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i live near a bunch of crawfish not sure if they are the kind u eat or not im in missisisppi where i fish is in flat swampy land off a big creek full of catfish about 40 feet wide theres a few small oxbow lakes formed as well from the creeks over flow where do you think i should try and put out a crawfish trap? id like to be able t catch crawfish to eat and use for live bait for flathead catfish
Either build or buy a trap, bait it with fish parts, chicken, or even hot dogs.
Used to do it in small creeks around here, would catch some bonus bluegill as well.
yeah i know that part but where are the best spots? im fishing n a big creek has parts that are clsoe t 100 feet wide theres also a half acre oxbow lake about 3 t 4 feet in deepest prob with very dark water id think it should have lots and has some tiny streams that fee dinto the creek as wlel id think would have lots of crawfish
curious where would b the bets palces t put it? i know they like rocks but idk where rocks are n the creek it has sandy bottoms in most parts where i fish
It depends on what size crawdads you are after,I find the largest ( eating size ) lurk in the sandy bottoms,and smaller dads hang around the rocks.This of course is my experience, I only try and catch eating size,so I trap sand more often,my preferred bait is a couple slices of raw bacon.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Yaker
i was told u cna only use fresh fish i have some cut bait fish heads n freezer but not sur eif i should use for bait maybe should get a can of sardines t throw in im gonna go buy a trap in the am and find some rope to tie it off hopefully the trap isnt complicated n easy t use i wish i could get like 4 of them i hope i can bring back 3 pounds im gonna go for 4 hours to the creek n every hour check the trap n throw somewhere if i dont have luck
Google Maps
Google Maps
these r the 2 spots i fish i found a oxbow lake form just now looking on the map right past the bridge on the first link that shows a oxbow lake on the left the fact its that big on the map tells me its gonna be good im sure its full of bluegill and crawfish where on the map do you think would be best to put my traps? im thinkingof trying to oxbow lake first then tyr the river next if i dont catch anything
also on traps ima complete beginner never used one and about to buy some is it best to use the cone shaped or the square box shaped traps? i read that the cone shaped arnt as good cause they can easily escape which o hope wont happen i plan to check my traps every hour while fishing so hopefully they wont leave yet
Both traps will catch crabs,but the square trap will catch more due to the gentler,wider sloped entrance.Quote:
Originally Posted by matt1991
Quote:
Originally Posted by Yaker
i find it weird that the square ones are cheaper though is it harder to figure out if its better and bigger why is it cheaper lol?
Pure economics,according to a survey taken in the early 2000’s,more folks trapped minnows than crabs.The tube style trap,already having the reputation of catching more minnows than a square trap due to its design,drove market prices to increase due to demand and popularity.
so you think square traps are better than tube huh ohh well too abd for me i already made my purchase bought 3 of he cone shaped from Walmart ill try to get a square one soon though to try it out idk how the square ones work hopefully the crawfish cant crawback out of them like the cone shape
Never hurts to have a bunch of different traps.You will catch crabs in the tube traps,it’s just that the wider,gentler sloped opening in the square trap is designed for the crab to enter more easily.
ugh im a bit upset now ordered 3 of the cone shaped ones and a guy who makes youtube vids on catching them told me they wont work very well for what im trying t do i wish i could get walmart to cancel my orders and get 3 of the square ones instead
I catch them all the time in the cone shaped traps. I mainly trap minnows but from time to time I traps craws for bait. I have never used the square traps but I have always gotten enough from my cone traps. I like to bait with cheap cans of cat food, I have also done well on hard salami slices as bait.
well my creek is so flooded water has ran into the woods lol about 3 feet deep the spot i planned to put it is completely underwater so i tried to put it in the ground where normally i can walk hoping the crawfish go exploring the new location is that a decent idea?
I would say no,but you can’t catch anything unless you set them.Honestly,for the best results you need to set them in their natural habitat
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Originally Posted by Yaker
ohh well guess ill have to wait till the water leaves the woods cause tbh i cant exactly find the spots i was gonna do it since its all underwater
also whats a cheap alternative to pantyhose? they cost like 3 bucks at walmart theres gotta be soemthing cheap thats like pantyhose for tying up chicken liver or catfood chicken liver is cheap that should be a good bait id think can get a thing for 1.50 at walmart
I use cheese cloth and it works really well. I buy a big package of it at Walmart for like $5. Its in the area where they have all their stuff for canning fruit and veggies. You can cut it to size and reuse until it gets too nasty then just use another piece. I close mine up with a small zip-tie and then hang it with some light wire right in the center.Quote:
Originally Posted by matt1991
I found the square box traps with a 'walk up' ramp work best by far, YMMV.
My childhood friend Andy and I used to trap lots of big mud bugs near the earth dam his granddad had on a lake he impounded himself back in the 50's. He loved us taking mud bugs from around the dam area because they burrowed into the dam face.
The first mud bug I ever ate as a boy was one Andy and I caught and boiled in a tin can right beside the lake. Can't get any fresher than that.
Tom
It can, let them purge in clean water a day or two and then eat them. They will be just as alive as when you caught them, only they will taste better.Quote:
Originally Posted by T_om
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Sure, but as 6 year old kids in 1953, purging didn't even enter our minds. We just boiled'em and ate'em. :)Quote:
Originally Posted by nnelzon23
Tom
do you have t add salt to the water u purge them in?i was old some do n some dont n add ice cubes id think the salt would somehow make themm sick and mmisribleQuote:
Originally Posted by nnelzon23
Got a "Dollar Tree" store near you ?Quote:
Originally Posted by matt1991
Do not add salt,you will kill them,the object is to allow them to clean their stomaches and intestines.Put them in a bucket or preferably a cooler of fresh water,and change the water occasionally,24 hrs they should be clean and ready for the boil.You do need to keep the water cool,and fresh,to have good results.Quote:
Originally Posted by matt1991
Purging has been proven not to do anything. One restaurant in S La. put them in fresh water for a few days, maybe that made a difference. Just clean them until the water is clear. I grew up in crawfish country, traps are a few bucks, and throw a dead fish in it. When you pick it up, and it's heavy, let it go, a snake is in it
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I used to put my hat in the water behind them, and ease my hand in front of them until they spooked into my hat.
Then I'd dig a hole in the bank and put them in it until it was time to run home for supper. Caught gobs this way. Ofcourse I believe I may have been a bit younger and had more time to waste than I do now :D
If the crawdads don’t intake any food,and they are given only fresh clean water,they will absolutely purge the sand and poop chute.Ive eaten them both ways,I personally didn’t care as much for the unpurged,but to each his own.Every year I do a few survival bivouacs,I don’t bother purging the crawdads on those trips,but while I’m at home,I make an effort to purge and clean them