Crawdad's for bait

Got out for some fishing on Donner Lake yesterday. Pretty slow out there. Lost 1 small fish (kokanee perhaps) that was trolled on a wedding ring behind flashers and caught one nice rainbow trolling a 3-inch curly tailed grub in motor oil.

At lunch I quickly cleaned the fish and looked in it's stomach (does anyone else still do this?) and noticed several small crawdads (around 1 inch in length) along with a few rocks.

I've tried drifting crawdads for mackinaw (with no luck) but used bait in a whole different size class. Anyone out there fishing with crawdads this small? If so, any tips on catching the little ones? Not sure these would even stay in my trap. Any input is appreciated.

My experiences using crawdads for bait was mostly at lake oroville for spotted bass. We could pick them up at a gas station on Oro Dam road. When hooked through the tail and bottom fished, they are deadly for bass. I would try hand collecting them by turning over rocks along the shore, tail hook em, and send them to the bottom. Maybe add power bait to float em or make it hard for them to just crawl under another rock while on your line...

Barkley power bait nymphs , they come in a variety of colors..... I’ll slow troll them in a snell hook with a light weight about 18 inches in front of that and if I’m feeling real lazy I’ll put a bobber on.

An old guy on the levee in Rio Vista taught me to dipnet the irrigation canal in the Egeria (water weed) for tiny crawdads... they are irrestistable to catfish...

Thanks for the tips everyone. I'm mostly looking to catch my own and will try the dip net and rocks first.

I have a 5 year old who like going out fishing with me. Catching the crawdads may be a job for him and will give me at least 7 minutes of peace and quiet. At least until he gets pinched.

At lunch I quickly cleaned the fish and looked in it's stomach (does anyone else still do this?) and noticed several small crawdads (around 1 inch in length) along with a few rocks.

If no crawdads are available, maybe try rocks...

Back when I was a younin' my dad used to send me out to catch bait. Kept me occupied for hours  He sent me out with a coffee can. Get in some rocks that are easy to lift. Put the coffee can down in front of the rock and then lift the rock quickly with one hand. Lifting the rock towards the can. The dads will try to swim away and end up in the can. Every once in a while you get a soft shell thats just molted. Those never make it to the bottom when you cast em out  Money!!! No better smallmouth bait.

Get in some rocks that are easy to lift. Put the coffee can down in front of the rock and then lift the rock quickly with one hand. Lifting the rock towards the can. The dads will try to swim away and end up in the can.

Thanks for the technique Jonesz. I'm going to give this a try at Caples Lake this summer. I'll be camping/fishing with Dad and my son. Maybe we can haul in a lunker on live bait; will post a report if we give it a try.

 I trap mudbugs, but only to document color and location, then try to match the hatch with artificials for trout hunting.
I make sure and release each one individually and study how they move and where they go.
Study and imitate.

Last trapping had 29. Very exciting

If I was hunting for smaller bugs I would trap in hydrillia.

Try these in rivers for trout and Smallmouth,  they imitate nymphs and small crayfish.
Rig with 1/32 jigheads and split shot or under a slip float.

I like those.
Thanks Capt!

I like those.
Thanks Capt!

Anytime brother!