Photo by Alamy Question: "I've been told soft crayfish are excellent fish bait. Is this true? Can you tell me where, when, and how to catch them, and the best method of fishing with them?" --Kim parrott, via outdoorlife.com My Answer: As with most things fishing, you're not likely to ever find two anglers who will agree on the effectiveness of soft-shell crayfish over hard-shell crayfish. Each has its proponents. First, a bit of biology. Crayfish (aka crawfish, crawdads, crawls, ditch lobsters, and mud bugs) are common in streams and lakes throughout the country and live a rather short life--usually less than two years. They have a hard exoskeleton, which is great for protection but must be shed in order for the crayfish to grow.