Crayfish, or crawfish and crawdads as they are also known, are found all over the world. There are 150 species inhabiting North America, and more than 540 variations across the globe. These tiny freshwater lobsters are related to shrimp, crabs, and of course, lobster. Crayfish can be effective in virtually any pond that holds a good population of bass, but work well in those with a native crawfish population. My article will show you where to look for and how to collect the crawfish yourself, as well outlining a few methods of fishing them.
Crayfish can be found in streams, ponds, lakes, swamps, and rivers all across the world. However, that does not mean they are present in every water body you come across. Determining whether a certain area contains crayfish is not easy, but not that difficult either. If the area is wadable then turning over rocks and looking under leaves and other bottom structure can be a good way to find them. If wading is not an option than you can try to catch the crayfish overnight in a trap.
Leave the trap in a good area. Spots with an overhang, rocks, and timber are all good choices. Although there are numerous ways to bait a trap, most agree that fresh fish is the best way to catch crayfish. Of course, others will argue that chicken liver, worms, or even dog food is the best bait. Cut the fish into chunks and place in your specialized crayfish trap. These traps are not too expensive and should be affordable to almost everyone. Leave the trap overnight and check it the next morning. Even in water bodies with known populations of crayfish, you often will not get anything with your first attempt. Crayfish usually favor particular areas in their habitat, and tend to congregate in large numbers in these spots. Searching the shoreline with a flashlight at night can help you determine where the best spots are.
