Crayfish trap tips?

[shimano]

Anyone got some tips for the traps? I'm going to set on up it Carbon Canyon.

[Jig Man]

First make sure you follow your state regulations.  I used to do it a lot. I wire tied pieces of hog bacon to the inside of the traps.  We pulled them every 15 minutes all night long.  We got some monsters.  We kept a fire going, cooked and ate them as we caught them.  

[WRB]

You can buy crawdad traps or make them.

1/4” to 1/2”  square hardware wire rolled to make about 8” diameter tube about 24” to 36” long. Wire the seam together by bending the cut wire ends together. Fold 1 end to form inward funnel with 2” to 3” opening. Flatten the opposite end and fold over about 2”. Tie a cord to the funnel end of the trap about 3” to 4” long, tie a stake to the end to anchor the trap to the bank.

Simple put fish heads or bacon for bait inside and wire tie about in the center of the trap. Drop the trap into the water so it’s covered with water, depth doesn’t matter.

Leave over nigh and pull the trap out with the cord.

Open the flat end and dump out the crawdads into a bucket with a few inches of water.

Feed the craws with aquatic weeds or green lettuce.

Tom 

[Catt]

Whole lot easier to buy than make 

[Big Hands]

2 hours ago, Jig Man said:

First make sure you follow your state regulations.  I used to do it a lot. I wire tied pieces of hog bacon to the inside of the traps.  We pulled them every 15 minutes all night long.  We got some monsters.  We kept a fire going, cooked and ate them as we caught them.  

From what I understand, it's only legal to use live bait (except for worms/nightcrawlers) that you caught from the water you're going to use them to fish in, and they can only be used on the day you catch them. Best to read the current California regulations to be sure you know what the law says and make your best decision with that in mind. 

 

One of the last things you want these days is a fish and game violation in California.

 

I used to drive down to Signal Hill near San Pedro to buy several dozen crawdads at time. As mentioned above, a little lettuce and some water in the bottom of an ice chest or even in a cardboard box with a trash bag liner, and they'll be fine for quite a while.

[WRB]

Back in the 60’s fished live crawdads a lot.

Learn to beak/nose hook the craw with a mosquito hook used for drop shot, we used squid hooks back in the day.

Live crawdads can be dyed using food coloring, few drops in the water and the craw absorbs the dye.

Craws with big claws you can remove the arm buy hold the with needle nose pliers until the arm falls off. 

As Big Hands mentioned read the current regulations and local lake rules about using and transporting live bait. Quagga mussel invasion changed everything regarding live bait.

Tom

PS, Rainbow Bait was the place to go back in the day.

 

 

[Catt]

Academy $7.99

 

 

Wally World $11.94

 

[CrankFate]

I got a trap from BPS, they say to set it partially open to get more of them in. Not sure if that’s true or not. Only advice I have is use one extra high quality cat food can, one that’s better than sardines for humans and one of the cheapest cat or dog food cans you can find. Stab a few holes in both with a knife and set the trap. That got the most craws for me. Hide it, because, at least around here, people always steal them or empty them. I don’t use it anymore because I found out it’s illegal here.

[Bluebasser86]

If you have a soft bottom you can dig in, cut just the very top off a gallon milk jug and bury it up to the opening in the mud with a rope attached to the handle. Put pieces of fish, bacon, hotdogs, whatever you want for bait in it. The craws climb inside to get the bait but can't climb back up the smooth sides and it's very difficult for them to swim back out the small opening. We use to use them a lot when I was a kid. 

[shimano]

How large should the mess holes be for those crawfish?

[J Francho]

Plenty of tips in here:

 

[TnRiver46]

16 minutes ago, J Francho said:

Plenty of tips in here:

 

You were supposed to leave that thread six feet under indefinitely!!!

[J Francho]

No way. It should be in a best of list. 

[WRB]

54 minutes ago, shimano said:

How large should the mess holes be for those crawfish?

1/4”-1/2 square hardware wire.

Tom

[shimano]

Should I get gee's crayfish trap with extender?  The holes are 2 1/4.

 

[shimano]

In general, the bigger the trap the better right? I have no idea what size to get.

[Catt]

Order the one from Academy & be done 

[Jig Rookie]

4 hours ago, Catt said:

Order the one from Academy & be done 

@Catt I can hear the exasperation in your post,

 

"...for the third time, just get the Academy one and stop making it hard on yourself!"?

[shimano]

I’m scared the hole is too big and the crayfish will get out. I used to keep some crayfish and they kept escaping the tank even with lid on. 

[J Francho]

I can make a trap from toothpicks and the stem off a maraschino cherry in about 15 mins. 

[WRB]

1 hour ago, shimano said:

I’m scared the hole is too big and the crayfish will get out. I used to keep some crayfish and they kept escaping the tank even with lid on. 

They can’t get past the funnel or find the entry hole....don’t over think this!

Tom

[shimano]

Does carp meat and bass meat work? I really want to catch a lot of crayfish in a few hours so.

[MN Fisher]

17 minutes ago, shimano said:

Does carp meat and bass meat work?

Use of any finned fish as bait for any purpose in CA is regulated district by district - Pg 17: https://nrm.dfg.ca.gov/FileHandler.ashx?DocumentID=177572&inline

 

 

 

[Catt]

6 hours ago, shimano said:

I really want to catch a lot of crayfish in a few hours so.

 

Yeah that ain't happening even down in south Louisiana!

[TnRiver46]

19 hours ago, J Francho said:

I can make a trap from toothpicks and the stem off a maraschino cherry in about 15 mins. 

I think we are headed right back down the same rabbit hole as last year