Crawfish(Procambarus clarkii)

Quick Facts

  • Other Names: Crawdad, Mudbug
  • Size Range: Can grow to 5 inches
  • Native Species?: Yes
  • Food Value: They are excellent eating and a Louisiana tradition.

Louisiana crawfish are notably one of the most famous “seafood” items harvested from the many lakes, streams and bayous. They are harvested by recreational fishermen and are a Louisiana staple and tradition. There are almost forty species of crawfish, but the most common are the red swamp and the white river crawfish. Crawfish normally have two pincers for defense and to capture food. They are both a predator and a scavenger and track food by smell. It is this sense of smell that draws them to the baited traps of fishermen, who have a wide variety of local recipes, including the traditional crawfish boil.

They live in the mud in Louisiana’s freshwater systems and make burrows that have visible “chimneys.”

Crawfish are caught in baited traps or with dip nets and seines, and crawfishing is a very popular activity for residents and visitors alike. Fresh shad or chicken parts work best for crawfish bait. While most people fish in the daytime, crawfish are most active at night. One should avoid shining a light on your crawfish traps.

Crawfish Rules and Regulations

Bag and Possession Limit : 150 pounds recreational bag limit per day
Seasons : No Closed Season
Special Rules : No more than 35 traps may be used per person while fishing recreationally for crawfish. There is no closed season for wild crawfish harvest EXCEPT for some wildlife management areas and state and federal refuges.
General Info:
Related Habitats:
Other Crustaceans Species: Brown Shrimp Stone Crab Blue Crab White Shrimp
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Related Fishing Methods

Dead bait consists of many different types of bait that is no longer alive. Dead bait is still attractive to many fish as they are normally feeding by smell and dead bait is the ticket for smell. Fresh cut fish, dead shrimp, half crab, shucked clam, cut squid and all popular examples of bait that will catch a wide variety of fish. Many sport fish that are predators, will gladly take the opportunity to slurp up a fresh dead bait. A redfish is equally happy to chase down a baitfish or slurp up a dead shrimp on the bottom. Dead bait has the benefit is being easy to obtain, maintain and transport, as opposed to live bait which takes livewells, quality water control and can be harder to obtain.