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OK guys, I'm a big fan of crawfish and love to eat them when I manage to make it south. With the huge population of them in the big V, I am thinking about trapping this summer for my own consumption. Does anyone do this? From what I can gather, the rusty crawfish are the ones you want. Are there more than one kind in the lake? According to the DNR website, one can obtain a permit to transport these tasty critters and you can have 25 pounds in possesion for your own use. Any opinons on this? I'd love to have a big boil at my house over the summer for some friends. Any info you can offer would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Chris

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Chris,

The Rustys are good eating!

Just throw a couple of minnow traps out close to shore. Bait them with fresh fish or meat scraps and you will probably have a meal by the next morning.

Cliff

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I have 2 traps going all summer long. I'm doing my part in ridding the lake of the Rustys. Yeah, I know it's a drop in the bucket, but I do feel better about it, and they're pretty good tasting.

In all the years of my traps strapped to the docks, I have not seen any other specie of crayfish except for the Rusty. I believe they replaced the native crayfish. The DNR would have more info.

I don't transport them, so I don't know the regulations. I do know they are a threat in the lake's ecology. So they would be wary of transporting them live. Check with the DNR.

Heck, come and take them off my hands, I can't eat that many of them buggers!

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I definately need to do more research about the whole purging thing. Also, I would assume it is going to take me a few trips over maybe a couple weekends to come up with enough to have a big boil. So, how do I store them? I would assume you need to keep them alive like lobster, but how and where? Could they just be dumped into a large rubbermaid garbage can with some water in it? Would they end up killing eachother in something like that? Hmmmm...so many questions. Thanks everyone.

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Purging is only a matter of keeping the crayfish alive in fresh tap water overnight. ( I have never bothered to do this as I only eat the tails.)

Please, DO NOT transport live rustys to any other area!!

Even if they are released far from any water source they can and will crawl to the closest water and spread out from there! These buggers are very tough!

Cliff

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I have trapped them in the main lake but never in a bay, like Everett's. I put the trap in the bay and got one. Put it in the main lake off a little island and got zillions.

I have filled the trap in about 2 hour's time in the past. There were 1/2 as many trying to get in as well. If you lift it gently you can get all them in the boat too. But have a container ready for the whole mess or you'll be chasing alot of crawdads!

As was pointed out to me, it is apparently illegal to use parts of fish caught in the lake to bait the trap. I had suggested using an carcass left over from a filleting job, not that I have ever done that mind you. Instead I was told to use old minnow carcassas so that is what I use now wink.gif

Also, I think you are supposed to have your name and license number on the trap. Check the regs book real quick to be sure.

They taste real good. I boil them in salt water and crab boil. Did not purge and ate the tails. I'm still alive. They are a fair amount of work to eat, so you want everyone responsible for cleaning their own. My kids wanted me to clean theirs for them in addition to mine. FUN!

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What do you guys do with them once they are out of the traps? Just dump them into a big bucket for transport or..?

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I mean transport back to the docks or cabin. I am not planning on taking them away from the lake without permission from the DNR.

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I tried it for 1st time last year. Lot of work eating them, but they do taste good. Catching them was easy, just toss few dead minnows in a trap and toss the trap off the dock. I just boiled them in salt water, spices, and onions. Down south, you can buy the same crayfish for about $4 a pound, but like I said it's easy to catch your own.

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I love them little critters!!!! There is not a lot of work in eating them guys!!!! Set em in a bucket full of water for 2-3 days so they poop out! Peal the back shell and under the tail, salt them and cook em!

If you never had them stir fried, you haven't had crawfish!!! try it, you'll love it!!! Hey if you trap them crawfish let me know, i'll buy em and if your close by i'll even cook em for ya to try!!!!

stir fried with,

Garlic, Onions, Ginger, Basil, Pepper with a little water at the end and you will have people asking you how you did it!!!

Enjoy!!!

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