I took the kids out to strawberry for some fishing and crawdads. We decided to try renegade due to the reports we had heard for fishing. We just fished from shore but the algae was so thick that I wasn’t surprised that no fish came to play. The crawdads were very thick however we filled the small cooler we had with tails and pincers in 2 and a half hours. While I was casting one of my traps out the string came untied and I sent it out into the lake. Not wanting to loose the trap I grabbed my diving mask that was in my truck and threw it on and dove in. Man was that cold. After finally conditioning myself so I could breathe out again I dove down and found my trap. I spent a while snorkeling around and catching crawdads for the next hour or so and was surprised that the water wasn’t that bad due to how cold it had been up there. Well it may have been colder than I thought but I was probably too numb to feel it. If any of you want some crawdads like I said there were a ton in there,
Jed Burton
Sounds like a lot of fun. A couple of weeks ago we were at soldier’s creek and caught lots of crawdads too. I wonder if the chicken creek or strawberry marina is also as good so I can save a few miles’ driving.
strawberry marina has produced well for me with a little bigger dads but I didn’t want to pay an entrance fee so I just fished from the dirt bank.
me neither. Next time maybe I’ll try the dirt bank from chicken creek.
Sounds fun!
Do you know if the time of day matters? I’m thinking of taking my kids to Scofield in the evening, after work, for crawdads.
Thanks,
Nate
crawdads are way more active at night but can be caught at any time of the day. We were fishing for them at the worst time of the day from noon to four and still caught plenty for a big crayfish boil. If you are using traps you can catch them anytime. At night they come up pretty much on the shore,
Jed
Thanks Jed, just the info I needed!
Nate
What do you recomend for bait when going after the crawdads?
You want to use raw chicken - whole pieces (leg, thigh, back, etc…) with the skin and bone on. Put one piece in your trap, but if you are using one of those extra long traps, then put one piece between each end and the middle.
Also, you can get a butterfly net and tie a piece of chicken on a string/cord and toss it out there about 6 feet from shore. Leave it there for like 5 minutes or less and put your net (with a long handle that you are holding) just in between the chicken and shore and lightly drag that chicken and dads into your net and scoop it up. The piece of chicken should be covered with 5 or more 'dads.
Good luck!! I’m gonna take my kids up there in two weeks for their first time. Can’t wait!!
That sounds like a blast, Jed! I’m going to take my kids there in two weeks for their first time. I can’t wait. They’re gonna love it! I’ve heard that the Aspen Grove boat ramp area is also really thick with them…
good luck man I will probably try again in a couple of weeks as well,
Jed Burton