Fishing With Artificial Crabs texas saltwater fishing, texas fishing, wadefishing, wading, bay fishing, speckled trout, redfish, snook, tarpon, texas redfish, texas speckled trout Most every serious salt water angler in Texas has, at one time or another, read an informational fish identification book. Although various volumes differ on some points, most of them concur on major issues. One of those issues that has a majority consensus among fish ID books is that of dietary habits. To paraphrase the majority of these titles, the diet of popular Gulf Coast fish goes something like this: Spotted Seatrout - shrimp, finfish, crabs; Red Drum - shrimp, finfish, crabs; Black Drum - shrimp, finfish, crabs; Sheepshead - shrimp, crabs; Snook - shrimp, finfish, crabs; Tarpon - shrimp, finfish, crabs; Flounder - shrimp, finfish, crabs. Although this information seems straightforward, there seems to be a disconnect between the written word and light tackle anglers and fly fishermen along the Texas coast. Don't believe it? Look in virtually any tackle pack or fly box. Artificial shrimp - check. Artificial baitfish - check. Artificial crabs - uhhh… For whatever reason, Lone Star State anglers have been lax to pick up artificial versions of what is one of the most important prey items for the most popular coastal fish species. What makes this omission all the more confusing is the fact several national lure manufacturers offer impressive crab imitations for light tackle anglers. Ditto for fly rodders, many of whom have tossed fly patterns at permit and bonefish for decades, but have yet to tie one on when fishing a Texas bay. Of course, this is not to say artificial shrimp and baitfish lures don't catch a lot fish. They do. However, even the most seasoned salt stands to gain by adding a few fake crabs to their tackle box and knowing when, where and how to use them. DRAINS - Because several species of crabs spend the early stages of their life in back lakes and marshes, the channels and canals that drain these backwaters into the main bay are a natural area for fish to intercept crabs. The majority of this predation occurs on an outgoing tide as small crabs ride the flowing current into the bay. For this reason, anglers can often score big with artificial crabs by `nymphing' with them during an outgoing flow. The best way for anglers to accomplish this is to cast upstream and allow the lure to float downstream while holding the rod tip high. When fishing deeper drains, it may be necessary to add a few split shots to the line above the lure in order to allow it to settle deep enough for waiting fish to see. However, anglers should be careful not to add too much weight, as it is necessary to allow the lure to drift with the tide and not remain motionless on the bottom. Realistic crab imitations such as the CW Crab, DOA Softshell Crab and the Berkley GULP! Peeler Crab are the best models in this situation. FLOODED GRASS - Juvenile crabs often seek shelter in stands of flooded cord grass along shorelines. So long as the water at the base of the grass exceeds 6 inches, redfish, black drum, sheepshead and trout will push into the grass to feed on these crabs. Fish feeding in dense standing grass usually give away their position by incidentally parting or bending the grass as they swim. This is extremely helpful for anglers, as they are able to determine not only the location of the fish, but also the direction of its movement as to accurately place a bait in its path. However, stalky shoregrass has been known to swallow up many a lure. For this reason, a crab imitation which can be rigged weedless should get the nod when casting into flooded grass. The YUM Houdini Shad rigged on a Stanley Frog Hook works really well in this situation. POTHOLES - Potholes are natural ambush areas for fish. Redfish, speckled trout and other species often lie in or near these holes and wait for an unsuspecting prey item to stumble in. Potholes are also easy targets for fishermen, as they are easy to spot so long as the water is at least semi-clear. These factors combine to make potholes perfect places to pitch artificial crabs. Because potholes are typically obstruction-free, virtually any model of artificial crab will work. Regardless of which model of artificial crab is chosen, anglers should cast the lure to the far edge of the pothole - allowing it to settle right up against the grass. After the bait has remained untouched on the bottom for a few moments, a couple quick twitches of the rod tip will serve to `kick up' a little sand, hopefully drawing the attention of any nearby fish. SAND FLATS - Many times, schools of roving red and black drum can be found on expansive sand flats rooting crabs out of the tiny tunnels they use to burrow into the bay floor. Anglers casting artificial crabs on sand flats should think of them as huge potholes. A `do-nothing' retrieve typically is all that is needed. That is, anglers can allow the lure to lie motionless on the bottom as a fish approaches it. If the lure remains unnoticed, again a few sharp twitches will typically get a fish's attention. This is an ideal situation for a sinking CW Crab. Allow this bait to fall to the bottom, they use the 'lip' on the front of the lure to dig into the sand bottom, kicking up sand puffs. The main thing to remember on sand flats is the fish are feeding on the bottom. Therefore the lure must be on the bottom when the fish approaches in order to be noticed. On flats deeper than a foot or so, a little extra weight may be necessary in order to expedite the lure's descent to the bottom. Fly fishermen are best served using sinking or intermediate sink lines for the same reason. BRIDGES - During periods of strong tidal movement, swirling currents sweep around bridge pilings and often form eddies behind them. A variety of fish often lie in wait behind the pilings, hoping for a disoriented fish, shrimp or crab to be swept around the pilings. This scenario if perfect for tossing artificial crabs. Anglers should approach this situation similarly to that of fishing marsh drains. Lures should be cast upcurrent and allow to sweep naturally back into the area of slack water. To accomplish this, fishermen must keep the line just taut enough to detect a strike, but not so tight as to affect the movement of the lure. As they would when fishing drains, anglers should throw realistic-looking crab imitations. JETTIES - Crabs of all sizes can often be seen clutching to jetties and rock groins. And, predators such as sheepshead, black drum and redfish are usually not far away. Jetties, however, are unique in that they often offer a variety of fishing scenarios in a single day. When there is a good current flow, semi-submerged rocks will act much the same as bridge pilings in that the current will flow around and form eddies. Therefore, anglers should fish these portions of jetties the same way they would fish around bridges. Other, more regular lengths of jetty may see less in the way of swirling current and more in the way of crabs walking across the flat-topped, submerged rocks much the same way they crawl across the bay bottom. Again, anglers should fish this the same way they would the corresponding situation in the bay - allow the lure to settle to the top of the rock slowly slide it across. WEEDLINES - Weedlines are most often associated with offshore angling. However, at time large chunks of sargassum weed washes up along the beachfront, into to beach passes and even into the bay. When a pile of floating grass is found, it is usually rife with small crabs - and fish feeding on them. This is typically the easiest situation in which to tempt fish to eat artificial crabs. Literally all there is for anglers to do is pitch their lure close to the weedpile and allow it to settle in the water column. Any interested fish will make their presence know as the bait descends. If a strike doesn't occur after a 10 count, reel in and pitch to another part of the weedline. Again, this is not to say salt water anglers should pack away their shrimp and baitfish imitating lures. It is meant, however, to illustrate the usefulness of having an extra tool in the box - a tool that just may be the right one for the job in certain situations. texas saltwater fishing, texas fishing, wadefishing, wading, bay fishing, speckled trout, redfish, snook, tarpon, texas redfish, texas speckled trout