| Several years ago I got turned on to using | | | | |
| live bait. Before that time I had used worms. | | | | Next I went for a fishing bobber and was |
| Yes worms are live bait too, but the world of | | | | quickly corrected by Tom. No Bobber and if I |
| live bait is much more than a crawler on a | | | | needed, only the lightest of a sinker. The |
| hook. Minnows, crawdads, and crickets are | | | | idea was to cast onto the rushing water and |
| also a big part of live bait fishing. I have | | | | let the cricket float down stream. I studied |
| enjoyed using each type, but crickets were my | | | | by cricket teacher as he gently flipped his |
| first venture into the "other-world" of live | | | | line onto the water and the cricket floated |
| bait fishing. | | | | down the creek. Then he was gone. Fish on! |
| | | | |
| A good friend of mine, Tom, first showed me | | | | Since then I have learned that many people |
| how to use crickets when stream fishing for | | | | use crickets for a variety of other fish |
| trout. We were Trout fishing the Silver Fork | | | | including Panfish and Breen. This technique |
| out side of Kyburz, California. The water was | | | | is different from the one I used my first |
| running and the scenery outstanding. Our plan | | | | day. Many people use a bobber or a float with |
| was to hop boulders from up above and fish | | | | a #6, #8, or #10 hook. They then put a |
| our way down stream. First on the agenda was | | | | lightweight split shot about 6 inches from |
| my introduction to using crickets as bait. | | | | the cricket. The idea is to let the cricket |
| | | | slowly and naturally descend through the |
| Tom grabbed a black cricket out of the | | | | water. As with Panfish, you will try several |
| cricket cage and said, "You just run the hook | | | | times and may adjust your bobber depth until |
| under the collar". What? Was this cricket | | | | you find the right spot. |
| wearing a coat or something? I found that | | | | |
| just behind the head of the cricket is | | | | I have learned that fish like variety in |
| something that looks like a collar. The trick | | | | their diet, just like we do. Live bait is |
| is to gently guide your hook under the collar | | | | definitely preferred by fish over artificial |
| and out the other side of the collar without | | | | and they can strike at it aggressively. So |
| killing the cricket. It is actually much | | | | feel free to explore a live bait option to |
| easier than it may sound. | | | | worms. Crickets: The other live bait. |