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Roaming at the bottom of most Utah reservoirs are little crustaceans that have been called many names such as crayfish, crawdads or crawdaddies. Crayfish are the centerpiece of Cajun Cuisine in New Orleans, but in Utah catching and eating these critters is still a new activity that should be enjoyed by all.
Catching crayfish is easy, all you need is a piece of chicken tied to a string and of course the right location and you cannot fail. This activity can be enjoyed by all ages and makes for a fun interesting day at a local reservoir.
Catching:
With your chicken tied to a piece of durable string, toss it into the water. Wait a couple of minutes and slowly pull your bait to shore. Once close to shore place your net under your catch and scoop them up. Then place your crayfish in a cooler full of ice. Remember to watch the little ones while they handle the crayfish, as a pinch from the claws can be painful. If you hold them just behind the head and claws the pincher cannot reach you.
Cleaning:
Since crayfish cannot be transported alive it is very important to properly clean them and preserve them. Once you have accumulated your catch for the day you must kill them by stabbing each one firmly on the top where the head joins the body. If you plan to have a crayfish boil at the reservoir place each crayfish in fresh water and scrub each one thoroughly particularly on the bottom. Rinse with fresh water and repeat if needed. At this point the crayfish can be de-veined. You do this you grabbing the top middle fin, give it a twist and pull. You can then soak the crayfish in a brine solution for 5 minutes to further cleanse them. Rinse with fresh water once again. At this point you can choose to cook the whole crayfish or remove the tails.
Recipes:
You can find hundreds of recipes online to fit your taste. To add to your crayfishing experience take the ingredients, cooking equipment and enjoy a crayfish cookout in the great outdoors. There is nothing more satisfying then spending a day of fun in the great outdoors with friends and family and ending it with a good, nutritious outdoor meal.
Here are just a few locations where crayfish can be caught:
Strawberry/Soldier Creek
Deer Creek
East Canyon
Lake Powell
Scofield
Gunlock
Flaming Gorge
Starvation
Sand Wash and many more.
For more about Crayfishing Utah click here! This informative article will provide more tips and information on rules and regulations.
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