crab patterns for trout

[bulb 0]

Question: does anyone fish (freshwater) crab patterns for trout? Had a look in the archives but didn't find any related threads. Reason im asking is that i read online about a guy fishing in zimbabwe that caught a rainbow with a belly full of crabs, which intrigued me.

 

http://www.flyfishing.co.uk/destination-fishing/248401-zimbabwe-trip-part-1-operation-trout.html

[Philly 0]

That's any interesting question. There are fresh water crabs not sure there's any in the States or if there are where you would find them and trout living in the same water. I've heard crayfish called many names including "crabs". It's possible he was referring to crayfish but then maybe not. I would just check out some of the small saltwater crab flies and tie some up and give them a shot.

[mikechell 0]

Crabs can be found WAY up in fresh water flows to the oceans. People catch Blue Crab in Lake Beresford and Lake Monroe on the St. Johns River. These lake are about 150 miles or so inland of saltwater.

I used to try crab shaped soft plastic lures when I fished conventional gear more ... never did much good with them.

I don't tie crab flies, so I don't know if they'd do any better. I don't see why bass would turn them down ... it's not like they "know" it shouldn't be there. It'd be no more "foreign" than a spinner bait.

[Dave G. 0]

I don't know about trout but small mouth bass readily take a certain spider pattern we use locally in a couple of ponds. With different coloration could pass for a crab. Big browns will take crayfish.

[Fisherboy0301 0]

If you look at the LAKE INSECTS thread someone posted a link to flyfishingentymology.com and in looking at some lakes here in Georgia freshwater crabs were listed along with freshwater prawns, freshwater shrimp, and I think cray/crawfish. So they're different.

[JSzymczyk 0]

There are over a thousand species of freshwater crabs, not crayfish, and they are tropical in distribution. Lots of them in the aquarium trade. If I wanted to catch a rainbow trout, I'd not be looking to the tropics. Or Zimbabwe. Look at it another way- Rainbows are almost totally genetically engineered nowadays, and they are caught by the billions on powerbait. If there are rainbows around, they will hit anything when they're in the mood. Of course they would hit a crab fly, and a shrimp fly, and a Crazy Charlie, and a foam pencil popper when they feel like it.

[troutguy 0]

JSzymczyk I would suggest you contact some Long Island NY trout chat boards. The spring creeks on LI such as Carmans River and the Nissequogue produce large sea run Brown Trout and Brook Trout. If someone in the USA is catching trout on crabs it may be there. Surf fishermen pick up Brown trout in the winter. The trout are often caught in the tidal flats. I used to fish there in the early 1970's when I went to Stony Brook. I used streamers, never tried crabs.

[PJ2 0]

Living on Li i have never used crabs for fresh; shrimp patterns, yes. I do use crab patterns for stripers and weakfish ( i think thats also known as sea trout ) I wil try a crab pattern next time out and let you know how it works in the brackish waters.