .

[Dales]

I think the number and behaviour of the other anglers will be a large part of choosing which road to go down.

 

That's the odd thing, I have no idea where these anglers are. I've taken a look around before at Fishers Green etc and it always looked packed with anglers and so could not be bothered with getting a ticket for that part.

 

I had a good long walk around Saturday on some of the water on my ticket and only came across 2 chaps sharing a swim and on Sunday only one guy with his two sons. The few times I have been around the area over the years I have never seen many fishing a lot of the water I have access to other then down towards Dobbs Weir, which has just been added to my ticket. I don't plan to fish the Dobbs Weir stretches as far to busy and with it now been comtrolled by a consortium of clubs the potential membership is huge.

 

From talking to a few Carp anglers on the local pits huge stretches of my permit hardly see an angler and the weir pool I am interested in apparently is not as busy as I thought it would be and with a small restricted membership I'm hoping it will not get to busy.

 

The Chub are as big as they say, I saw some huge monsters in a no fishing zone Appartently they spend most of there time in some of these sort of area's but from talking to Jerry Hammond at the week end they do drop out of these areas from time to time mainly at night.

 

By the way, I have had lots of crays when trotting lobs off the bottom for perch, when they're really having it there really isn't much you can do, apart from try a different swim.

 

Thought it might be wishful thinking hoping for a simple answer to the Crays

[Anderoo]

Surely trotting a bait up in the water will lessen the hasstle of crays ?

 

Yes, it does lessen the problem, you're right, but it doesn't solve it completely. I've had them mangle little livebaits fished off the bottom, it's a horrible thing to see. I don't like livebaiting anyway but I decided to try it, and they were coming back half filleted and still alive...soon gave up on that

 

The crays really are a double-edged sword, some days they make you tear your hair out as nothing gets past them, but they are the reason the fish are so big, so you have to put up with them.

 

I haven't tried plastic baits as I'm usually after either chub or perch, but apparently they quite like the taste of plastic and nibble away at those too

 

Cold water and fishing in optimal feeding conditions is definitely your best bet.

[Dales]

Dales, you could trott a live bait (or even ledger one), I was doing ok yesterday trotting small lip hooked lives with only a 14's hook LOL. I trotted each live several times then let it go and caught a fresh one, it eased my consience a bit doing it that way .

 

I was tempted to try one at the weekend for the Perch but as it was my first session fishing a new water and I had set up right in front of the club house so I could cast all over the weir pool, I thought it best not to break any rules. One persons Perch fishing with lives is another's Piking I will hold back on the fish baits until October.

[Anderoo]

That's the odd thing, I have no idea where these anglers are. I've taken a look around before at Fishers Green etc and it always looked packed with anglers and so could not be bothered with getting a ticket for that part.

 

Not being funny, but I expect many don't fish it until the winter...because of the crays

[Dales]

Not being funny, but I expect many don't fish it until the winter...because of the crays

 

That's exactly what Paula said when I was moaning about them but pleased with the lack of other anglers

[Anderoo]

I would seriously consider bread (flake or crust over mash) as the first thing to try. On my rivers the crays really don't seem to be attracted to it, whereas if you put out a boilie, bit of luncheon meat, a worm or some cheesepaste, they hammer you. Worth a try, anyway. I did a couple of evenings' roach fishing recently on the Thames, quivertipping bread, and even at this time of year the crays left me alone. When I was fishing hard boilies and tigers for the carp they were on both baits within seconds and wouldn't leave them alone.

 

Maybe the Lea chub are too cute to fall for bread though?

[Chris Plumb]

Bread could be worth a try.

 

 

Don't bet on it - I've had crays on trotted bread!

 

 

C.

[Dales]

Maybe the Lea chub are too cute to fall for bread though?

 

I'm sure they are

 

Bread certainly seems worth a try.

[Rusty]

Bread certainly seems worth a try.

 

Think you've only got two choices Dales, either use a bait they don't like or keep the bait moving.

 

I'd make bread my first port of call for the chub, I haven't yet caught a signal on ledgered flake but who knows? I've found trotting is fairly cray proof provided the float is on the move, guiding it into a slack and holding it there (where the perch often are) with a juicy lob on the hook will soon attract them. Wobbling a deadbait for the pike perhaps?

 

Drop shotting could also be a possibility. I did catch a signal first time out using this method but it was hanging on with its claw and I think it was just inquisitive, haven't had one since.

 

I used to think that signals just mooched around on the river bed but they are quite mobile. They don't seem to swim but I've seen them launch themselves upwards so they can grab a mid-water livebait. Don't know how they do it.