Crayfish Fishing

[AshWilliams]

Crawfish boil or crawfish etouffee.

I use the Legasse recipes.
Crawfish Etouffee

Crawfish Boil

 

[tomcat]

Where I grew up we use to go and flip rocks and get a 5 gal bucket full and do a big boil at camp

 

[Mister Bisley]

I have a secret bait, that no one would ever guess that just KILLS em !!!!!!!!

IMR 4350?

 

[Bealzybub]

If you go west on HWY 30 just past Deer Island mile marker 36, there is a dirt road off to the right. Follow it for about 100 yds to the train bridge over the creek.
There is a fish ladder here and it's packed with them.

I have a friend who's driveway is right at mile marker 36 on hwy 30 on the river side (east)

 

[P7M13]

My kids had a grand time catching them at Timothy Lake. We released them afterward.

 

[ThemGunsThough]

I love crawfish/crayfish and fortunately have access to them in my backyard during the summer. Where im at, the traps dont seem to work so well but we take one anyways and throw it in the water. We make it a family activity and just pick them up by hand. For the exception, we carry a few kitchen tongs as well.

 

[edslhead]

I had a boathouse at Jantzen Beach back in the early 90's and we'd all get together at JR's and race the critters. Winners went back in the river and losers got the pickling spices.

 

[EPS]

I usually fish them out by hand or lay traps down, and use tuna as bait. I don't think gamefish can be used as bait in fresh water, or else I'd probably do that. They thrive in clean streams or gradual gradient, and are abundant in wadable areas. Deep pools are good for laying traps, but it takes them a while to get to the bait in streams. It's a great activity for kids!

I don't eat them, but I imagine cooking them like crab would work well. Pour in some wine, lemon juice and season to liking. Serve just like your mother did, and pan seared garlic with clearified butter.
It's more fun chasing them around for me.

Raw bacon in fresh water for bait

 

[AshWilliams]

Cheap, dry dogfood for bait.

 

[Flymph]

Pretty much any table scraps will work well... apparently!

 

[Mikej]

I've heard that folks trapping up at Timothy Lake use corn on the cob.

 

[Rock Hound]

When I was a kid we dropped 3 traps in a deep pool on stream that was loaded with them. We baited them each differently. One with canned cat food, one with raw chicken parts and finally one with trout guts and heads. From above with a snorkel and goggles I watched those crawdads crawl right passed the other traps and head up into the trout trimmings trap on a mission. We just boiled em in Old Bay and then garlic and buttered on the table. Good stuff

 

[totalsportsnut]

Caught these between Eugene and Florance.

 

[Member 5605]

We go with rabbit wire baskets on poles and catch a bucket.

I bring them home, toss in a Zatarans boil season packet and call it good.