Crawdads

[Scrminbanshee]

Well i hope to catch a bunch of crawdads this summer. I am currently trying to order some traps from a guy who makes em out of OR (terrybullard.com). I hope to try pretty hard around the south sound. Anybody got any experience catching em? Any advice on lakes would be helpful not looking for your honey hole just what to look for in a lake. Whats a good depth for em? Whats a good bait for em? Whats the best way to weight the traps or do you not worry about it? I have a few spots at a local lake in mind but i'm not that experienced with this. Any advice on eating them, cleaning them, and recipes? Ive had them once and they were great but it was a long time ago so anyadive sure would be greatly appreciated.

 

[wood4heat]

I usually set a trap or two when camping. All my experience has been on lakes but I'll share what I know. For bait I use trout scraps if the fishing has been good but have also had success using chicken. I set my traps in the evening and try to pick them up the next morning. For my purpose I keep them in a cool bucket but I will cook them the same day I empty the trap. They are like crab in that if you put them in a bucket of water they will use up the oxygen and suffocate. When setting the traps I look for a secluded area that gives them some kind of cover, preferably a bottom with lots of big rocks. The traps don't need to be deep, no more than 15' anyway. When I'm ready to eat them I just toss them in a pot of boiling water over the camp fire for 10 minutes or so. They're pretty good with just a couple tablespoons of salt thrown in but lately I've been using a Cajun seafood boil. I think it is from Zaterans. Then we sit around the campfire snacking on them. I don't catch any more than we've eaten in one sitting so I can't offer any advice on saving them.

Hope something in all of this was useful, good luck!

 

[mrmike]

Crawdads are a scavenger found in clear lakes/str4eams commericial guys use dog food (dry type) so I'm told/shad a good bait something oilly will work/ liver/old fish carcuse will work good. I don't think it can be a sport fish like trout/catfish etc. some high lakes are better than others/ check the fishing regulation there is a limit 100 (no angler license required) per day in Oregon is allowed for non commericial activity/most lake have them and creeks I heard even the Columbia/Willamette are commericial fish. Lake Bill Chinook/Odell/Timothy lake is a very popular lake for crawdads so is the Snake River another hot spot. I really good way is to steam them place your dads in a cooking pot add 1/4 the way of water in your pot you don't want to cover them add Sea salt 1 cup per gallon of water/add 1 small plain onion just cut it up /yellow mustard 1/4 cup/ white/red vinergare 1 cup (8 oz)per gallon 3 or4 big tablespoon of Old bay seasoning it a crab boil bring to a boil this is a must got to have old bay or don't even go/ add your dads for 15/20 minutes.

 

[SuperD]

You should probably sack your bait like for crabbing. If you are worried about your traps walking away due to rough conditions, tie wire some short sections of rebar on the bottom of the trap. My favorite bait is bacon.

 

[Scrminbanshee]

Well thanks for the advice. I kinda figured you would cook em just like you would crab and i always cook it with old bay. Thanks for the advice on bait. I dont know "what it means to sack your bait" last year i did it once and used a cut up Kokanee carcass but with no luck. When it come to the bacon do you let sit out for a day or do you use it straight out of the package? Also wonder the same for the chicken? Woulds a guy do good using some chicken livers and and thighs maybe let them sit out for a day or so in the sun before hand? I know i have had pretty good luck using this for crabs before. I do have a couple good spots at a lake close by that i plan on trying but they might be a bit deeper, say 30-50ft deep. Any advice on traps? I have a frabill crawdad trap but recently when i was reading the regs it said that it "has to have an opening of 3x5 secured with dry rot cord" so advice would be nice. Thanks for replies guys.

 

[wood4heat]

I know crab like stinky old bait but I've been told crawfish like it fresh. It would be interesting to set two traps in the same area, one with fresh bait and one with old. Then see which catches more.

 

[Scrminbanshee]

I know crab like stinky old bait but I've been told crawfish like it fresh. It would be interesting to set two traps in the same area, one with fresh bait and one with old. Then see which catches more.

This can be arranged! I will be trying out all sorts of stuff this summer. i know the lake has a bunch so ill be trying anything i can to catch them.