tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8718358.post3875964461649385210..comments2023-03-25T02:45:14.668-05:00Comments on My Mountain: Minnesota Crayfish (or Crawfish) TrappingDarrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02251407766640894724noreply@blogger.comBlogger34125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8718358.post-75425861836742114722016-07-08T22:48:24.905-05:002016-07-08T22:48:24.905-05:00My son just hits the beaches on Agency Bay, on Lee...My son just hits the beaches on Agency Bay, on Leech Lake, where our lake house is, at midnight. He scoops hundreds, literally, off of the beach, Easily weeding out the little guys. Puts them in a huge container with ice and I boil them in salt water for three minutes until they turn red. Melt butter. Enjoy!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17133172607357592041noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8718358.post-61601051154504110862016-07-08T22:46:49.297-05:002016-07-08T22:46:49.297-05:00My son just hits the beaches on Agency Bay, on Lee...My son just hits the beaches on Agency Bay, on Leech Lake, where our lake house is, at midnight. He scoops hundreds, literally, off of the beach, Easily weeding out the little guys. Puts them in a huge container with ice and I boil them in salt water for three minutes until they turn red. Melt butter. Enjoy!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17133172607357592041noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8718358.post-47132493873987558302015-11-11T14:54:23.852-06:002015-11-11T14:54:23.852-06:00Go to leech lake. I can catch about 300 crayfish a...Go to leech lake. I can catch about 300 crayfish a day there with fish bait. I usually catch about 40-60 per trapAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16876046993056233645noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8718358.post-31223882267185632362015-08-16T11:11:44.729-05:002015-08-16T11:11:44.729-05:00We saw some monsters yesterday on Lura, in souther...We saw some monsters yesterday on Lura, in southern MN...gonna have to go after some.GammaRaehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01032297759669018197noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8718358.post-63483210045815357342015-08-16T11:11:36.912-05:002015-08-16T11:11:36.912-05:00We saw some monsters yesterday on Lura, in souther...We saw some monsters yesterday on Lura, in southern MN...gonna have to go after some.GammaRaehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01032297759669018197noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8718358.post-1212460039349990522014-04-25T10:07:34.377-05:002014-04-25T10:07:34.377-05:00Try Farm Lake in Lake county, Northeastern MN near...Try Farm Lake in Lake county, Northeastern MN near Ely. Last year, one person trapped 11,000 rusty crayfish in the lake. There is a big project to try to trap enough rusty crayfish to keep them from spreading from the White Iron chain of Lakes into the nearby Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. Any help is appreciated.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8718358.post-10181139666433914852014-04-22T14:41:20.065-05:002014-04-22T14:41:20.065-05:00So I spoke with a dnr officer today about trapping...So I spoke with a dnr officer today about trapping crawdads in the Mississippi and st. Croix river and he said you have to apply for specific permit to trap them waters because they carry zebra muscles and milfoil.. I see above that many of you have and do trap them waters and is it worth it to get the permit for the Mississippi or st. Croix?. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8718358.post-66603617760205634352011-11-16T05:43:40.795-06:002011-11-16T05:43:40.795-06:00wow you guys are really trying hard, when i was 10...wow you guys are really trying hard, when i was 10 years old and living on leech lake i used to go and catch 4-5 hundred by hand turning over rocks watching where they scooted and chase them down or corner them and then quickly with two fingers push them down to the sand grabbing from behind them and tossing them into a five gallon bucket. i thought that was hard work considering it took all day but the reward was everything. First boil the buggers then shell and deveign just like any shrimp, then lightly sautee in butter with chopped puffball and morrell mushrooms serve as a side to a walleye fillette, venison medallion, or even roasted ruffed grouse....yum <br />The secret to catching crayfish the easy way is as follows:<br />1. Use raw cow liver, it doesnt cost alot and isn't cook processed like your cat food. the little guys cant resist the smell of the raw blood.<br />2. Use round double cone entry minnow traps, buy them make them yourself. Place liver in the bait box and loose in the trap. I've used traps without bait boxes it dosent seem to matter if theres liver in the trap.<br />3. Use 6-8 traps this will help on your day on the water. <br />4. Find rocky banks, rock jettys, storm walls, or erosion control areas; this is the crayfish living area and breeding ground. If fishing rivers and streams find man made dams, beaver dams and lodges. Usually below the dam is a largely rocky area that will be teaming with crawdaddys. Another place i have observed giant blue crawfish is in 16'-20' of water under swimming platforms but these guys are really skiddish and you need a trap with bigger entry holes, leave trap overnight.<br />5. set traps in the morning in the above areas, go fishing, retrieve traps when done for the day. i gaurantee you'll have better luck.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8718358.post-68769298293180734392011-08-14T15:21:13.745-05:002011-08-14T15:21:13.745-05:00Oh yeah... Bullhead work really well as bait. I on...Oh yeah... Bullhead work really well as bait. I only use cat food when I'm too lazy to pull out a few Bullhead. It also works to freeze bullhead and put them into the traps frozen... its a little less slimy that way.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8718358.post-22110520834983888062011-08-14T15:17:33.177-05:002011-08-14T15:17:33.177-05:00Hi David,
The crays are often that brownish color...Hi David, <br />The crays are often that brownish color, but they'll turn a nice appetizing red color after you boil them.<br /><br />I catch most of mine in a mud bottom lake with a rocky shoreline. I just lay the traps along the shore and am usually not disappointed. <br /><br />Best way to clean them would be purge. Fill up a cooler with water and dump a liberal amount of salt in there. Leave them overnight and they will barf up the mud. I don't always do this, although its probably a good idea. Purging and a good crab boil will overcome any muddy taste that you might find in crays that dwell in mud-bottom environments.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8718358.post-64880520166088199912011-08-14T13:49:31.135-05:002011-08-14T13:49:31.135-05:00Hey I've just started crayfish trapping using ...Hey I've just started crayfish trapping using ten homemade 2ft long traps I'm baiting them with bullheads and other rough fish but all the crayfish I get are very dirty and don't look like the safest thing to eat any suggestions on some way to clean them? I've only tried a fairly large creek with partially fast flowing water should I try a swamp or maybe a lake? any tips would be greatly appreciated! thanks. my email is davyosoma@gmail.comAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8718358.post-63501433040973319492011-05-18T03:06:11.711-05:002011-05-18T03:06:11.711-05:00Great articleGreat articleschwankgrouphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14415992359033878037noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8718358.post-91787794166219402412011-04-27T00:26:44.024-05:002011-04-27T00:26:44.024-05:00I'm a ragin Cajun and have been dying for a go...I'm a ragin Cajun and have been dying for a good mudbug boil. I was actually trying to trap minnows in the Minnesota river, and it was really really rocky there, i baited my plain jane minnow trap with dry dog food, and the next morning i was amazed to find ten mud bugs in my trap. So i went and bought some really cheap canned cat food, liver patte, and dropped that in there, In the time it took me to set up another trap i pulled my previous trap up and already had 20 crawfish in it! I emptied it and let them sit over night, the next morning i could barely pull my traps in they were heaping full of the delicious crustaceon. I highly recommend looking for a very rocky area to set your traps and canned cat food. GOOD LUCK!!!Zachnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8718358.post-20734543383374097142011-04-27T00:26:00.739-05:002011-04-27T00:26:00.739-05:00I'm a ragin Cajun and have been dying for a go...I'm a ragin Cajun and have been dying for a good mudbug boil. I was actually trying to trap minnows in the Minnesota river, and it was really really rocky there, i baited my plain jane minnow trap with dry dog food, and the next morning i was amazed to find ten mud bugs in my trap. So i went and bought some really cheap canned cat food, liver patte, and dropped that in there, In the time it took me to set up another trap i pulled my previous trap up and already had 20 crawfish in it! I emptied it and let them sit over night, the next morning i could barely pull my traps in they were heaping full of the delicious crustaceon. I highly recommend looking for a very rocky area to set your traps and canned cat food. GOOD LUCK!!!Zachnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8718358.post-29327194890733592682010-04-16T08:16:38.775-05:002010-04-16T08:16:38.775-05:00Just a reminder that Crayfish season opened in Min...Just a reminder that Crayfish season opened in Minnesota on April 1 in 2010. So far in April, I've only trapped 1. Not a great start, but then again my most convenient crayfish hole isn't a very a good one.Darrenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02251407766640894724noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8718358.post-91278105954649172922009-12-11T10:06:56.210-06:002009-12-11T10:06:56.210-06:00WCCO News once said that crayfish were being caugh...WCCO News once said that crayfish were being caught for sale but failed to mention from whom of where. I'd like to buy some - write me at mngardener@mail.com<br /><br />Jim Fruth<br />Pequot Lakes, MNAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8718358.post-83284831006464955352009-10-18T16:00:55.551-05:002009-10-18T16:00:55.551-05:00I haven't had much time to Cray Fish this summ...I haven't had much time to Cray Fish this summer. I set some traps yesterday though, and I caught some Northern Clearwater Crayfish in NW Minnesota. <br />http://iz.carnegiemnh.org/crayfish/NewAstacidea/species.asp?g=Orconectes&s=propinquus&ssp=<br /><br />So it is possible to catch something in mid October in Minnesota.Darrenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02251407766640894724noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8718358.post-16309921494392281162009-06-22T15:50:41.203-05:002009-06-22T15:50:41.203-05:00I laid 4 traps last weekend along the shores of Li...I laid 4 traps last weekend along the shores of Little Cormorant Lake in Becker county, but caught nothing. I used fresh bullheads as bait. Second time I came up empty there.<br /><br />I think the trick is to just keep looking for a good hole. Try a bunch of places. <br /><br />I got some new swedish collapsable traps from Trapper Arne (www.trapperarne.com). I really like the traps. Easy to store and very light, and won't rust. I would have liked to have taken home crayfish, but there just weren't any to trap.Darrenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02251407766640894724noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8718358.post-43750899037792159692009-06-22T15:17:55.068-05:002009-06-22T15:17:55.068-05:00Alright! I've started trapping this year. I&...Alright! I've started trapping this year. I've researched as much as possible, but you guys have provided more info than most other places. I'll definitely share anything that I find out through my experiences. <br />I started by looking at all of the traps online and found one in particular that seems well-built. http://www.terrybullard.com/ Unfortunitely, he is not in production right now. So I saved the trap pics and built my own. I'm starting with three. <br />Last weekend was my first attempt on the Mississippi River near Elk River. I tried one in rocky rapids 3.5ft, one near shore in rocks with average current 3ft, and one behind an island with slow current rocks and weed beds(not in the weed bed) 3.5ft. I soaked them for 14 hours with fresh cut carp in the bait boxes. I got nothing. <br />Now, it makes sense if they are molting right now. I know there are plenty because when I clean catfish from there, they always have crayfish in their systems.<br /><br />So there are a few things I can think of that aren't in my favor: obviously not enough time spent doing it is obvious, how about too short of soak time, not the correct areas in the river, they could be molting... What are your thoughts?TundraKinghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02450263534774337639noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8718358.post-40124187881220049302009-05-22T15:35:16.393-05:002009-05-22T15:35:16.393-05:00Minnesota's 2009 fishing regulations seem to be mu...Minnesota's 2009 fishing regulations seem to be much easier for Crayfisher's. There is less specificity mentioned in the 2009 rule book.<br /><br />One slight confusing paragraph said you could posses 25 pounds of crayfish, but then seemed to suggest that you couldn't transport them without a DNR license.<br /><br />I emailed DNR for clarification. Kevin Kyle responded back almost immediately that, "You can transport them home for personal use, (but) you would need a special license to transport for commercial purposes."Darrenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02251407766640894724noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8718358.post-51218477684731104942009-05-22T15:31:00.895-05:002009-05-22T15:31:00.895-05:00The May 7 2009 edition of Due North TV (www.duenor...The May 7 2009 edition of Due North TV (www.duenorthoutdoors.tv) had a great segment on commercial crayfishing on Minnesota's giant Leech Lake, and talked about Rusty Crayfish. Unfortunately its not online yet, but I'll mention it here for reference.<br /><br />It's early, but I'm going to try for some crayfish in Becker County MN this weekend anyway. I have some new Swedish traps from Trapper Arnie that I want to try.Darrenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02251407766640894724noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8718358.post-41056450792772696322009-04-06T16:17:00.000-05:002009-04-06T16:17:00.000-05:00may and june are when crawfish molt and hide. jul...may and june are when crawfish molt and hide. july is the best time to catch them.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8718358.post-9853336503657811012009-03-12T21:41:00.000-05:002009-03-12T21:41:00.000-05:00I'm getting spring fever and started making traps ...I'm getting spring fever and started making traps again. I wrote a detailed description of how I caught mine a few months back, but now I see it didn't post. <BR/>I would take a piece of rigid wire about 16-18 in long. I tried threading shrimp, bacon and steak grissle on the end and wrapping the wire around it. I would slip it into the crevices between and under rocks. Crayfish would grab the bait (all the above baits worked equally well) and I'd inch them into the open and scoop them from behind with a minnow net. I caught mine during the day when they are supposed to be shy. They got easier to catch as the water got warmer. It seems to me they move shallower in the warmer water and slide out deeper when it is colder. I caught most of mine in the mississippi river, but in august, I went to the boundary waters and caught them there too. They make a good camp meal. Next time I go to the BWCA, I am devoting more backpack space to butter.<BR/>The first time I tried this method was in July. By September, it wasn't effective anymore. <BR/>I ran traps a number of times in May and June with no success. The first time I tried, I caught one crayfish who was hanging out on top of the trap. Several times, I found the traps had sunfish inside. One trap was chewed up by a snapping turtle (netting), three were lost/removed (maybe another turtle or strong current). I had given up when a friend suggested I try the method described above. Now, I know more and hope to do better with the traps.<BR/>I'll update you once it's working.<BR/>Have fun,<BR/>ReedAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8718358.post-88662340975707835752009-01-09T16:15:00.000-06:002009-01-09T16:15:00.000-06:00I took last poster's advice and contacted the Minn...I took last poster's advice and contacted the Minnesota DNR. Here's the response when I asked about trapping crayfish in Becker/Ottertail counties, which are close to me:<BR/><BR/>"Thanks for contacting us regarding crayfish trapping. During our typical fisheries surveys, we don't record numbers of crayfish. We have seen large numbers of crayfish on/in our survey nets in Island Lake (Becker County - off Hwy 31), Bad Medicine Lake (Becker County - off Hwy 113), and Sands Pond (a few miles north of Detroit Lakes - junction of Hwys 21 and 32). We have seen Rusty Crayfish in Big Elbow and Little Bemidji lakes, but not for several years."<BR/><BR/>Guess it doesn't hurt to ask. Nice to know that the DNR is still accessible.Darrenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02251407766640894724noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8718358.post-2906137190472809942009-01-06T05:56:00.000-06:002009-01-06T05:56:00.000-06:00i am not trying to be mean but you are going to ha...i am not trying to be mean but you are going to have a lot of problems getting answers from people. i have been going back and forth. you have two different traps. each trap is going to fish differently, and each bait is going to work differently in each trap. different times of year, crawfish are in different water levels. this last july i saw over 100 crawfish, in 3 inches of water. find a park ranger, and ask them where the crawfish are in the area. they trap crawfish for state surveys every year, and are happy to help. email the dnr, for list on rustys. rustys get bigger than any other in this state.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com