Many people love crayfish but are unsure how to catch the little creatures. One of the best ways to catch crayfish (they are also affectionately known as crayfish, crawdads, or stingrays) would be to use lobster traps. If you want to get the most out of your lobster traps, you’ll need a few tips to get you going in the right direction. Below are some of the best tried and true crayfish trap tips to help you be a great crayfish fisherman.
o The first thing to make sure is that you have a good quality trap. Keep in mind that when you go with traps that are simply thrown together, you risk losing your catch when the trap fails or breaks. Once you are sure you have a good quality trap, you can move on to the next step in lobster trap use.
o Bait is the next thing to be on your list. This is one of the most important items when using a lobster trap. Believe it or not, the type of bait you use can determine the number of crawfish that will show up in your trap. Depending on what you choose, you can expect 15-20lbs of crawfish if the bait is just right, but if you pick a poor one, you may only get a maximum of 2-3lbs.
o Familiarize yourself with the crayfish you are catching. One thing is for sure: they love to eat. You should keep this in mind when you fill the trap with bait. Even though they love to eat, they are picky about what they eat so you need to make sure you get the things they love. Some of the best baits that work well in bait boxes are fish heads, fish guts, and fish skin. Be sure to go with fresh bait and stay away from baits that are based on chicken or cat food.
o Try to go with a bait box instead of a bait jar. The box allows them to feed in a more open environment, which also allows them to send out a signal, attracting other crabs, letting them know that it is time to eat.
o Know where to place the traps. Think, rent, rent, rent. You can count on crayfish being found in almost any body of water, from ponds to lakes and from rivers to streams. It is best to look for places in the body of water where the crayfish will hide, such as rocky places, particularly places that have excessive algae growth, as this is a food source. They will feed on the algae while stalking their prey.
Using traps in the right way will give you a bountiful catch. Be sure to start with the tips above to help get you started in the right direction where lobster traps they are worried.