Crawfish catching is one of the trickiest things that you will find if you get into pro angling. However, with the right help, you should be able to get the best out of your crawfish catching experience.
As is turns out some of the things that you will need to learn to get a memorable crawfish catching experience is the best time to catch crawfish. Another very important thing is to understand the best crawfish trap designs to use.
In this post, I am going to give you every tip that you need to understand about crawfish trapping. My intention is to ensure that by the time you read the last word here, you should have had enough information about crawfish trapping.
Read along to find out what I have in store for you and what is really relevant when it comes to the best crawfish catching experience.
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Best Time to Catch Crawfish
So what is the best time to catch crawfish/when is crawfish season? Unlike much other fish, you have to understand the best time to catch crawfish. Crawfish will not be rampant in the water every day. That’s why you need to learn the trends, the patterns, and the times that you can catch crawfish.
We can divide the crawfishing time into two separate parts.
- Crawfish Season
- Time of The Day
It is essential to know about the exact time and When is the Crawfish season for better fishing.
In this section, we will explore the crawfishing timeline and the best moments to nail this impressive seafood delicacy for you, your business, or your best parties yet. Take a look at what I have for you here.
Crawfish Season
Crawfish love warm water, and these months are the sunniest in any year. This means that they will “running around” a lot. They will also puddle more, breed more, and get out more often. So if you want to nail a big catch, this is the best crawfish catching season for you to go with. Ready your traps and get your best fishing basket full.
The best months that you should focus on if you want to catch crawfish is usually between April and October. April and October are the months that fall between the summertime. Because of this, they are the best months to go crawfishing. The reason is simple; during these months or times, crawfish will be very active.
When does crawfish season start
From the first week of April, when it gets a little warmer, crawfish come out. Therefore, April is considered as the first time to catch crawfish. However, the best time is from May to July. When we talk about the crawfishing season starting time, we understand April. Because if you have excellent skills, you can still get a lot of fish.
NOTE: Nonetheless, the best months that you will have a guaranteed catch is around July and August as these are the warmest.
When does crawfish season end
After August, fishing is basically over. After August the cold gradually subsides and their wanderings begin to decrease. Since they do not like to walk in the cold. So it is assumed that the last time of the year is fishing in August. Then again that April.
Best time of the day for crawfishing
While the months present the best period when you can go crawfishing and get a better catch, the best time is often between noon and the afternoon. You can also catch crawfish at night just before dawn.
During these timelines, the water is often warm. This means that the crawfish gets more active at this moment. They will hunt for food around that time and also mate.
It is their best time to cool off, look for food, shake some legs, and move around. So don’t you think that’s the best time to get them?
Indeed. However you must have the best traps for you to succeed if you are looking at getting the best catch of your crawfish yet. This timeline is important and you can work with it every day. However, it is best during the summer and around the months that I mentioned above.
NOTE: Even so, with change of climate the months may differ so it is important that you always check your calendar first. Doing so will allow you to determine the warmest months for your catch.
Why Cold Days is not Crawfish Season
During the coldest season such as during the winter and when the water is cold, you won’t register so much success with crawfish. The reason is simple. During this time, crawfish hibernate a lot. The rarely come out to hunt or even to mate.
This means that you will hardly get them. So if you are taking your chances, you will need a lot of chances to nail a single catch.
Best Ways to Catch Crawfish
There are lots of ways to catch crawfish. Speaking from experience, crawfish can be caught through four main ways.They can be caught through the use of crawfish traps, nets, bare hands, and fishing poles.
Here is what you should know about catching crawfish using traps and where to set crawfish traps for the maximum catch.
Traps
If your intention is to catch the maximum amounts of crawfish that you can think of using the best crawfish traps will be awesome. The least level of effort that you can apply is to secure the best crawfish traps. In short, for the maximum catch, crawfish traps are the best way to hit the ground running.
Types of Crawfish Traps
In case you have settled for crawfish traps, here is what you must understand. There are usually two main types of crawfish traps. We have the open crawfish traps and the closed crawfish traps. So what is the difference?
Open crawfish traps come in the form of a net. The net has an opening on one of its two ends. The closed crawfish traps, on the other hand, come in a very unique design. The design is set to allow the crawfish to come into the net but prevents them from coming out at all.
Closed crawfish traps are often harder to use. However, they can be left lying in the sea or water for a longer time than the open crawfish traps. They are also the most expensive crawfish traps even though that should depend mostly on your budget and what you are willing to spend.
Fishing Poles
Another way to catch your crawfish is to use a fishing pole. This is the simplest crawfishing tip that anyone can learn. It is best for beginners and will also work well for any pro crawfish trapper.
While it was often taken longer to get a large amount of catch, the best thing about using poles to catch your crawfish is that the trick is always full of fun.
To catch your crawfish using a fishing pole, here are some of the things that you will need to have in place:
- Fishing pole
- Fishing line
- Proper crawfish bait
While I will discuss with you the best crawfish bait later I want to say that with these crawfish fishing equipment, you will be ready to hit the ground running.
Catching Crawfish By Hand
Finally, in case you don’t want to use any of the methods mentioned above to catch crawfish, a better way is to always catch your crawfish by hand. The hand method requires you to be much more careful. However, it is also one of the most fanciful ways to catch crawfish.
In addition to that, it is also the least expensive crawfish catching method that one can employ any time they are out fishing for crawfish. This is because anyone who employs the use of hand doesn’t require any specialized equipment to do so.
Best Baits for Crawfish Traps
With your crawfish trap designs already determined, the next big thing for any crawfish tapper is to get the best trapping bait for their crawfish.
If you make use of the correct bait for your next crawfish catch, you will have a crawfish feast before you know it. Crawfish baits are very important and play a key role in effectively and efficiently catching the crawfish for you.
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For crawfish trapping, there are always many baits that you can go with. Some of them include the following options.
- Parts of an oily fish: You can use parts of any oily fish. You can go for the head, fillet, guts, and even tails of different oily fish.
Some of the fish that you can use for your next crawfish trap bait include salmon, walleye, carp, trout, and herring.
- Raw meat: You can also make use of raw meat. The best meat to go with is pork and chicken. Crawfish love meat and they will jump at it pretty fast.
In case you don’t want to use meat, you can also make use of cat’s food, hot dog pieces, and any other live bait to bait your crawfish.
NOTE: If you choose to go with meat, it is important to ensure that the meat on the bait is often fresh. Crawfish are never attracted to any meat that’s not fresh so don’t try going with anything that’s rotten.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is the best time to catch crawfish/when is the crawfish season?
Answer: The best months that you should focus on if you want to catch crawfish are usually between April and October. During this time, crawfish will be very active since the months are the warmest months in any year.
Even so, with the change of climate, the months may differ so it is important that you always check your calendar first. Doing so will allow you to determine the warmest months for your catch.
2. Do You Need a Fishing License?
Answer: In many US-based states if you want to fish for crawfish in large quantities you will need to acquire the fishing license for the same. Getting the license is very important as it prevents you from rubbing shoulders with the federal law.
Once you have acquired your fishing permit, you can then go out there and find as many crawfish as you can and have a feast that befits the king.
Some states also require you to obtain an exclusive family fishing license. You can always do that as it makes it much more convenient for you and your loved ones to fish for crawfish at any time of the year.
NOTE: The crawfishing license should, however, be attached to your address and name to prevent further fines.
Conclusion
The best thing to do when you want to catch crawfish is to determine where to set crawfish traps and the best time to catch crawfish. You must also take your time and determine the best fishing method that you intend to employ.
For the guys who want to have a larger crawfish feast, you must employ a trap and bait. The best bait for the crawfish trap is often the live bait. If you have to use the meat, you should ensure that it is fresh meat.
With the right bait, fishing method, and timing, it is possible to have a large catch of crawfish. This is the best moment for any beginner fisherman too, in case they are going after the crawfish.