crawdads!

[przeor]

Crayfish, crawfish, whatever you want to call them they're delicious. Anyone have any suggestions how to catch em? I'm thinking a fishtank net might work well? I just found out the state of Arizona wants you to take as many as you can and that's a good thing since I like to eat em. Now I just have to figure out how to grabthem. They're awfully quick- i tried to just grab them, but my success rate was not very high- anyone got an idea?

[Cichlid]

Maybe a hunk of chicken or beef jerky as a lure in the bottom of a net.
Where are you trying to snag them out of in AZ? And they're good?
Really?

[Joew]

Well, I call em crawdads and agree that they're delicious. I've only gone fishing for them a few times, but a small net worked pretty well for me. I've done this wading in a creek and free diving in a lake, but never with scuba.

[przeor]

I've never gathered them while scuba diving either, but seeing so many on our night/dusk dives got me thinking.... then finding they are invasive in Arizona and you're encouraged to catch them got me thinking I should start catching them...

[dutch552]

While diving I'd go with a larger fishtank net or one of those nets you buy in a fishing store for getting baitfish out of a baitwell as they generally have longer handles and you can score one for 5 bucks. Otherwise you can buy prefab crayfish traps from some of the larger sporting goods stores that you can bait with baitfish cut in half and livestock feed pellets.

[cummings66]

I've never had problems catching them in the lakes I dive in, but I'd never eat one. In fact I don't usually even do anything more than hover above them and take pictures, but when I have caught them I come up from behind and above. I'd probably carry a bag to place them in and wear good gloves.
<DIV></DIV>
<DIV>I just can't imagine eating them, although crawdads are a Louisiana favorite.</DIV>

[CompuDude]

Crawdads are just freshwater shrimp. And I LOOOOVE shrimp. You're lucky to have such a bonanza ripe for the taking!

[przeor]

Will they freeze well? we're hoping to bring a lot back, but if they won't keep frozen, we'll just have to make more trips to the lake...

[dutch552]

They'll freeze fine, just rinse and soak them in some ice-cold fresh water and load up gallon size freezer bags with them. They're some of the best freshwater fare out there, especially when they come from relatively clean/clear water.

[przeor]

Thanks for the info- we just rinsed and tossed 24 of them in the freezer. Those suckers are hard to catch with a dip net. Made out otherwise boring dive go along nicely. Still learning the ropes with our new doubles, this helps pass the time and hopefully they'll taste good tomorrow!