# Are there Regs for trapping Crawfish?



## TheSonicMarauder (Mar 9, 2006)

i was wondering if ohio had regulations on trapping crawfish...
in personal interest i wanted to catch a couple for various reasons... one being.... cajun crawfish dinner w00t!  lol another reason is im getting more and more into fishing jigs for bass and im under the assumption that that is what bass jigs are meant to represent, Crawfish so i wanted to go to my favorite lakes throught the year and observe the colorations of the crawfish throughout the year and try to match my skirt and trailer colors to them as well as observe them overall, marine biology is a big interest of mine and im always trying to observe the aquatic wildlife when im out fishin ^.^ . also im wanting to get one or two for my friends aquarium.. he has a 75g aquarium which he is wanting to take it in a native direction... the local pet store has crayfish for like 8 bucks each and i was like... dood....those things are EVERYWHERE 

ive searched high and low on the ODNR website and havent found anything on this matter other then bait quantities in possession(bait dealer licensing stuff)

i will be very selective in my sparce harvest (i only plan to make crawfish once or twice this year so i wont take hardly any at all).. all females carrying egg sacs will be promptly released...


any help is greatly appreciated.

thank you


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## reel (Dec 15, 2004)

Been a while since I trapped em, so regs probably changed.

As I understand it.
You need a fishing license, can't have over 100, are limited in seine size and where you use a seine.

Bait fish, Crayfish, Larval Aquatic Insects:
(1) Any individual or bait dealer may take minnows, crayfish, hellgrammites, and other larval aquatic insects, suckers not exceeding 10 inches in length, brook lampreys, smelt, brook silversides, brook sticklebacks, gizzard shad, trout-perch, sculpins, darters, topminnows, and mudminnows from any waters in the state of Ohio at any time and in any number except as prohibited by this or other rules of the Administrative Code.

http://www.dnr.ohio.gov/wildlife/Fishing/bait/pub330.html


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## BassBlaster (Jun 8, 2006)

WOW great post. I know a spot where you can seine tons of Hellgramites. I didn't think you were aloud to seine them though. Guess I'll be bustin the creek smallies this year!!


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## Weatherby (May 27, 2005)

Straight from the regs.


BAIT: It is unlawful for any person except licensed bait dealers to possess more than 100 crayfish or in combination 500 crayfish, minnows, and other bait fish. A bait dealer's permit is required of persons buying or selling minnows, crayfish, and hellgrammites. This permit may be obtained from any wildlife district office.


MINNOW SEINES AND DIP NET REGULATIONS
Square mesh must not be larger than 1/2 inch on a side. Seine and net size limits and places where they may be used are as follows:












*Including East and West harbors in Ottawa County and waters where fishing with nets is licensed by law. Hours are local time.


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## BassBlaster (Jun 8, 2006)

So is a Hellgramite considered a baitfish. They are not a fish at all, they are an insect larvae. I believe a dragon fly. I don't believe I'll ever need more than 100 anyhow.

So I just did a search on Hellgrammite and it is a Dobsonfly larvae. Strang that I know where to catch many Hellgramites but I have never saw a Dobsonfly.


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## TheSonicMarauder (Mar 9, 2006)

well the way ive always been taught(when at the family reunion in WV... thats right trapping crawfish at a family reunion in wv.... we take redneckin seriously lol) was to just used a standard wire minnow trap like from walmart or whatever and put a piece of cut shad in there.. works real well down there so i was just gonna use the same technique up here.. basically set the trap... go fish all day or whatever and come back and pick it up at the end of the day and if i were gonna keep and it would only be like 20-30ish depending on size

i helped me uncle catch hellgramites with a seine before but we always used a minnow trap for the crawfish.... anyways thanx for the help guys ^^


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## Jim white (Feb 19, 2018)

Crawfish openings on the end are bigger than the ones in a minnow trap


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## multi species angler (Feb 20, 2006)

I ask a ODNR wildlife officer about opening size on traps being used for crayfish and was told the opening couldn't be any larger than 1", same as a minnow trap. Therefore most crayfish traps would be illegal in Ohio.


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## STRONGPERSUADER (Nov 5, 2006)

BassBlaster said:


> WOW great post. I know a spot where you can seine tons of Hellgramites. I didn't think you were aloud to seine them though. Guess I'll be bustin the creek smallies this year!!


We use to seine hellgramites in the Mohican river for about an hr and smallmouth fish the rest of the day. Awesome bait.


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## mlnccs (Apr 22, 2009)

My Aunt use to take a old percolator coffee pot and boil them on shore while we fished


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## DeathFromAbove (Oct 21, 2008)

Its been awhile for me too but I believe if you leave a crayfish trap overnight it has to have your name and address on it


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## multi species angler (Feb 20, 2006)

DeathFromAbove said:


> Its been awhile for me too but I believe if you leave a crayfish trap overnight it has to have your name and address on it


 Anytime it's set it needs name and address.


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