Using Crickets for Bait?

I received The Crappie Fishing Handbook by Keith Sutton for Christmas. It is a good book however I noticed something a little strange in my opinion. Nowhere in the book does he mention using crickets for bait! He does mention using No. 6 Aberdeen cricket hooks when describing some other hooks he likes to use but nothing in the way of actually using a cricket for bait or any techniques for rigging and using them. They are my No. 1 go to bait in the summer. Just seems odd not to mention it.

http://www.food-skills-for-self-suff...icket-cage.jpg

Probably because they (crickets) are not a top priority bait for Crappie, in most places. Crappie "will" eat crickets, worms, larvae, crawfish, grass shrimp, and various other insects & critters ... BUT, their main food source is the various Shad species and minnows/fry of other fish species.

... cp :kewl

I've never used crickets for crappie. I've fished the same areas for bream with crickets, and have only caught a few crappie on them. Minnows or jigs work a lot better. At least around this area. :)

I don't know about crappie but on the right day they are deadly on bull bream. Biggest bream i ever caught was on crickets.

caught 8-10 crappie one day at lake Monroe(near Amory ,Ms.), on the levee, as the sun was going down .Was using a fly rod rolling crickets . I am 58 yrs. have used crickets all my life and never caught one before or after that day . Catfish will bust one in a second or less .:biggrin

Man i love crickets year around, tip jigs with them they have a killer sent. best to change them often if not getting bit. i like to run the long hook all the way threw the body long ways.

i have caught some nice crappie on crickets while im fishing for shellcrackers.never actually bought crickets for crappie fishing but may need to rethink it next time i go after them.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by eagle 1

caught 8-10 crappie one day at lake Monroe(near Amory ,Ms.), on the levee, as the sun was going down .Was using a fly rod rolling crickets . I am 58 yrs. have used crickets all my life and never caught one before or after that day . Catfish will bust one in a second or less .:biggrin

---

I was bream fishing at the time .

If the cat fisherman new what a ol' man taught me about crickets! Whewww! They would be extinct!!!! That's for sure! Crickets are simply the best channel catfish bait. Hands Down. Nothing I have ever seen works as well!!!!!!

try congealed beef blood for channels or big yellow grasshoppers

I love fishing for bream with crickets!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I wonder where I got my username??????????????

Hey Cricket George I have a question. How do you hook your cricket for maximum life once its on the hook?

Just stick him, as it will drown quickly. That being said, I stick them behind the head in the collar. I also stick them thru the breastplate.