Crawfish

[rt36crazyfists]

anyone ever eat wild crawfish? what part of a Crawfish is edible?

[Chris]

They're basically freshwater lobsters, so any part of a lobster you can eat would be edible. The most meat will be in the tail.

[tater03]

I never even thought about being able to eat crawfish before. We go out to try and catch them in the river. But this is a great thing to remember if you ever did find yourself in an emergency by a river and needed food.

[trick-r-treat]

I love the taste of crawfish, as long as it is in a prepared dish. It takes too long to pick out the good meat since they are so small.

[mamab]

I'm not much in to fish and seafood, but my husband absolutely loves a good mess of crawfish! My understanding is the same, if you can eat it on a lobster, you can eat it on a crawfish. You just have to be prepared because they're so much smaller.

[Wolf Creek]

I would compare crayfish more to shrimp. People used to eating unpeeled shrimp don't seen to mind like work. I seen plate fulls of these critters dissapper quick. Crayfish are scavagers boil them and the shell will turn lite red when there done. Meat should be white when done. I really don't think they have much flavor so putting something in the water for seasoning would be nice if giving the chance.

[Minwaabi]

I have also heard that crayfish are very good. Actually, I have a couple of recipes for them in my wild game cookbook. Never actually had any myself but I've always wanted to try 'em.

[tater03]

I actually looked up on the internet for some receipes using crawfish out of curiousity the other day when I first seen this thread. There are a ton of receipes out there. I will have to try them sometime.

[DustyRose]

Mudbugs (crawfish) are very high in protien & the shells are also high in calcium, both important in survival mode.

So are any wild bird eggs you come across...but try to cook those if you can, to reduce any chance of salmonella...but if not, they can be eaten raw with minimal risk.

Mudbugs are easy and safe to catch...as they typically hide in holes along mud banks at or near the waterline when resting...though be warned they back into their holes with claws out!

A small sturdy stick will usually pull them out, especially if you wrap a little piece of pantyhose on the end of it to catch on their spines and claws!

Pantyhose is like duct tape, flint, leatherman and paracord...don't leave home without it! A few pairs of pantyhose are essential survival gear...the bigger the better...and I like natural as it tends to camouflage better for the uses below.

They are super lightweight and compress well into any nook or cranny...they can also be spread across two sticks as netting to catch frogs, snakes, turtles, mudbugs or even small minnows near shore...can strain mucky water, or be used to squeeze water from moss...will carry almost anything...tie almost anything...act as bandages, tourniquets or splints...are good bug netting for your face or arms...will keep you warm under your fleece or pants...and if you are really good, even snare a bird or rodent!

Boiling mudbugs is the best preparation if you have a heat source and something to cook in...an old hubcap, tin can, or even steamed in tin foil or bark/leaves using hot rocks...and you can eat all of the mudbug if you want.

In a survival situation they can be eaten raw, but the tail and claw meat is tough and chewy...with the front half gooey in parts...but then I did say survival!

If you want to practice catching, cooking & eating them...I would suggest that you find a good, clean river or stream...since they are like river filters, and tend to concentrate mercury and other nasty toxins in their systems.

Most commercial mudbugs are farm-raised like catfish...using a clean water source and being fed commercial food...which gives them a good mild flavor too!

[the edge]

easy to catch i think but not much meat

[FISHorDIE]

ive eatin em caught out of the river boild in a beer can. half water half beer. it was good but i was also drinkin. we ate the tail with shell on ,definatiy a good survival food

[LarryB]

This Canuck loves Crawdaddys. Catch 'em from clean waters and boil 'em up just like little mini-lobsters. Eat 'em just like fresh Shrimp, with lemon butter, seafood sauce or with a dash of yer favorite Hot Sauce! Mmmmm.:D

The Wild Kanuck, :cool:

lb

[lovegettinlost]

I've never actaully tried Crawfish, but I'd like to soon. I know how to catch, cook them, and spice them,, so I don't knwo what I'm waiting for. Anyone ever tried frog legs, my pops siad they taste liek chicken but I've never treid them hyet. I want to try that soon too.

[DustyRose]

Frog legs, rabbit and even gator tail pretty much taste like chicken because that's what most of us are used to eating, and so we reference it, instead of saying "chicken tastes like rabbit!"

Any good southern buffet will have frog legs, crawfish and gator tail on the menu at some point during the week...the crawfish are usually steamed whole...but if they are just tails they will be usually be battered and deep fried just like the gator tail and frog legs.

The finer coon-*** restaurants (lol) like Copeland's will use crawfish in season for ettouffee, bisque, gumbo and jambalaya too...man is that ever tasty...and a bunch of southern sandwich shops will have fried crawfish subs too!

A little Louisiana hot-sauce really perks up any of that kind of food...but I personally find frog legs are more trouble than they are worth...kind of like chicken wings.

[marcraft]

when i catch a crawfish i open up the tail and eat it using my knife as a substitute fork lol , boil em beforehand though.

[wareagle69]

good author on this euell gibbons

[donny h]

Great survival food.

They're not just in the south, these guys are from Flaming Gorge, a 90 mile long lake straddling the Utah/Wyoming border, so these are northern dads, with good size and flavor.

My quickie trail sauce for dipping is a mix of packets of honey and lemon juice, with butter buds/packets and a dash of cayenne.

http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l105/donnyh/Lowes%20Bay%20Flaming%20Gorge/LowescrayII.jpg

http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l105/donnyh/Upper%20Firehole/Picture040Small.jpg

http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l105/donnyh/Upper%20Firehole/Picture041Small.jpg

[spiritman]

Lobster sized! GO MIDWEST USA! Everything is bigger! The mountains, the SKY, the states, even crustaceans!

[NevadaCarry]

I'm from New Orleans so naturally I love crawfish. Boil them up with some seasoning, peal the tails and if you wish SUCK THE HEADS! But I've always bought them from a store and boiled them. I've never caught them in the wild and ate them

[spiritman]

I've never realized I ever saw them in a store before, I never thought of them as a normal option as a meal, but we have caught them for fishing (be careful and know the laws where you go, live and/or natural bait isn't always legal) and fun before.

[donny h]

I forgot one cooking tip, you see that collapsing bucket in the pic above?

I fill it with salted water and live craws, the salt makes them puke up the nasty stuff inside them, some folks say to do that multiple times, when I do it, I only do it once and it does make a difference. I can see yuckie coloring in the water after a few minutes.

These are clean mountain craws I catch, maybe muddy swamp craws should get multiple salt baths.





Seafood cravings all of a sudden here...:)

[flandersander]

Me and my dad caught the second largest crawfish ever caught. At 4lbs 6oz it made a great supper. we were recognized by guiness but never aired for some reason.

[Rifleman]

I have a small muddy pond that is absolutely full of them. I always sein it for bait before catfishing, can usually pull about 300-500 crawdads out in one pass using a two man net. They are pretty small but are great for bait. When one of my friends and I run a trot line in the river for catfish, we usually have about 200 hooks in the water, so it comes in handy to beable to catch that much bait that fast.

[Rick]

Hey Flandersander. A 4lb. craw? You sure that wasn't Guinness Stout? (chuckle, chuckle, chuckle.)

[U.S.Marine2111]

Me and my cousins used to catch buckets of those things up in Wisconsion. They are quite fast if I remember correctly, so it takes a bit of practice to catch them. The method we used was a slow methodical approach with a big bucket slowly inserted into the water behind them, when they get spooked they would shoot backwards in a hurry, once we figured that out we were good.

[flandersander]

Hey Flandersander. A 4lb. craw? You sure that wasn't Guinness Stout? (chuckle, chuckle, chuckle.)

I'm sure. After i posted that my dad said that he never was on camera, he only talked to a guy at guiness. Yeah 4 lbs. I know its amazing. We never trapped it though. We were icefishing and were using munnow for bait. A craw came by and ate the minnow with a J-hook burried in it. We thought it was a walleye but it turned out to be a huge craw! It was a great day!

[flandersander]

How do you go about catching 'em without a trap or bucket or anything? Anybody know?

[RBB]

How do you go about catching 'em without a trap or bucket or anything? Anybody know?

Turn over rocks until you find one. Stand beside them, have one hand in front of them (to get them to move) and the other hand in back of them to grab them when they move (they go backwards when startled). One local lake, you step in the water, you'll startle a dozen of them with each step.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v516/pjjgirard/8-7-07%20Kirby/8-7-07Kirby069.jpg

[Rick]

Man, that does look good.

[AdventureDoc]

I was lucky enough to live in Southern Louisiana for a few years and got addicted to crawfish. It's not just a survival food, for me. I'd love a plate right now!

Easy to catch, easy to cook and tasty. Perfect! If I had a good area to catch crawfish, I'd hide the survival mirror and try to hang out a few more days there :)

[spiritman]

MMMMM! Dinner time!

[corndog-44]

Turn over rocks until you find one. Stand beside them, have one hand in front of them (to get them to move) and the other hand in back of them to grab them when they move (they go backwards when startled). One local lake, you step in the water, you'll startle a dozen of them with each step.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v516/pjjgirard/8-7-07%20Kirby/8-7-07Kirby069.jpg

RBB, what is everybody else having for dinner? :)

[flandersander]

So just go to some lake where you can find craw shels on shore. Then start turning over rocks and when you find one, grab it by the tail???

[AdventureDoc]

Catching them without a bucket? I was instructed to tie a chicken neck or other piece of "bad meat" to a string. You throw it into the water and let it sit for 2-3 minutes, maybe 5. Slowly pull the string in to shore, stopping every few seconds, and the crawfish follow. Drag them right into the shallows and grab them with your hand. Reach behind them because as they get scared, they will swim backwards.

Buckets? We don't need no stinking buckets!

The buckets and pots do help to catch larger numbers, but sometimes I've drug a line with 3-4 crawfish following. I only grabbed one and scared the others, though. :)

[RBB]

RBB, what is everybody else having for dinner? :)

If you really must know -

We had two seven pound venison roasts, slow cooked over an open fire, corn on the cob, and fry bread. The crayfish shown are about 1/10th of our haul that day. The only kettle free was only large enough to cook the amount of crayfish shown at one time.

[RBB]

So just go to some lake where you can find craw shels on shore. Then start turning over rocks and when you find one, grab it by the tail???


Well, not quite. Use the hand in front of them to distract them, when they take off backwards, just grab them. You have to be quick. Takes a little practise.

[Rick]

Just about every creek and and lake around here harbors the Rusty Crawfish. They get pretty big so a few can make a nice meal. Here's a .pdf about them and where they live.

http://www.in.gov/dnr/invasivespecies/RUSTY%20CRAYFISH.pdf

If you don't have a trap and want to catch several in short order then find a shallow stream. Do as RBB said although there is a pretty good chance you won't have to turn over many rocks. You'll be able see them just walking through the stream. The big guys will hide on you though. On land, crawdads built a tubular hole that sort of resembles a little volcano. They build them in low lying areas where the water table is low and often close to some source of water and that could even be a ditch of some sort. I've always been told you can use AD's method above and drop the bait down the hole but I've never had any luck with that method.

If you use your hands to catch them you want to stay clear of the pinchers. They will hurt!

[flandersander]

i was planning on building a trap. Any ideas or recomendations on traps? Also i have a trap like this http://www.frabill.com/frabill/images/skus/1260/1260_medium.png Will it work for catching craws?

[canid]

it could. the best advice i ever got on trapping crawfish was online from a man who is purported to fish them commercialy in eastern oregon. he said to give them some cover on top of a dark colored material [i'm using dark plastic mesh like the stuff orrange bags are made from. this is allegedly more attractive to investigating crawfish, as it's dark inside, like a rock crevice, under a submerged log, etc. seems to make a difference.

[rt36crazyfists]

To catch em, just lift up rocks and logs, they love to bury themselves, be sure not to roll the rock so you dont squish them, and try to disurb the bottom minimally because it will get all cloudy and they will scatter and you wont see them, they move fast. when you see one, just snatch it with five fingers then grab it with two fingers on the shell behind the claws. you can just put them in your pocket if you dont have a bucket. Other than for food, they are a favorite among bass, I've seen times where a bass would take nothing but a live craw.
flandersander,4 lb craw? awesome.

[flandersander]

yeah 4lbs. It was really amazing. so you're saying not to use a trap? just look around for 'em? I was also going to build one that is essentially a ramp. the ramp would go up and then the craws would drop down and not get back out.

[canid]

well, a good trap made from spare materials takes an hour to make, can be reused, takes a few min to place and if left overnight can harvest a few lb of craws. catching them by hand requires wading in sometimes very cold water and can take hours to get the same haul.

both are effective and can be more appropriate than the other depending on the situation, availability of resources, etc.

[flandersander]

So what do you recomend? Sometimes you can see them in the daytime and you see lots of claws on shore. There is lots of rocks. should i wade around or set up a trap?

[canid]

try both, practice both. then you can decide.

[flandersander]

Sounds good. THANKS

[canid]

and fun. i'd hold off the wading though; till the water in your area is liquid ;)

[flandersander]

it might be hard to wade to ice. It is storming here wicked bad so i can't even get out to the garage. Thats why i am not at work. The visibility is about uh i dunno negative a couple. Does anybody know if fishing for pike, with a craw would work?

[rdw_440]

Here's a good site about crayfish.
http://www.terrybullard.com/CrawfishMain.html

[flandersander]

yeah came across that one.

[rt36crazyfists]

pike are more baitfish oriented, but bass love a crawfish, removing the claws will make it less intimidating, perch and sunfish will eat only small craws and rock bass or "goggle eyes" love craws, they'll eat craws that would seem much too big.

[trax]

Pike will bite anything.

[flandersander]

for perch you say? tiny craws you say? how do you catch these craws? which is faster? which way to catch them is faster? does anybody use a trap? does anybody use this kind of trap? http://www.frabill.com/frabill/images/skus/1279/1279_medium.png

[flandersander]

nobudy uses any traps or this specific trap?http://www.frabill.com/frabill/image...279_medium.png

[rdw_440]

I've got two crawfish traps, one is round with funnel entrances like in the picture, the other is square with a single ramp type entrance. Both are made by South Bend company out of vinyl coated wire.

I've had better luck with the square one, maybe the crawdads would rather walk up a ramp than into the funnel ends.

I usually use cheap cat food in a can for bait, but any sort of greasy meat would probably work.

[flandersander]

it is the second image that comes up for a google image search under "minnow trap"

[flandersander]

Thanks rdw! that is a ton of help. i was planning to build a trap like that ramp one out of copper pipe and chicken wire. I already have the one in the picture. which one do you reccomend? Also do you think that the funnel trap like in the pic would be able to catch those small lake shrimp? I may have to put some smaller mesh on but do you think it would work?

[hermitman]

They are minnow traps you can use the simular idea to catch larger fish in streams and streams. I have made them from soda bottles you cut the top part off turn it around and secure it back it with the cap off the put some bait in minnows get in but they think they can't get out.

[flandersander]

Yeah. Do you think that would work with small lake prawns or shrimp?

[hermitman]

Yes but you would need somthing bigger deppending on the size of shrimp you were trying to get. Im pretty sure on this site if your interested you can see what I mean with using this method in streams if not I can get you a link.

[rdw_440]

I recommend the ramp type, but would use a smaller mesh than chicken wire, maybe hardware cloth.
I don't know about the shrimp. I think shrimp feed on plant material or plankton instead of meat. The only way I've ever heard of shrimp being caught was in a net.

[hermitman]

People do use nets to get shrimp but that is more for commercial fishing.

[flandersander]

so could i get shrimp with that bottle trap or not? what do you think?

[hermitman]

You could but a different version the soda can I used for minnows is to small would want something bigger.

[flandersander]

the 2 litre jug is too small? what if I used the simple cylindrical funnel like in the pic and covered it with a fine mesh?

[hermitman]

Im not to sure about the cylindrical funnel never having done it but it seems like it would work. A gallon milk jug might be big enough if you could make to opening a little larger.

[flandersander]

are you saying that the 2 litre bottle opening isn't big enough for the shrimp? I am talking tiny shrimp. like an inch at the largest.

[hermitman]

O Im sorry yes that should be fine.

[flandersander]

Do you suggest i try it?

[hermitman]

Yea just make the trap set it out in the water and leave for a day or two then come back and just check on it.

[flandersander]

what for bait?

[hermitman]

Well Im not sure you would probley have to look that up. Im think that shrimp eat plainton so you couldn't use it for bait. A simular trap would still work for crawfish and crayfish. Sorry and couldn't be any help.

[flandersander]

thats alright. so the funnel trao like in the pic works?

[tracks]

Corn meal and fish oil great bug bait...just mix to a consistancy like bread dough and place in trap..

[flandersander]

what about something like corn starch? or oat bran? wheat flour?

[hermitman]

yea it works people have cought a lot with it. I have used corn and worms for bait before.

[flandersander]

what about something like corn starch? oat bran? wheat flour?

[hermitman]

If you mean for bait then I would have to say no that is a bad idea they arn't solid. With worms it is something that they might eat in their natural diet.

[flandersander]

I meant for shrimp. I am trying crushed flakes fish food wixed with milk and dried out. For craws i think i will have to try worms. minnows? whats left after i take the filets off a fish, then put int he trap?

[hermitman]

Well for minnows are just for bait for fish if thats what your asking.

[flandersander]

No should i try some minnows for craw bait? what would anybody say for shrimp bait? craw bait? for shrimp i was going to try crushed flaked fish food mixed with milk. does that sound like it would work? I was going to try fish guts and skelatons for craws. does that sound like it would work? Should i make a ramp trap for craws or use my funnel trap?

[hermitman]

O yes minnows would be good bait. For the fish food with milk I don't think it will work shrimp that eat fish food have been eating it since they were born.

[flandersander]

So what do you reccomend for shrimp? Anybody.

[flandersander]

Nobody has ever caught shrimp using bait??? Really thats odd!

[catfish10101]

Hello people, I am from Louisiana. Born here and will die here. Crawfish are a main food source here when they are in season. Here are a few pointers for catching them.
1. First and foremost, CHECK YOUR LOCAL LAWS ON TRAPS AND LIMITS.
2. They can be caught in traps, or with crawfish nets, or (if you must) a small jug or bucket. The best way to catch them is traps. Vinyl coated traps work better because they will not feel the metal of the wire. Down here, there are 2 main types of traps that work very well. Read this study by LSU AG Center.
http://www.lsuagcenter.com/en/crops_livestock/aquaculture/crawfish/Harvesting/Improved+Crawfish+Trap+Design+Might+Mean+Fewer+Tra ps+Needed.htm
3. The best bait for traps is FRESH fish (preferably oily fish or fish heads and guts) but beef melt (cow pancreaus) is used by most recreational crawfishermen.
Most recreational crawfishermen use crawfish nets because it requires more attention and is more fun. See here>
http://www.memphisnet.net/product/5059/nets_crawfish
The nets are much easier to pack and in a survival situation, one or two nets would probably be suficent for 1 or 2 people.
4. To cook them at home....
30 lbs of Live Crawfish (1 sack)
2 bags of Onions
2 bags Small Potatoes
12 Ears of Corn (cut in half)
3 packs of hotdogs
3 pounds of smoke sausage (cut 3 inches long)
12 whole cloves Fresh Garlic
2 packs Fresh Mushrooms
8 Lemons
8 oranges
3 lbs Seafood Boil Powder (Zateran's is best)
1 big bottle of liquid Seafood Boil (Zateran's is best)
about a dozen fresh bay leaves (if available)
12 Pack of Cold Beer (at least)

Directions:
1. If you have not already done so, drink a cold beer.
2. After your beer, you would normally purge the crawfish. This is done by placing them in a container (or ice chest), filling it with water and adding a container of salt, wait about 5 minutes and rinse until clear water comes out.
3. Drink another beer. Give one to a friend.
4. Fill the large pot half full with fresh water, place on outdoor propane cooker, and start the fire. Place the lid on the pot and bring water to a boil.
5. Add Liquid Seafood Boil, bay leaves, and 2 pounds powder (save rest for later) to water (Zateran's is the best). Let the boiling water mix it well for a minute or so.
6. Time to drink another beer. Send sober friend to store for more beer.
7. Drop in the onions (halved), the potatoes and fresh garlic. Let this cook, keeping an eye on the potatoes. (Check for doneness by stabbing with a sharp knife or fork. If it goes in easy, it is cooked. Hint; Do not over cook potatoes, slightly under cook them because they will continue to steam and cook in ice chest. You don't want to end up with mashed potatoes.) When the potatoes are almost done, add the hot dogs, sausage, corn and mushrooms. After they have cooked, lower the fire on the burner and remove the basket. Place them in a small clean ice chest - don't close the lid - just place foil on top. Time to drink another beer.
8. Turn the heat up on the burner. Add more spice to the water. (About 1/2 lbs., save rest of spice for later.) Take the lemons and oranges (halved) and squeeze the juice in the water. Then add the lemons and oranges to the water. When the water comes to a real good boil place the crawfish into the basket and put the basket in the pot. (Be careful - it's very hot!) Put the lid on the pot and enjoy another beer.
9. When the water comes back to a boil - keep a very close eye on this part - let it boil for 4 minutes and turn off the fire. Let it soak for another 3 minutes and then remove. Kill the boil when you turn it off by adding cold water or ice, not much is needed maybe a gallon or so (Tip- have some 2 liter bottles almost full of water and frozen, use these instead of loose ice so that you do not dilute your water for the next batch). Then let the crawfish soak. They will sink to the bottom and fill with spicy water (JUICES).
10. Get an old table and place old newspapers on top. Dump the basket of crawfish on top of the newspaper and sprinkle with leftover spice.
11. Dump the onions, potatoes, corn and garlic on top of the crawfish. Now it's time to really drink beer and eat. The vegetables are for those guests who cannot figure out how to peel the crawfish (we call them Yankees, LOL). At least they won't starve.

Use leftover spice to experiment. You can always add more to the ice chest. Sprinkle it on, stir it up and let it steam in chest for 10 minutes. Then test again.


Tips:
1. To hold hot crawfish for a short time (1-2 hours), you can use a styrofoam ice chest. Most plastic chests will melt or warp.
2. Use leftover spice to experiment. You can always add more to the ice chest. Sprinkle it on, stir it up and let it steam in chest for 10 minutes. Then test again.

In a survival situation, they are a great food because even if you want to cook them, they cook quickly and easily, though they will not have much flavor, they are a good food source found in many places.

[Rick]

Great post! Nice recipe. It could have used some beer, though. Your sober friend never returned with it. You need to talk to him about that.

[pgvoutdoors]

Great survival food.

They're not just in the south, these guys are from Flaming Gorge, a 90 mile long lake straddling the Utah/Wyoming border, so these are northern dads, with good size and flavor.

My quickie trail sauce for dipping is a mix of packets of honey and lemon juice, with butter buds/packets and a dash of cayenne.

http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l105/donnyh/Lowes%20Bay%20Flaming%20Gorge/LowescrayII.jpg

http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l105/donnyh/Upper%20Firehole/Picture040Small.jpg

http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l105/donnyh/Upper%20Firehole/Picture041Small.jpg

Back when I was a kid in California a neighbor took me crawdad fishing. First he had us make a simple net out of a nylon stocking and a coat hanger. We fished for the big red type by tying a piece of chicken to a string on a pole and holding along the edge of the water. The crawdads would come up to the chicken and we would scare them backwards into the net. They were great to eat too.

Here in N.E. Ohio the streams have the smaller greenish colored ones. You find these under rocks in the streams. You have to catch a lot of them but they're good too.

[catfish10101]

You are right, they are found in many places, but the fact is that many people have never eaten them and will never eat them. Others have said that they might eat them in a survival situation. In fact, down here, there is an entire commercial industry on them, to the point where some people even farm raise them. If they are abundant in your area, you could probably make a living catching them and selling them to the southern states.LOL.

[Chica-del-yermo]

Were I used to live, we caught crawfish all the time. One time we boiled them and ate them. The tail was basically the only part worth eating. I thought they were pretty bland. Taste much better with a dash of salt.

[Rick]

Okay, Crazy. Calm down. We know 'dads are good. They ain't bland. Not after boil and the garlic and the smoked sausage and sure not after that Louisiana Hot sauce hits it, anyway. But son I don't suck head. Tail only.

[suburbanbushwacker]

i once saw a show where Ray Mears demonstrated plucking out their tail 'fins' and with them out came the 'vein' that is the digestive tract. As usual he made it look very easy!

[Beowulf65]

CRAWFISH to me are nothing more than river, pond, and lake shrimp and lobster. Here is what I know about crawfish, crawdads, mudpuppys or whatever you wanna call them.
Crawfish, like shrimp or lobsters, belong to the scientific class Crustacea. Their hard outer shell, called the exoskeleton, does not grow with the crawfish and is shed periodically. In Louisiana, two species of crawfish -- the red swamp and the white river -- provide for the harvest. Crawfish are harvested from both wild habitats (natural rivers, bayous, swamps, and lakes) and controlled, managed crawfish farms. Harvest takes place from November through June, with baited wire-mesh traps. Traps are checked daily, and the catch is packed into 50 lb. onion sacks for delivery to processors. Only the tail meat is recovered from processing. The claw meat is tasty but very meager and difficult to pick out. Tail meat can be purchased fresh or frozen, with prices varying with the time of season and supply.
Both species of crawfish occur naturally in the Mid-Atlantic region, but crawfish farming is a very recent development here. Small, shallow ponds have been stocked with red swamp crawfish and are managed for commercial production. The harvest takes place during spring and summer, coinciding with the tourist season. Production is still very limited, but there is considerable interest in exploring the potential of crawfish farming as an alternative crop.
Crawfish can be purchased whole and fresh, raw or pre-cooked, for immediate use of for your own crawfish boil. If you purchase whole, fresh crawfish, make sure they are alive. Dead crawfish decompose rapidly, resulting in mush, discolored meat.

CULINARY DESCRIPTION
Boiling crawfish is a popular method of preparation, since the meat can be used in a variety of ways. Plan on 3-4 pounds of whole crawfish per person, and 3/4-1 pound of crawfish per gallon of water. Crawfish yield approximately 15% in tail meat, so count on 10 pounds of whole crawfish to get 1 1/2 pounds of meat. Bring water to a boil, and then add the live crawfish. Begin cooking time once the water returns to a boil, with time depending upon how the crawfish will be prepared.
Boil the crawfish for 5 minutes or less when you plan to peel them and use the tail meat for dishes such as bisque. Boiling time is 10 minutes when crawfish are to be eaten immediately. For a traditional boil, season the water by adding lemon wedges, onion, red pepper, garlic, commercial crab- boil seasoning and salt (1/2-1 pound of salt per 5 gallons of water, or to your taste). Whole potatoes, onions, and sweet corn can be boiled along with the crawfish. After the 10-minute boil, turn off heat and let the crawfish soak up the spices for another 10-15 minutes. Remove the crawfish and allow them to cool before peeling. Refrigerate those you don't plan to eat immediately. The crawfish will be red after boiling. Once cooked, the tail meat is tender, firm and slightly sweet, somewhat of a cross between shrimp and lobster.
To peel the crawfish, wash hands first, since you will be handling the meat, and peel them while they are still warm. Separate the tail from the head by slightly pulling and twisting, and discard the head. Hold the tail between thumb and forefingers and squeeze until you hear the shell crack. Grasp the first three segments of tail from the side and pull off by lifting up and pulling around the meat. Firmly grasp the exposed meat in one hand, the tail fin in the other, and pull gently. The meat is now ready to eat, freeze, or serve with your favorite cocktail sauce.
So that's my take do as you like.

[nell67]

We call them ditch crawlers here,eewww,LOL

[Beowulf65]

This is my crawfish recipe for Crawfish Jambalaya
Mmmmmm Mmmmmmmm oh so damn goooooood! Give it try.
1 Lb. Hot Sausage
1/2 C. Onion
1/2 C. Green Onion
1/2 C. Bell Pepper
1 Can Beef Boullion
1 Can French Onion Soup
1 Sm. Can Tomato Sauce
1 Stick Butter Or Margarine, Cut Into Tablespoons
1 Lb. Crawfish Tails
2 C. Uncle Ben's Long Grain Rice
Brown sausage in a pan. Saute onion, green onion, and bell pepper in a separate pan until onions are soft. Add sausage to onions and saute together for a minute or two. Add bouillon, onion soup, and tomato sauce. Pour mixture into a Dutch oven; add butter, crawfish tails and rice. Bake for 1 hour at 350 degrees. Serve immediately eat up and enjoy cause I know I love it.

[catfish10101]

LOL. I think we hijacked the thread and turned it into a recipe book. LMAO.:D

[flandersander]

yeah kinda ya b@$terd$

no just kidding these all sound really good. keep postin i wanna try 'em all

[catfish10101]

Crawfish for breakfast

2 eggs
1/4 cup onion chopped
1 tbs bell pepper chopped
1 cup crawfish tails from the crawfish boil yesterday
1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
butter
salt
pepper

Slowly cook crawfish tails, onions and bell pepper in butter until onions are clear and remove from pan and set aside. Scramble 2 eggs and pour into pan (I like to put some of the onions and bell pepper in the eggs). Cook with a glass cover, do not stir. When almost dry (cooked) on top, add crawfish tail mixture and cheese to 1 half of the omlet, and sprinke with salt and pepper. Then, with a wide spatula, flip the other side over to close the omlet. Let cook to melt cheese (you can turn the fire off as the eggs will melt the cheese). Be careful not to burn the omlet. I hate it when it gets too brown. ENJOY!!!

[GVan]

anyone ever eat wild crawfish? what part of a Crawfish is edible?

I'm from south Louisiana.
We eat crawfish on a weekls basis when in season.
Freshly steamed they're a great treat and a very good way to gather friends and family together.;)

[GVan]

Hey catfish,.... Thanks to the Republicans, American businesses are running from this country fraster then a rat from a sinking ship. Remember 1,000,000 Americans homeless thanks to their jobs going to foreign countries.

[Rick]

Ahem. No discussion on politics. Thanks.

[Rick]

Gentlemen. No political discussion on the forum! Thank you! They always degrade just as this one has. I'll delete any further political posts.

[catfish10101]

I deleted it Rick. Sorry.

[Rick]

No apology necessary catfish but thanks!

[catfish10101]

Now back to crawfish. In a survival situation, you can boil them in a coffee can or whatever you have, over a fire. They may be bland without seasoning but they will be a welcome meal if you are going hungry.

[Alpine_Sapper]

this isn't exactly a survival recipe, but it's make excellent use of crawfish. I'm originally from Louisiana as well, so mudbugs will always be consumed in my house. I make this for the holidays, or with a roast chicken just for the hell of it....

INGREDIENTS

* 1 1/2 cups water
* 3/4 cup uncooked long-grain white rice
* 1 pound lean ground beef
* 1 medium onion, chopped
* 2 stalks celery, chopped
* 1 green bell pepper, chopped
* 1 red bell pepper, chopped
* 2 cloves garlic, minced
* 2 pounds frozen peeled crawfish tails, thawed
* 1 cup toasted, chopped pecans
* 1/4 cup butter
* 1 bunch green onions, chopped
* 2 tablespoons Creole seasoning
* 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
* 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley



DIRECTIONS

1. In a medium saucepan, bring water to a boil. Stir in rice. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes, until rice is tender and liquid has been absorbed.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a medium baking dish.
3. In a large, heavy skillet over medium heat, stir together ground beef, onion, celery, green bell pepper, red bell pepper, and garlic. Cook until beef is evenly browned and vegetables are tender.
4. Stir crawfish tails, pecans, butter, and green onions into the ground beef mixture. Season with Creole seasoning and pepper. Continue cooking about 3 minutes, until well mixed. Transfer to the prepared baking dish.
5. Bake 25 minutes in the preheated oven, or until lightly browned. Garnish with parsley
************************************************** ***********************************************

[BraggSurvivor]

A couple months before Katrina hit I took a couple clients down to Louisianna. I rented a big motorhome and toured the state having a blast. We ate everything on the menu's including Crawfish. My favorite dish was fried catfish with crawfish gravey. I gained 22 pounds there in 10 days.

I also think I was the skinniest fat guy there because I could only find one vegitable on the menu........a sweet potato baked in butter and brown sugar. :D

[Alpine_Sapper]

Can't forget fried okra...yummm!

[catfish10101]

We eat veggies too, onions, garlic, celery, mashed taters, corn. All a major part of most of our meals. LOL.

[rebel]

One night in a stupid stupor, I danced with one hanging out my zipper. Accessory?

[GVan]

easy to catch i think but not much meat

After boiling, try sucking out the head.

And don't forget, don't eat the dead:rolleyes: ones.

[bulrush]

Do crayfish have to be purged before cooking? That is, leave them in a tub of water for 24 hrs so the feces leaves the intestine, which goes through the tail meat.

I had pet crayfish but I have never eaten them.

[Rick]

Even I have my principles. No bug heads! No thanks.

[JDJ]

Used to go crawfishign when i was a boy. We'd wade out ned down and stick out fingers into the likely spots (you get a knack for it after a while), the crawfish would almost always snap on to a finger and it was trapped (never hurt much). our only fear was getting bit by a snapping turtle but i think most of them moved on when a pack of boys turned up to kill and eat everythgin we could in the area.

We'd wrap a number of them in foil and bake them in the coals of a fire. Yum.

[crashdive123]

Never hurt..........much.........ok.:D:D:eek::eek:

[flandersander]

yeah right. those things hurt like a b****! or maybe thats freshwater crabs i'm thinking of. see there's a quarrie lake by my house and there are somehow crabs in it. its kinda wierd but they taste like a supersaturated solution of water, mud and fecal matter. eeewwwww.

[catfish10101]

To purge the crawfish before cooking them:
1. Dump them into an ice chest.
2. Fill almost to top with water.
3. Pour in one container of salt.
4. Stir them up a little (gently so as not to mash them).
5. Let sit 4 or 5 minutes.
6. Rinse with fresh water until water runs clear.

[JDJ]

Never hurt..........much.........ok.:D:D:eek::eek:

Crawfish are tiny in New England.

[flandersander]

yeah I suppose. up here in Canada eh, them there crawfish is bigga than them in new england eh. lol.

[Eagles Talon]

I dotn know if you can do this with, crawfish but i have seen it doen with other such creatures;
You pull out the central tail fin, removing the spinal cord which you really dont want to eat, then you get a sharp thin piece of wood and spear it through the hole where the tail section had been, then you place the wood into the ground next to the fire and cook it like that.

[Eagles Talon]

I know this is a double-post, but i just had a revelation, these creatures like to live in holes and dark places along the river bank, so you could easily make a small trap cover it with stones and mud place a little bait in there, lower it in, come back in a couple of days, and you will probably have at least one

[flandersander]

yeah you would think so. well i think i will have to try roasted craws eagles talon. sounds good with bbq sauce. lol. or maybe it doesn't. maybe if you tied a string through its eyes and hung it over the fire.

[rt36crazyfists]

or just go in after them and snatch em

[flandersander]

yeah that works.

[kathy tate]

I grew up on "wild" crawfish in Biloxi, Mississippi and thought that the best crawfish were found in Louisiana and the gulf coast area. However, while I lived in Las Vegas, somebody introduced me to the enormous mutant fallout crawfish of St. George Utah. These monsters were HUGE!!!. Six inches easy! So a friend of mine and I went one weekend, caught an ice chest full and took them back to LV for a boil. And Let me tell ya. That was some kinda good. There's nothing like fresh boiled crawfish with corn, taters, sausage and mushrooms thrown in. Of course you need a lot of salt and crab boil seasoning as well as whole garlic, celery and onions, bay leaves and lemons. Every non-crawfishing eating person there became a convert and I suspect they still talk about that crawfish boil back in '90. You really need to learn from a cajun though instead of a book. We know how to do it right. If you try them without a lot of the right seasonings, you will never eat another. disgusting if not done right.

[Rick]

Kathy - Welcome to the forum. Glad you joined us. We have another doc on here as well. We like for those new to the forum to go to the Introductions section and tell everyone a little about yourself. What kind of hobbies, what outdoor stuff you like, maybe why you joined up. Here's a link to the Intro section:

By the way, mud bugs are some good eatin'.

http://www.wilderness-survival.net/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=14

[GVan]

When my kids were small, they'd catch crawfish by useing a strip of bacon and a string.
They ended up doing quite well actually. Acouple of pounds worth atleast.

[Rick]

You wait until Don reads this, GVan. You'll hear about this. Misusing bacon is a capital offense.

[canid]

that just illustrates the exchange rate. one strip of bacon trades at several lb of crawfish.

[Rick]

One strip of bacon trades at several pounds of anything.

[GVan]

Gentlemen. No political discussion on the forum! Thank you! They always degrade just as this one has. I'll delete any further political posts.

Sorry Rick, I slipped.

[GVan]

We eat veggies too, onions, garlic, celery, mashed taters, corn. All a major part of most of our meals. LOL.

You forgot the sweet taters.

Rick, Bacon is just a seasoning, especially when ya'll got catfish, nutrea, crawfish, alligator, oysters, red snapper, and the like.

[Rick]

GVan - I can forgive someone not knowing but once you've been told.....bacon is bacon (masses chant in unison and bow, "All hail bacon!") I may be wrong but I think Troy fell over bacon, the Great Wall of China was built to protect their bacon, Napoleon was defeated in Russia over bacon. One of the great figurative painters changed his name from Francis McDonald to Francis Bacon. And one actor changed his name from Kevin Yovonochisouz to Kevin Bacon. And.....both democratic and republican candidates know their election hinges on the bacon vote. I could be wrong but you might want to look it up. (masses chant in unison and bow, "All hail bacon!")

Here's a real treat for bacon lovers...

http://www.browniepointsblog.com/2008/01/20/homemade-bacon-vodka/

[crashdive123]

Men (and women) have spent their lives in the pursuit of bacon.

http://www.baconacademybobcats.com/images/ba%20logo.gif

[catfish10101]

And.....both democratic and republican candidates know their election hinges on the bacon vote.


That sounds like a political post...:confused::rolleyes:

How did we go from crawfish to bacon?:confused:

[Rick]

Not political, factual (apolitical). GVan trounced bacon and we had to come to its defense.

Back on thread: Crawfish. MMMMmmmmmmmm.

[Beowulf65]

Just had Crab Cakes and Crawfish on Saturday at Papa Douex's Seafood, Mmmm Mmmm Good.

[flandersander]

trademarked beo. Or copyrighted i'm not sure. Or is that political?

[mikefish08]

I'm new here..Just wanna say Hi to all..This forum is very informative..Glad I dont have allergy,I can eat shrimps,crawfish,or whatever..Know what?I'm planning a trip this summer in Lake Mateos Mexico for largemouth..Cant wait to post my pics..Pls click below if you have some tips for me,I will truly appreciate..thanks.

http://www.aztecfishingtours.com

[Rick]

Welcome Mike - "Cast" yourself over to the Introductions section and tell us a bit about yourself. What "lures" you outdoors, your hobbies, whatever you "reel"y would like to share.

[GVan]

Yeah. Do you think that would work with small lake prawns or shrimp?

Why waste the shrimp?

Crawfish are scavangers and will eat bits and pieces of your kill. Rabbit guts, Chicken guts, fish guts, anything as long as it smells like flesh to them.

There is no need to use a good food as a bait.

[flandersander]

true. I however like the taste of shrimp and will continue to eat 'em. sorrt gvan.

[JRJ]

Did someone say crawfish?

I love em in jambalaya and gumbo - first class stuff!

Crawfish Etouffee is pretty good too.

Had them in meat pies, casseroles and everything else you can imagine.

Nothing beats a good ol' fashioned mudbug boil with cob, red potato's spiced with tony's, beer and good friends.


-JRJ

[canid]

i like 'em with:
http://personal.georgiasouthern.edu/~rway/images/OB6ozCan.jpg

[flandersander]

never had old bay. believe it or not but montreal steak spive on craws is pretty good.

[Alpine_Sapper]

never had old bay. believe it or not but montreal steak spive on craws is pretty good.

Montreal Steak seasoning is like Tony's Creole...It goes good on just about anything.

[Rick]

Both are in my spice rack. Good stuff.

[Ridge Wolf]

anyone ever eat wild crawfish? what part of a Crawfish is edible? Ah.. yep... they are good eatin'... although, I would think twice about eating the throrax.. but the tails are the best.. good for fish bait too..

They are usually caught with a minnow trap.. (open on both ends)... with a bacon strip tied to a cord and hanging in the middle of the trap. Leave it in the water off the bank tied to a small diameter rope to haul it back in after 30 minutes to an hour depending on the population, time of year fishing for them.. It is best to catch them before June as they aren't much good after mating at that time of year, at least here locally in the Pacific Northwest, USA.

dump them alive into a boiling big kettle of water and cook until they turn pink..(and aren't moving around in there... :D). The tails snap off when they are cooked up.. season and dress the way you like 'em.

[Rick]

What is it with folks desecrating bacon? Have you no shame?

[Ridge Wolf]

What is it with folks desecrating bacon? Have you no shame?

:D like crawfish better than bacon.. :D

[Rick]

(fingers in ears) NA NA NA NA NA I can't hear you NA NA NA I can see your lips moving NA NA NA NA NA

[crashdive123]

Don? Now calm down. Don...put down the knife. Don....Don....what he ment to say was we hang a slice of bacon because EVERYBODY and EVERYTHING enjoys bacon. After enticing the little buggers into the trap, we remove the bacon and cook it. Whew...that was a close one Ridge Wolf.

[catfish10101]

Don? Now calm down. Don...put down the knife. Don....Don....what he ment to say was we hang a slice of bacon because EVERYBODY and EVERYTHING enjoys bacon. After enticing the little buggers into the trap, we remove the bacon and cook it. Whew...that was a close one Ridge Wolf.

*cough*"bull$#!^"*cough*

I'd sacrifice da whole damned pig for a sack of crawfish!
:D

Duck, people because here it comes!!!!!!!!:D

[Rick]

(sniff) (wipes tear). Oh the humanity!

[Tahyo]

Being born and raised in southwest La., I can't begin to tell you the lbs. of crawfish I have enjoyed. I would rather have them boiled, but being that I live in Illinois now, I can only get the frozen tails to make etouffee. The unfortunate part is that only the tails from China are available here and the difference between La. crawfish and Chinese crawfish appear to be night and day, in my opinion.

There's a bayou where we lived that we use to go spend the weekends camping while running trout lines. We would sometimes take the crawfish traps and set them out. Not only did we use some of the crawfish for bait, but we would usually bring the favorite local seasoning for crawfish, shrimp and crab boils. "Zatarains". Back then they only had the little bag of seasonings, but now they have the liquid concentrate that is really good as well.

I have to vote for crawfish as one of top things on my list to look for if I was in an area that looked inhabitable for them.

[Kelticfox]

Hi, thought I would join to post here :D

I've just applied for my license to fish Crayfish (Crawdads or Crawfish to the Non Limeys) as an ex-soldier I beleive very much in free food (No such thing a free lunch..... Bulsh*t!). Unfortunatly the UK Enviromental Agency has to grant consent, so I spent most of yesterday on the phone speaking to farmers, Angling Clubs & the Enviroment Agency.

The American Signal Crayfish have taken over good ol' blighty so much so they have made our much beloved White-clawed Crayfish almost extinct *sniff* (But hey they don't have much meat anyway!). Don't know how large the Signals get in the US, but they about 5-6 Inches over here at the moment.



So as from this weekend the nice Signal Crayfish will be tagged "UTANN" (Under Threat As Num Nums!)

I'll let you know the size and yield of local ones :P



.............. And I will not be wasting the Ambrosia that is Bacon to catch them!

[cajun swamp hunter]

I came to this site to learn about different areas and here I find my HOME TURF.
I bought my first car with money from bug fishin in the atachfalaya basin. Bugs are in season right now and I am boiling a sack today. I see there are some other cajuns here to them I say (its bug time guys) to the rest of you I say your missin it guys. Now as far as a survival food when in season any ditch around here and a simple dip net will get you a 5 gallon bucket full in about 10 minutes. The Basin is in flood stage right now so I am getting 2 for the price of one (wild hogs=Bacon) they are very easy to harvest. I killed three 2 days ago and filled up the families freezer with pork. If any come down this way I will be happy to feed them up or give swamp tour as we cajuns are known for our hospitality and everyone here can cook. By the way I keep hearing about Louisiana hot sauce-- its okay but Tabasco is KING. The plant is a mile from the house and you can smell the pepper when the wind is right. A by product of the process called Mash is by far the best stuff to spice a bug boil with some zatarans thrown in. If any have questions about cajuns or the area I live in its whats called acadiana which is in the heart of coonass land fire away.