How to Catch Crawfish Without Traps

Want to catch crawfish but don't have a trap? No problem! Learn to catch crawfish the old-fashioned way, with the method my mother taught her two little tomboys.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Raw liver at room temperature
• String (3-4 feet should do it)
• Creek with water clear enough to see crawfish
• Large bucket half-filled with water from your crawfishing spot
• Patience
• Medium-weight waterproof worker's glove (optional)

1. Gather all the items you'll need and head for your local creek, lake or marsh. You'll probably be wading at some point, so you'll either want to be barefoot or in sandals.

2. Look for a likely crawfishing spot. Crawfish tend to like wet, semi-marshy places where the water is a fairly still and doesn't freeze to the bottom in winter. Search shallow pools in your fishing area or near immersed piles of stones along the water line.

3. Be patient! Crawfish can be shy and difficult to spot - you may not see them right away.

4. Once you've found your crawfishing spot, prep your bait. Take a small piece of liver (about an inch) and carefully tie your string around it. This is the tricky part - tie too loose and the liver will slip off the line, tie too tight and the liver will rip in two when the crawfish grabs it. Practice by giving your liver a little tug to see how tightly it's on the line.

5. Lower your fishing line directly into the water and let it drag on the creek floor. Crawfish are tasty but not bright - they'll notice the liver but not the line.

6. Once you've got a crawfish interested, give your fishing line little wiggles to keep his attention - try to draw him into a shallower part of the creek. If you're lucky and patient, he'll eventually grab on to the liver.

7. Once the crawfish has the liver firmly in his claws, quickly grab him around his midsection and toss him in your bucket!

Tips & Warnings

• Crawfish have claws and pinch! If you're scared to grab the crawfish with your bare hands, wear a medium-weight waterproof worker's glove.
• I have also heard of people catching crawfish with cut up hot dogs in place of liver - but have never tried it myself.
• Trap-less crawfish catching is fun, but requires a LOT of time and patience! If you have a houseful of hungry dinner guests to feed, you're better off coughing up the $10-30 for a trap.
• As previously mentioned, crawfish have seriously scary-looking claws. Be careful and take precautions if you're concerned about the safety of your hands.

[mikes197131]

on 8/4/2009 Cool article, I recently moved to an area with crawfish, I will have to give this a try

[technicalbuzz]

on 6/19/2009 This is very interesting! Have have never caught crawfish before! Cool article! 5* and recommendeD!

[starlet67]

on 3/27/2009 Very interesting! Nice title photo and great tips for catching your food!5*

[severt101]

on 1/10/2009 I used to do this as a kid lol

[Wasatch]

on 12/13/2008 Used to do this with a chicken leg as a young boy.