sandfly wrote:
I tie them up to 4" long just use a long shank hook with a light
wire..besides if you watch how they eat a crawfish they come from the
tail and bite down to cut off the claws and legs since these can
perforate the stomach lining, bass and trout both do this.


Ok. What you say makes good sense.
Extra-long shanked hooks would allow you to tie
a big crayfish, still with a moderate gape on
the hook.

But I don't like long-shanked hooks. They're expensive
and hard to find, and a lot of people think they
give the fish too much leverage on the hook, allowing
them to more easily pop and spit the hook.

Your solution works. I'm just trying to figure
out a bit of a twist, that allows making a big
soft crayfish with a normal hook--that still has a
moderate gape--so they're less likely to spit
the fly.

I love it when I see my leader zig-zap off
through the currents, giving me that extra
2-3 seconds to get the hook set.