The Best Time to Catch Crayfish

Crayfish are a saltwater crustacean that is closely related to the lobster in both appearance and taste if not in size. They feature a brown to reddish shell that turns bright red when cooked and a sweet succulent meat that is often boiled or steamed in the same manner as lobster. Crayfish live in most parts of the world but can be found most prolifically in wetland areas such as Louisiana or China.

  1. Where to Find

    • For anyone seeking these freshwater crustaceans, crayfish can be found in almost any calm freshwater source and usually inhabit heavily overgrown and underwater root systems or rock pilings that allow them to seek shelter. Areas with growing algae can also be home to crayfish as they often use the underwater weed as a food source when fish or insects are unavailable.

    How to Catch

    • The simplest way to catch a crayfish is by using a fishnet to scoop the crustaceans up off the bottom of the pool. However, crayfish can easily avoid a net by seeking shelter or dodging to the side. A more efficient but time consuming method is a crayfish trap, which is designed in the same manner as a crab trap only smaller and more suited for crayfish and smaller amounts of water. Traps should be baited with food as bait; usually any form of fish or fatty or heavily-scented food will do.

    Season

    • While crayfish tend to be active year-round, especially in areas that do not freeze over or heavily freeze, they are more frequently seen and therefore easier to catch between April and October due to hatching eggs and warmer temperatures. If a body of water has thawed in an area, any crayfish in the water should be active.

    What Time

    • Like many other fish and animals, crayfish are usually out at night because they have better chances of avoiding predators and because they mostly eat fish and have a better chance of finding their night-dwelling prey at night. However, catching crayfish at night without a trap can be difficult due to lack of proper lighting when catching crayfish with nets; usually 3 to 4 a.m. is a good time to search for crayfish due to moderate light availability and crayfish activity.