Crawfish

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.

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.

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?

try both, practice both. then you can decide.

Sounds good. THANKS

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

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?

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

yeah came across that one.

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.

Pike will bite anything.

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/image...279_medium.png

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

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.

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

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?

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.

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

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.

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.

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

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

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

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?

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.

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.

O Im sorry yes that should be fine.

Do you suggest i try it?

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.

what for bait?

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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?

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

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?