Crawdad Mania - 2018

[merkaba93]

I wanted a snack while waiting for most of the crawfish to purge the full 24 hours. So I tried something new.
Crawfish Hush Puppies and a Remoulade sauce for dipping. It was really good.

[merkaba93]

And, this meal took a while. Planned it a few months ago. Playing the slow game.....
Crawfish boil from scratch. Yukon Golds and Red Onions. Then Venison/Pork smoked country sausage. Then a healthy helping of crawfish. Only thing that could have made it better was if I was eating it while camping.....

[Jake Dogfish]

Making me hungry!  Well done!

[AK2WA]

Tried this past week under some docks in south lake union without any luck using a home made trap and a variety of bait (catfood or tuna or hot dog). Tried depths from 15ft at first to about 2-3 ft. Any advice for a newbie? Only tried SLU due to closeness of location. Planning to try lake washington or possibly farther east if I can find the time.

Cheers

[CedarPants]

I am admittedly not good at catching these things and am on the 'open for suggestions' bandwagon.  I threw a cage trap with entrances at both sides out off the dock with a bbq'd hot dog in it a couple weekends ago overnight.  Pulled the trap in the morning, no crawdads but there was maybe only half an inch of the hot dog left and that little piece was well chewed.  Is it possible they all climbed out somehow?

[Shrimper]

Tried this past week under some docks in south lake union without any luck using a home made trap and a variety of bait (catfood or tuna or hot dog). Tried depths from 15ft at first to about 2-3 ft. Any advice for a newbie? Only tried SLU due to closeness of location. Planning to try lake washington or possibly farther east if I can find the time.

Cheers

Never fished these areas so I have no infomation but I do know Lake Washington has a successful commercial fishery for crawdads.

With that being said areas with heavy weed growth usually are not good fishing areas.  Whereas, open areas with a lot of structure like big rocks or concrete debris will usually hold good numbers of crawdads.  Also crawdads will hang out in areas like points and outwashes where currents drift food to them.

The bait I have found that works the best for me is fresh fish.  I catch trout, perch or whatever is avaliable in the lake and use the fillet, I just hang it in the trap.  In areas where there are a lot of crawdads a bait bag is a must or the crawdads will eat all the bait and leave or when they get full.

[AK2WA]

Never fished these areas so I have no infomation but I do know Lake Washington has a successful commercial fishery for crawdads.

With that being said areas with heavy weed growth usually are not good fishing areas.  Whereas, open areas with a lot of structure like big rocks or concrete debris will usually hold good numbers of crawdads.  Also crawdads will hang out in areas like points and outwashes where currents drift food to them.

The bait I have found that works the best for me is fresh fish.  I catch trout, perch or whatever is avaliable in the lake and use the fillet, I just hang it in the trap.  In areas where there are a lot of crawdads a bait bag is a must or the crawdads will eat all the bait and leave or when they get full.

Thanks for the advice. Found some Lake Washington spots that fit that sort of description that I am going to try.

[Shrimper]

About three weeks left anyone doing some fall trapping?

[lewy]

Elk steak, vegies from the garden and a couple bugs

[Shrimper]

Awesome Lewy!

Nothing better than a plate full of what you raised, caught and shot.

[lewy]

  The kids get a kick out of it

[HUNTINCOUPLE]

The kids get a kick out of it

     Jim Shockey might add now that's a Natural plate of fine food!

[merkaba93]

Found a few more.

[lewy]

What a haul!

[Southpole]

Really!! You guys kill me!!! You win...  ... good job though