2015 Hunt Wa Crawdad Mania

[luvmystang67]

Because I'm really bad at this and want to catch some of these things, I'm going to reach out like an idiot.  Since we're not talking honey holes for things that matter a ton, I'm hoping I can get a hand.

I live on Fobes Hill in Snohomish.  Closest places to my house are down in the Slough (Ebey) and the similar areas.  This is all pretty soggy bottomed river, so I'm anticipating that this would be a bad choice for crawdads.  Yes, no?

The closest available moving water with rock would probably be the pilchuck river, but its pretty shallow.  If I find a deeper spot, like 4-8 feet deep, is that likely to hold crawdads? 

I have a buddy with a boat on Sammamish.  When we've gone to look for structure near the outlet of the lake, its all pretty muddy bottom too, with lots of lily pads... Is there any way to locate rock piles without donning some snorkeling gear and wandering through the lily pads?  What am I missing here?  How the heck do you find rock piles or are you guys just looking at shore?  I feel like most lakes around here aren't very rocky, aside from RipRap banks...  Help purdy please.

[HUNTINCOUPLE]

Stang, I would be setting test pots in sammaish. Polorid glasses and look for structure. Or use electronics if you have it?  Every crawfish honey hole I have found is by setting test pots and slowly closing in on them. It has takein years of my life to find what I have found. Lots and lots of empty pots to get to the glory of a full pot!  

[luvmystang67]

Stang, I would be setting test pots in sammaish. Polorid glasses and look for structure. Or use electronics if you have it?  Every crawfish honey hole I have found is by setting test pots and slowly closing in on them. It has takein years of my life to find what I have found. Lots and lots of empty pots to get to the glory of a full pot!  

I was afraid of that.  I've set several blind "test pots" and never caught a thing.  Maybe i'll try the snorkeling idea...

[Evil_EdwardO]

Stang: Also, what are you using for bait, what time a day are you putting these traps out, and how long are they set for?

[luvmystang67]

Stang: Also, what are you using for bait, what time a day are you putting these traps out, and how long are they set for?

I mean, I've read that I should be putting them out at night, with fresh bait, and maybe checking them in the morning.

What do I usually do?  Put them on a muddy bottom in about 15 feet of water with a can of sardines from 3pm until 9pm...

Might be part of my failure.  I'm going to try to give it a better go this year.  I want a HOGCRAW trophy!

[h20hunter]

I think an overnight soak is going to be crucial.

By they way.....this ain't little league.....you wanna tropy you need to produce. Participation is NOT good enough!

[Elkpiss]

 ..  A-Hoy..  Mudbugs Mudbugs Mudbugs....    ..   The Ol' Crawdad thread..  Funny how this really took off a few years ago.. haha...   Ive thrown a few test pots out and pulling good numbers already, couple good one, but nothing over 7.5..   Member folks a solid 8.5 or 9 incher is what its going to take to win this sucker...

[Evil_EdwardO]

I 2nd the overnight soak. I usually camp when I'm mudbuggin. I'll throw my pots out around 5-6pm and I usually will pull them in around 10pm. Will usually have around 5, if even that, in each trap. Then I will throw them out again and usually in the same spot and retrieve them in the morning, 6-7am. Most times I will have 10-30 in each trap.

[Shrimper]

Bump for an update on the OP.

Anyone have luck yet?

[Southpole]

no 

[The scout]

any one do it on high mountain lakes. couple years ago I was up deer hunting in a wilderness area, went in a day before the season opened to get situated and do some scouting. we caught a few trout and gutted them and left them in the lake to stay cool till we cooked them, came back from scouting that night to find trout bones and tons of crawdads, needless to say we had crawfish instead of trout that night. shocked me. it was about 6,000 ft elevation

[Elkpiss]

any one do it on high mountain lakes. couple years ago I was up deer hunting in a wilderness area, went in a day before the season opened to get situated and do some scouting. we caught a few trout and gutted them and left them in the lake to stay cool till we cooked them, came back from scouting that night to find trout bones and tons of crawdads, needless to say we had crawfish instead of trout that night. shocked me. it was about 6,000 ft elevation

Yes, some of the best crawdadin and biggest i have seen are from the Mt Lakes...  either dog um or through a trap.. Its fun to watch cause typically the Mt lakes are so clear you can see the mudbugs heading towards the trap.. pretty cool..

[Shrimper]

Had a decent pull this morning, 20 keepers in three pots, 7 1/4" is the biggest so far this season. 

The creeks are producing more than the lakes are so far.  Last pic is of a scouting trip earlier this week.

Steaks topped with crawdads tonight!

[Elkpiss]

35 count.. nothing over 7.5..

[Elkpiss]

35