Crickets

[David Matysik]

I am new to this so I was not sure if this should be in blog or forum.  I woud like to know opinions on cricket use.  Besides the fact that the black crickets I get in my yard are free, is there a difference between the black crickets in my yard and the crickets that pet shops sell.  Does one work better than the other or are they both the same in fishing results?  Second question is what is the best way to hook a cricket?

[David Matysik]

Thanks for  all of the comments and help.  I will be giving it a try this fall.

[Lord of the Fly , Rods]

David, the black crickets work, but the one you get at the store are called Australian Greys  and they seem to be a little more delicate to me , an old man one time  told me he tore them up on cockroaches. I always  use a long shank  #8 hook , and I stick the barb down through the thorax and come out it's chest plate  , then I bury the hook in the abdomine, at that time you will notice a little drop of golden juice come out , I think that drop of gold is what the bluegill  nose  finds irrisistable . Good Luck  LOFR

[Keith Ritter]

The store bought crickets have always worked better for me than the black one but I would use the black ones for sure if they were readily available because they are free.I use a #10 cricket hook and thread it butt first. No reasoning for that just the way I saw my Dad do it.

[Tony Livingston]

If I'm trying for maximum use of the cricket, I'll thread it on. If I want maximum movement of the cricket, say for spooky fish, then I just lightly hook it through the collar right behind the head. They stay alive a good while thataway, but to be honest, either way I consider a cricket to be a one fish bait.......they will come off the hook if a bluegill even looks sideways at em'!

[carl hendrix]

david;; Lord of the Fly Rods;; always uses crickets;; so does Jeffery Abnethy!  its about all they use!!