Thread: Substitute for Crickets

Small jigs or flies are good artificials.

You could also try live maggots. They're very tough on the hook. As a test, I once tried to see how many gills I could catch on one maggot. I stopped counting at ten.

u could try live leeches, cut into thirds, lasts long time too!! or use freeze dried leeches or waxworms.. both seem to work well for me years ago

Are you willing to try flies? I tie a few cricket patterns. I also can do a meal worm imitation, and tie jigs from 1/80th oz. - 1/8th oz... PM me if you'd like a picture of anything or wanna see specific pattern. If you want live baits, I'd try meal worms or maggots if crickets and worms aren't working out for you..

Powerbait and gulp have a variety of baits that work fairly well. When we fly fish we sometimes tip flies with the 1inch maggot style powerbait. It makes all the difference when the bite is slow.

Originally Posted by Charlie K.

I've been catching some nice bream in 24 to 30 ft. of water using crickets. I'm looking for something easier than re-hooking a cricket or a red worm every 2 seconds. What kind of artificial baits could anyone recommend. I tried the cocktail shrimp and didn't have much success. I might be just stuck with these stinky crickets.
Thanks

Like I told you on the main forum board I have a lot of very small jig heads with #8 hooks and some flies that will work well. I think the peacock swords as tails and wings are effective. Also the small flies with a split shot ahead of them will catch lots of bream. I also have some great color glass bead flies that will work very well.

Also like I told you I will work on some pics for you tomorrow.

I am also working on a shrimp pattern for a guy that should kill the bream. I am going to try and get one of them tied to show. The entire thing is only 1 1/4" long.

Skip

Try this link: http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/te...entId=cat20166

When you get to the page, scroll down a bit, you'll see a plastic imitation cricket.

I use 1/32 or 1/64 oz jigs tipped with a waxworm.

I've had good luck with the rubber crickets,get them at walmart,brown ones work better than the black ones.