Crawfish - South Lake Minnetonka Area

[ETG]

Hello all,

 

I am a Texas transplant to Minnesota. Love the fishing here through my first 2 years!

 

I have seen some youtube videos of some guys catching crawfish a few years ago in the Maple Grove area, but I am wondering if there is anywhere here in the south Lake Minnetonka area to catch crawfish? 

 

I have built 4 traps, and tried using smelt, chicken necks, and fish guts from cleaned fish.  I have had no luck.  I tried putting traps so far in 2-5 feet of water along a few places:  West side Lotus Lake,  Purgatory Creek Trail bridge (right next to HWY 62),  and Minnehaha creek right behind the Minnetonka Ice Rinks. Someone told me I shouldn't try to catch, for eating, crawfish in Lake Minnetonka.   Anyways, save for 1 crawfish in Lotus Lake, I have caught none so far.  I set traps at late afternoon and checked next day 24 hours later.  

 

I know there are crawfish here, and I want to catch them, but I am not having any success yet.  I appreciate any advice anyone has. 

 

I would love to boil some up soon!

ETG

[leech~~]

Welcome to the forums.  You may want to check the MN DNR for lakes with Rusty crayfish in them or Google.

They will be the biggest crayfish for a boil found in MN.  Good luck. 

 

www.seagrant.umn.edu/ais/images_rustycrayfish