Crayfish Trap

[TroutFishingBear]

I know a lake in my area with many huge crayfish, and I just though about probably getting a trap so I could catch them... and then eat them in various recipes.

I was wondering... what is the best trap for a fairly low price? I don't want to spend too much on one, but I still want it to be quality.

Also, tell me where I can by them. (website if possible)


Thanks.

[fastribs85]

check walmart and cabelas and basspro i have a frabill one never used it been catching them by hand

[Cider]

Wal-Mart carries the frabil and their own FLW brand crawfish traps.  They are both priced at around $5 or less.  Works pretty good too!

[got em]

  you gona eat them,I catch them in traps and by hand and use them for bait,awesome for smallies,saves alot of $$$,eyes love em just about every fish loves a crustacean..

[Cider]

eyes love em just about every fish loves a crustacean..

Pure candy to a small mouth!!  They get hammered just as quick as you can cast them!! 

[missfishylicious]

my hubby cut the holes in the end of an old minnow trap larger and throws in a few fish heads sets it over night and viola crayfish

[Scott]

For fun my brother and I take a string attach a float on one end,  attach a few bell sinkers along the string on the other end.... tie on a few fish heads... throw it an an area with some crayfish, leave it set a few mins. Have a bucket handy then pull the rig in gently and most times they will hang on until you get them to shore. We found that for some reason you will catch a high percentage of the big ones.

-Scott

[Redneck]

If you never ate them you should try them there great. Boil them in water with a little dill in it .
Redneck

[buzzbomb]

I inherited 2 traps when my hunting partner died.  I think he got them from Cabelas.  They're the kind the cray walks into, up a ramp then drops in.  If it gets too full they climb out over the backs of the others so if the catching's good they have to be emptied regularly.  Look under the tail and release those packing egg sacs and throw back the little ones and you can still wind up with a good feed.

[USMC130FE]

TFB,
If you look around and take notice of all the different styles you will find that the traps would be easy to make.  All you'll need is some 1/4" or 1/2" hardware cloth.  you can bend it in shape using a piece of plywood or any stout straight edge.

Figure the size you want, cut the material, bend to shape and add the ends. you can attach the pieces using zip ties or take a clothes hanger and cut into small enough lenghts and bend them around the seams.  Very easy to do, a lot cheaper, and you have the ability to modify the size to suit you.

Hope this helps
Steve

[TroutFishingBear]

Thanks for the info guys.

I plan to eat some and use some for fishing, easy enough. I know what I'm going to use for bait... a piece or 2 of fried chicken. One time I dropped a teeny chunk in the water, and about 5 big crayfish would be fighting over it at one time!

[Fishingking]

when i was down in florida i got a frabill crab trap its the best thing ive found for the big crawdads yet
it is made out of nylon or plastic netting and the crayfish just walk up it and go into the trap it also can hold alot of crayfish and because of the netting they have a hard time escaping it was 10-20 dollars  but if your not near  saltwater then it might be tough to find one  and i think i looked online and couldnt find any

oh this trap also traps 1-2 dozen crayfish every 2 days without any bait in the trap when i put some fish in the trap it will trap over 10 doz everyday while the regular minnow trap will trap about 5 doz and the square metal meshed trap from cabela's would trap about 1.2 doz crayfish    but htis again is only from my experience

[buzzbomb]

For bait I used fresh heads, guts and skins from perch and walleye.  I thought I'd have a great source of bait from a friend's seafood wholesale business and he gave me unlimited salmon trimmings, but the crays wouldn't eat them.....had to be the local stuff!

[OTIS]

You want to get yourself some Zaterans crab boil (power or liquid), and follow the directions on the back of the package.  Don't take the tails off before cooking them, the heads add flavor!  No butter needed.  Just boil them up, let them set for 15 minutes, and enjoy!   Man I miss New Orleans!

[bayonne]

never heard of crab boil before should be good for blue claws aswell ? were do you find it?