Crayfish - also known as freshwater crayfish - are small 10-legged crustaceans found in freshwater bodies. Catching them is a fun family pastime and can be done using fishing rods, special traps - or even with your bare hands! Once caught, these mini lobsters can make for a good meal or an unusual pinching pet. Here's how to catch crayfish.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Choosing a Capture Method
Step 1. Try fishing line and bait
Catching with line and bait is a simple method of catching shrimp and can be a family activity. All you need is a rod, pole or rod, line or rope, and a lure.
- You can attach the bait to the line using a fishing hook or even a safety pin - to make sure the bait stays attached to the line and prevents the shrimp from escaping.
- Drop the bait into the water and wait patiently until you feel a pull on the end of the line. Slowly pull the shrimp and come out as close to the shore as possible before carefully pulling it out of the water. Immediately put the shrimp in a bucket.
- If you want, you can use a long-handled fishing net to pick up the shrimp as soon as you catch it. It will keep you from letting go and running away.
Step 2. Use open or closed traps
Traps are the best way to catch large quantities of shrimp with relatively little effort. So if you want to have a shrimp feast for friends or family, this is the best way.
- There are two main types of traps: open ones, which are essentially open nets on one side that fall on prey, and closed ones, a more advanced variety with a funnel on one side that allows shrimp to enter but not exit.
- Avoid using square traps, as they can hit rocks on the bottom and get stuck or break; cylindrical, conical or beehive traps are all better options. Shrimp traps should measure less than one meter in height, width and depth.
- Before lowering the traps into the water, you will need to put a bait in them. Some traps have a hook in the center to attach the bait to, others need bait boxes or jars.
- Open traps can be left in the water for several hours at a time, and closed ones can be left in the water overnight. With any luck, when you pull up the trap it will be full of shrimp. Under the right conditions, you can catch 6 to 9 kg of shrimp per trap!
Step 3. Catch the shrimp with your bare hands
A third option for catching crayfish is to catch them with your bare hands, as they can easily be found among rocks in shallow ponds and can be easily picked up - just be careful with their sharp claws!
- To catch a shrimp with your bare hands, you'll need to find a pond, river, or lake known for its crustacean population. Typically, crayfish like to hide under rocks and plants in the shallow parts of the water.
- To catch a shrimp, look into the water and look for rocks under which it could easily hide. Then, very slowly, reach out into the water and lift the rock. If you do it too fast you can scare the shrimp and kick up some mud, giving your prey a chance to run away.
- If you lift the rock correctly, you should see a shrimp simply standing underwater. You now have two options. The first is to take the shrimp with your bare hands; if it is very small, you can reach out with your hands in the water and pin it between your fingers. If it's bigger, you can grab it using your thumb and forefinger, right behind the pincers.
- Your second option is to use a bucket and a stick. Carefully place the bucket 10-15cm behind the shrimp, then shake the stick in front of him or nudge it lightly. The shrimp are swimming backwards, so it should go straight into the bucket. Once he's in it, lift the bucket out of the water.
- Whatever you decide to do, don't stick your hands in the water blindly, or you risk a nasty pinch!
Part 2 of 3: Catching the Shrimp
Step 1. Get a fishing license
Many states require a fishing license to catch crayfish. However, once you have it, you can catch as many shrimp as you want, 365 days a year.
- In Italy, the method of obtaining a sport fishing license may vary from region to region. Consult the agricultural policy website page for more information.
- When using shrimp traps, the license number must be engraved in the trap, along with your name and address.
Step 2. Go shrimp fishing between April and October
Crayfish are most active during the hottest months of the year, so the best time to go fishing is between April and October. However, it is still possible to catch shrimp during the cold months, just don't expect to find many.
Step 3. Look for shrimp in lakes, ponds and rivers
Crayfish are freshwater crustaceans, and can be found in many bodies of water around the world.
- They reside in streams, ponds and lakes, but also in canals, basins, springs and rock bottom lakes.
- Most shrimp prefer still or slow waters, with lots of rocks and vegetation providing cover.
Step 4. Go overnight shrimp fishing
Crayfish are nocturnal animals, which means they are most active at night, especially in warm waters and in the summer months. Because of this, many people will hunt for shrimp at sunset or leave traps overnight to catch them.
- If you decide to leave a trap in the water overnight, be sure to attach a piece of string tied to some cork. It will help you find the trap easily the next day.
- However, shrimp can also be trapped during the day, so catching them in daylight hours is not impossible.
- Go fishing at whatever time you prefer. Just remember that overnight expeditions in search of shrimp can be fun!
Step 5. Use the right bait
Opinions on the best bait to use vary widely, however most sources agree that you can't go wrong with the heads, tails and offal of oily fish native to the area.
- Fish such as salmon, herring, carp, perch, golden perch and trout all work well as bait, but sardines, squid, shellfish, sole and eels are not good.
- Other options include any type of raw, fatty meat, such as chicken or pork. Prawns are also attracted to pieces of sausage and fish-based cat food (although experts would disagree).
- The most important thing when it comes to bait is that the meat is fresh. Shrimp will not be attracted to stale, expired, or smelly meat, contrary to common belief.
Step 6. Secure the bait properly
When using traps to catch shrimp, it is essential that the bait is well secured.
- In some simple models, the bait is simply hung on a hook in the center of the trap. This works fine, but if the trap is left in the water for too long, the shrimp will eat all of the bait, then lose interest and run away.
- For this, many shrimp fishing experts recommend using bait boxes: they allow the shrimp to eat and the smell of the bait to disperse, attracting more specimens. But since the food is not as accessible, the shrimp will take longer to eat and will stay longer in the trap.
- Another option is bait jars - they allow the smell to disperse but the shrimp has no access to food. This bait will last longer, but the shrimp is unlikely to decide to stay in the trap once it realizes it can't eat.
Part 3 of 3: Bringing the Shrimp Home
Step 1. Be aware that some states prohibit the transportation of live shrimp from the place of capture
In some countries it is forbidden to bring live crayfish home - they must be killed at the place of capture. So, if you're considering getting one as a pet, find out about local regulations first. Also follow regional regulations regarding crayfish fishing based on the area you are in. In some areas, fishing for some shrimp species may be limited or completely prohibited.
For example, catching the killer shrimp is quite easy, thanks to the voracity and overabundance of this species in many Italian regions. However, it should be remembered that for some time there has been talk of the possible toxicity of this animal. Although it is not toxic in itself, it can accumulate a number of toxic substances within its body if grown in contaminated water (eliminating the intestinal part at the time of cleaning would avoid the risks)
Step 2. Cook the shrimp
Crayfish contain delicious white and sweet meat, which can be eaten on its own or used in a variety of dishes such as prawn jambalaya, prawn étouffée, and prawn bisque. Crayfish can also replace lobster and crab in most dishes.
- First, kill the shrimp by sticking a sharp knife between the chest and head or by soaking it in ice or boiling water for a few minutes.
- To cook them, boil a pot of water and add salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper. Wash away dirt and mud with clean water.
- If you want to purify the offal inside the shrimp (intestines) before cooking, mix half a cup of salt or white vinegar in a bucket of clean water and leave the shrimp soaking for 30 minutes. When the water becomes cloudy, it is ready to be cooked.
- Dip all the shrimp (or just the tail and claws) into the pot of boiling water and leave for about 5 minutes, or until the exoskeleton turns bright red. If you want, you can add other ingredients to the water such as boiled seaweed, onions, jalapenos or coriander.
- Eat shrimp as a stand-alone dish, dipped in butter and lemon juice or covered in cocktail sauce. Serve with corn on the cob and boiled potatoes for a healthy post-fishing lunch or dinner.
Step 3. Keep them as pets, alternatively
Some people prefer to keep crayfish as pets because they are easy to keep and are interesting for children to observe. Sometimes they can even be taken to school and kept as a class mascot!
- Transport the shrimp by keeping it in a cool, moist place. Don't put it in a bucket, as most species need oxygen to survive and die in standing water. As long as it is kept moist, the shrimp can survive out of the water for several days.
- Keep the shrimp in a oxygenated aquarium by itself, as it will eat other fish. It can feed on whatever vegetation it places in the aquarium, or you can give it fish heads and cuts, fatty meats, or any of the baits described above.
Advice
- Remember to be patient!
- Placing multiple lines at a time helps.
Warnings
- Avoid shedding any excess shrimp after catching them. Some states see crayfish as pests and would like to reduce their numbers, following the damage they have done to some aquatic ecosystems. Therefore you should get rid of the shrimp you don't want as quickly and humanly as possible, or give them to another fisherman when you're done.
- Never move shrimp from one body of water to another.
- Watch out for the claws!
