1. Selecting the right size rabbit hair jig - Factors to consider:
- Fish species being targeted
- Depth of water
- Type of cover
- Type of bottom
- Weather and water clarity
Note: We get asked almost everyday how to select the right size rabbit hair jig. One thing to keep in mind when selecting the right jig size is that our rabbit hair jigs are quite bulky meaning they have a lot of hair. When rabbit hair gets wet it expands (opens, flairs, breathes, pulsates) in the water. However, rabbit hair also becomes heavier than rubber or silicon as it retains water. As a result, rabbit hair jigs tend to sink slower than conventional jigs. What does this mean when fishing these jigs? In most instances you will want to use a slightly heavier jig than you may be accustomed to fishing.
Crayfish Facts and Information
Of the approximately 500 crayfishes (sometimes called crawdads or crawfish) found on earth, about 400 crayfish species live in waters in North America, and about 353, nearly 70 percent of the world's total species, inhabit waters in the United States. Freshwater habitats throughout the United States harbor the richest diversity of these aquatic animals in the world.
The majority of crayfish species live east of the Rocky Mountains and in the Southeastern states. Many live in streams, rivers, and lakes, while others are restricted to springs, swamps, and even underground waters (cave crayfish). Native crayfish come in a variety of colors (white, blue, red, brown, gray, yellow), shapes, and sizes (1 to 6 inches in length).
They serve as important links in the food chain, feeding on living and dead plants, other invertebrates, and fish. Crayfish are a primary food for fish (bass), water birds (herons), mammals (raccoons), and others. In fact, over 240 species of wild animals in North America have been found to eat crayfish.
A number of factors influence crawfish coloration. When crawfish move from location to location, they can change their coloration to match their environment. This change doesn't occur almost instantly like in a chameleon, but takes hours and days to weeks.
Bass eat crawfish year round, but seem to show a definite preference for them in late fall and winter. Crawfish are very rich in proteins and an excellent food source for bass. Another time when bass feed heavily on crawfish is when warm rains flood highland reservoirs and bass can move up into flooded tributary streams and reach crawfish not normally available.
