Crawfish, Crayfish, Crawdad, Mud Bug!

[CrabDog]

Hey Lefty, where in Pa. I've been looking at it and thought about doing it. I'm right on the Sus-q and thought about giving it a try. Nothing ventured, nothing gained.

prettty much anywhere.. Larry.....probably do better on the smaller feeder creeks and streams that lead into the susky.... we catch em in a small creek that feeds the little / upper gunpowder ( not the same one whee folks crab.. this runs from pretty boy resevoir to loch raven....lots of littel spring feed creeks that run into it.. we go in sept / mid oct and catch crwdads.. use for bait in the  lakes for smallies... man you catch some nice fish on em... even have caught giant yellow perch on them 13-15 inches...

[Chef Lar]

Yeah, I remember going with dad and a seine net to get minnows and crayfish in the Swatara as a kid, to use as bait for bass. Dad would break the pinchers off so they couldn't get back under the rocks. I've been thinking though that if I could start catching some of the bugs up here, it might just make up for when the crabbing ain't so hot. In all my reading, I haven't found a time of year when they are more, or less active. Lots of little feeder creeks around, so I'm thinking, hmmmmmmmmmm.

[CrabDog]

Yeah, I remember going with dad and a seine net to get minnows and crayfish in the Swatara as a kid, to use as bait for bass. Dad would break the pinchers off so they couldn't get back under the rocks. I've been thinking though that if I could start catching some of the bugs up here, it might just make up for when the crabbing ain't so hot. In all my reading, I haven't found a time of year when they are more, or less active. Lots of little feeder creeks around, so I'm thinking, hmmmmmmmmmm.

well you an catch em spring through fall, but the time they are the best bait around here in the lakes is late sept through october.... as the grass and weedbeds dies off the crawdads loss their cover and then start to migrate into deeper water and /or rockier areas for cover.. as they  do the bass large and small mouth... usually go into a feeding frenzy on them.. it becomes th epreferred bait down here then... or jig and pig, crawdad colored crankbaits or soft plasitics rigged either texas style or with a jig head are hot baits then....I agree might be  abit late for em this year... but keep it in mind next fall.. when crabbing is real good... water is getting clearer and grass beds dying off.. that is crawdad time.... and they will catch big bass too.. I usually breakoff one or both the claws to make them a bit more appetizing to the bass

[jack1747]

well you an catch em spring through fall, but the time they are the best bait around here in the lakes is late sept through october.... as the grass and weedbeds dies off the crawdads loss their cover and then start to migrate into deeper water and /or rockier areas for cover.. as they  do the bass large and small mouth... usually go into a feeding frenzy on them.. it becomes th epreferred bait down here then... or jig and pig, crawdad colored crankbaits or soft plasitics rigged either texas style or with a jig head are hot baits then....I agree might be  abit late for em this year... but keep it in mind next fall.. when crabbing is real good... water is getting clearer and grass beds dying off.. that is crawdad time.... and they will catch big bass too.. I usually breakoff one or both the claws to make them a bit more appetizing to the bass

That's it... I can't stand no more... I'm calling PETA! 

[CrabDog]

That's it... I can't stand no more... I'm calling PETA! 

I am already a member Jack, so don't panic.....

  People Eating Tasting Animals....

[captaincrab55]

I am already a member Jack, so don't panic.....

  People Eating Tasting Animals....

Dog eat Dog World!...

[CrabDog]

Dog eat Dog World!...

yeah well if you can't beat join em.....just don't bite the hand that feeds ya..

I guess I should have said I am in PETA  Pooches Eating Tasty Animals

[DEReeves]

Sportsmen catch crawfish in wire minnow traps, just wallow the hole out to about one and a half inches. Small mesh drop nets are good too. I fish them commercially with pillow traps. A pillow trap is made of 1/2" coated chicken wire. Simply cut 3' off a 3' wide roll and fold it over and crimp the edge with rings. The bottom two corners are turned in to make two funnels. The top is folded over about 3"  so that it can be unfolded to empty. It looks like a pillow at this point. They can be flattened for transport then pushed  back to their "pillow" form when set. We use pogey for bait or shad. Take it into the marsh or swamp and tie it off, set it with the funnels underwater. Best left overnight.

Give the pogey a twist so the oil and blood gets into the water.

One problem here is you tend to catch quite a few snakes in the traps. Alligators will take them once in a while and chew them up pretty bad.

 They are excellent when boiled properly. I saw an excellent recipe earlier in this post. We do not eat chinese crawfish fresh, frozen or cleaned. it only helps put UNITED STATES FISHERMEN out of work or drive the prices way down. Kinda like mexican crab meat. There was a scare a while back when it was discovered the chinese were putting some sort of non FDA approved antibiotic in their crawfish ponds to cut down on mortality. I'm sure they fully complied with the US asking them to discontinue the practice........Riiiiiiiiight.

If you clean crawfish to make jambalaya, gumbo or sauce piquant be sure to save the fat, that is the yellow stuff that sticks to the tail when you remove it from the body. You wont get much but it dont take much to give the dish a true cajun flavor. Scrape it off and put it in a little bowl then add it to the whatever dish you are putting the crawfish in. I've heard the yellow stuff is actually the pancreas, I dont know for sure what it is but it has been called fat by everyone here so as far as I'm concerned its fat. Whatever it is its plenty good.

When you clean crawfish be sure and get the doo doo string out of the top of the tail. A long tab of meat runs down the top of the tail, pull it off and eat or save it. There will be a doo doo tube under it, simply pull it out and discard. That tube is full of doo doo and sometimes grit. Sounds like a lot of trouble but it is not, speed comes with practice. Some people here can eat them faster than a heron.

[CrabDog]

good thing is up here in yankee land we don't have to worry about too many snakes let alone alligators...

[DEReeves]

All you have to do is open the trap and let the snakes crawl out IF the crawfish have not killed and eaten them. The alligators.... you just gotta be patient and let them chew till they lose interest then retireve the trap and hopefully bend it back into shape. We do eat alligators but not snakes.

[CrabDog]

All you have to do is open the trap and let the snakes crawl out IF the crawfish have not killed and eaten them. The alligators.... you just gotta be patient and let them chew till they lose interest then retireve the trap and hopefully bend it back into shape. We do eat alligators but not snakes.

I have had alligator tail .  someone brought it up from florida for one of our game feast.... kinda like chicken... course doesn't everything taste like chicken

[DEReeves]

The crawfishing trip can be livened up by bringing an inexperienced fisherman along and dump a water snake, fish snake, (not a cottonmouth) into the bottom of the boat then sit back and enjoy the ensuing panic accompanied by screaming, cursing and boat paddle flailing usually culminating with either the snake or the fisherman going over the side. Its all in good fun,  the water is warm and shallow. Just dont let him back in the boat until he calms down.

[CrabDog]

The crawfishing trip can be livened up by bringing an inexperienced fisherman along and dump a water snake, fish snake, (not a cottonmouth) into the bottom of the boat then sit back and enjoy the ensuing panic accompanied by screaming, cursing and boat paddle flailing usually culminating with either the snake or the fisherman going over the side. Its all in good fun,  the water is warm and shallow. Just dont let him back in the boat until he calms down.

that might cause some trouble.     .. man if that was me.. I am petrified of snakes....  don't mind other stuff. but snakes...ugh....Remind me to never go out in your boat if I am ever in TX again...  

[captaincrab55]

that might cause some trouble.     .. man if that was me.. I am petrified of snakes....  don't mind other stuff. but snakes...ugh....Remind me to never go out in your boat if I am ever in TX again...  

I can just see now, another dog dive and  another broken paw joint.....   

[tattoo]

 

[CrabDog]

I can just see now, another dog dive and  another broken paw joint.....   

geez didn't even think about that aspect..... thanks CC just one more reason...

[Mikie]

Break the tails off, take the shells off the tails and place them on a cookie sheet or shallow tray - broil them. Just like mini lobster tails!!

[lefty87]

i did it on a small creek named roaring creek on my uncles property right down the road from knoebels grove amusement park.  you will be amazed at how well it works using the rings.

[Chef Lar]

i did it on a small creek named roaring creek on my uncles property right down the road from knoebels grove amusement park.  you will be amazed at how well it works using the rings.

Lefty, Do you mean the ring traps like are used for crabs? Or, the minnow type traps, torpedo shaped. I'm thinking about puttin out one in a creek around me sometime this week. Maybe Friday night. I've read about re-working a minnow trap into one for crayfish. I should be able to do that with the one I have. Will report back.

[captaincrab55]

Lar,    Did you check out the Crayfish in Maryland??....


http://dnr.md.gov/streams/pubs/virile_crayfish_factsheet.pdf

[Chef Lar]

Interesting. Definitely getting the itch now.

[DEReeves]

If you are gonna use the wire minnow funnel type traps, use a  bottle like the ones gas additive comes in, it has a long tapered neck. Shove the bottle in until the opening is about one and a half inches wide. If you dont widen the throat you will miss the bigger crawfish. You want to spread the meshes, not break them. Later you can squeeze them back down to catch minnows.

Here in Texas and Louisiana we use drop nets, same as those used for crabs but with smaller webbing. I use old 1" shrimp webbing. If there is no inner ring tie a small weight in the center of the webbing so when you lift it it tapers to the middle, you lose fewer that way.

When fishing with drop nets helps to muddy up the water where you are fishing if possible. Crawfish will run if they see you coming especially if your shadow falls across them.

We also use a net called an umbrella net. Its 4 heavy guage wires bent into kind of a U shape and joined at the top. The webbing is stretched between the wires at the bottom. When set, the webbing is on the bottom and the joint is above the water. We use a pole to pick these and the drop nets  to keep from getting too close the the trap and scaring them. Umbrella nets fold to store and transport.

You gotta be quick with umbrella nets, dump the crawfish in the pirogue or in a washtub floating behind you tied to your waist. If you got a snake......you just gonna have to lose a few crawfish until he decides the crawl out.

[crabbygramps]

Interesting. Definitely getting the itch now.

 
   Put 4 traps out one week ago tomorrow. I let them sit over night or should say I pull them in the a.m. afore  I heads to work..( 8:30 start) even have time to hit the WaWa for coffee. Got at least 20 out in the tank in the shed. Using old minnow traps, no alterations. And this is in a lake where the shalowest I can get is 6 ft. Thinking about four more in the big creek by the house...couple sets of rapids in 1 to 2 ft. of water. Get just where the rapids end and that should produce. Keep ya posted..

[jack1747]

The crawfishing trip can be livened up by bringing an inexperienced fisherman along and dump a water snake, fish snake, (not a cottonmouth) into the bottom of the boat then sit back and enjoy the ensuing panic accompanied by screaming, cursing and boat paddle flailing usually culminating with either the snake or the fisherman going over the side. Its all in good fun,  the water is warm and shallow. Just dont let him back in the boat until he calms down.

Try a eel in the minnow bucket....  Just sit back and wait for your buddy to grab it while getting a fresh mini.... 

[Chef Lar]

I've been doing some research and found that Pa has13 kinds of crayfish, with several being non native that were released into the system by fishermen releasing bait in a river where there was none before. They're still considered bait and I'm allowed 50 in my posession at a time. I know that may not seem like a lot to our friends down south, but I'll see how it goes.