About Crawdads

Many people still have childhood memories of trying to catch crawdads from running streams. Also known as crawfish or crayfish, crawdads are amazing aquatic creatures that can be eaten either by themselves or used in recipes. As for good nutrition, they have just as much protein as lobsters and more phosphorous than other fish flesh. They can also be used in classrooms as a teaching tool for studying aquarium animals.

  1. Identification

    • Crawdads are freshwater crustaceans that look like little lobsters. Related to lobsters, crawdads breathe through gills and live in waters that don't freeze to the bottom. Generally, they're found in streams and brooks of fresh running water which are sheltered from predators.

    Geography and Types

    • Of the hundreds of species of crawdads, the most common one eaten in America is the red swamp crayfish. About 95 percent of this species is found in Louisiana. Besides being found in the northern hemisphere, they're also found in South America, Madagascar and Australia. Crawdads also thrive in western Eurasia and western North American. About 100 different species of crawdads live in Australia, such as the marron and red-claw crayfish. The Astacopsis gouldi, which weighs more than three kilograms, is the largest known species and lives in northern Tasmania. Astacopsis madagascarensis lives in Madagascar. Europe has seven different species, while Japan and the eastern mainland of Asia are home to the Cambaroides species.

    Lifespan

    • As crawdads grow they shed their exoskeletons. Typically, they do this about three to four times each year. Crawdads live roughly three years. However, some can live as long as seven to eight years.

    Tips for Catching Crawdads

    • Shallow creeks are best for catching crawdads. If you can't see the bottom of the creek it's harder to capture one. Because crawdads go for fatty foods, use baits such as pork, chicken and hot dogs. They're also drawn to algae wafers and small minnows. Fish with a net in areas containing solid rock bottoms as it's easier to catch them.

    Misconceptions

    • Often people think of crawdads as fish. However, they aren't fish at all. Instead, they're arthropods, belonging to the subphylum known as Crustacea. Another common misconception is that crawdads with straight tails died before they were boiled and are therefore unsafe for consumption.

    Warnings

    • To test the edibility of a crawdad, check its tail. If it's mushy, chances are it shouldn't be eaten. Also, a crawdad pinch is extremely painful but can be prevented. To avoid a crawdad pinching your skin, pick it up gently on its back, just behind its claws. Then give it a light pinch on its back.