Regardless of the type of trap you’re purchasing, make sure the entrance is less than 9. 5 centimeters. This is a safety precaution to prevent mammalian animals, like otters, from entering the trap and drowning. Some traps are designed with a crawl-in entrance. These traps are usually meant to be set up and left overnight. If you’re planning on catching crayfish while on an extended camping trip, you might want a trap like this. You can leave it in the water overnight and check in the morning to see if you caught anything. [1] X Research source If you’re going for a one-day trip, get a trap designed for lifting. These traps work somewhat like fishing poles. You lower them into the water, wait until you feel pressure, and then pull the trap upward to check for crayfish. [2] X Research source
You use a cup as a trap manually. You would wait until you see a crayfish and then submerge your cup in the water. Then, you would slowly move the cup forward until the crayfish was behind it. Use a stick to scare the crayfish so it backs into the cup. Then, pull the cup out of the water.
If you do not want to spend money on real meat, you can use a can of cat food with holes punched into the top. Crayfish are primarily attracted to smell. They may follow the smell of the cat food. How you bait a trap depends heavily on the trap you’re using. You would usually place it inside the trap, close to the back. Some crayfish traps may have special sections where you can place the bait.
Look for shallow, still waters. You can also look for eddies with fast streams, as crayfish may flow into your traps. [4] X Research source Rivers and brooks are where crayfish are most often found. They tend to congregate in warmer bodies of freshwater. If you live in a colder area, it may be harder to find and catch crayfish.
If you’re going for a daylong fishing trip, you should keep crayfish alive until the end of the day. This minimizes decay. You can keep crayfish in a sealable container. Keep crayfish between layers of moist fabric. You might want to put ice between the layers of fabric, but be sure not to let ice directly touch the crayfish. [5] X Research source When you’re finished fishing, you can kill the crayfish by stabbing them with a kitchen knife. Stab around the top of the body, where their head joins the abdomen. [6] X Research source
Once again, crayfish prefer shallow waters. They’re usually found in brooks and rivers. They may, however, show up in fast-moving eddies on occasion. Keep in mind crayfish do most of their moving during the night. It can be very hard to find crayfish during daylight hours. It might be a good idea to bring a flashlight and seek out crayfish during the night. You can find them by shining a flashlight into the water.
Crayfish hold larvae under their tails. A crayfish with a large tail may be a breeding female and should be thrown back into the water. [8] X Research source If you’re uncertain if you have a male or female, look at the crayfish’s front claws. Larger front claws are indicative of a male crayfish. [9] X Research source
