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puma guy wrote: When I was a kid we'd "fish" for them with a piece bacon on a string inserted into the hole and slowly pull them out when they grabbed on.

Yes, when were just little kids we lived in Richardson, Texas (late 50's), the area was largely rural outside the city limits. After a heavy rain, literally every drainage ditch (Bar Ditch) would have Crawfish in them for a week or more. We would get a piece of kite string, tie it onto a slender limb and put a piece of bacon on a safety pin. We'd spend hours pulling them out of the water.

I guess we were easily entertained back then. But I'm glad I grew up in simpler times. No video games, X-Box....etc.

puma guy wrote:Crawfish can live in burrows built in areas far from a creek or lake. The mounds are very evident (they look like little cones made of mud balls) and even though you may not have any in your yard the recent rains may have driven some out of their holes from another area. When I was a kid we'd "fish" for them with a piece bacon on a string inserted into the hole and slowly pull them out when they grabbed on.

As a kid, I used to do that all the time at my grandparent''s farm. We would also toss rocks into the holes (very, very slowly so we didn't bury the critters) until they crawled out.

I have several crawdad holes in my yard all year 'round. The nearest creek is about a mile away, as the crow flies. It's not at all unusual to find them on my driveway or sidewalks after a rain. One of my granddaughters brought one in, kept it in a fishbowl and fed it for a while.

I keel you if you mess with me!

There were no mudbugs where I grew up (Albuquerque) and the only ones I've ever seen were in Jamablaya. So... if one of those critters were to actually get a hold of you with those pinchers, how much bite they got?

lfinsr wrote:There were no mudbugs where I grew up (Albuquerque) and the only ones I've ever seen were in Jamablaya. So... if one of those critters were to actually get a hold of you with those pinchers, how much bite they got?

They hurt just a little. It's very easy to get used to it so it doesn't bother you. It's more of a surprise than it is painful.

At 10 or 12 years old, I used to blindly stick my hand in a bucket full of them to grab one to bait a trot line with.

lfinsr wrote:There were no mudbugs where I grew up (Albuquerque) and the only ones I've ever seen were in Jamablaya. So... if one of those critters were to actually get a hold of you with those pinchers, how much bite they got?

You must never have spent anytime in an irrigation ditch. The Q has plenty of mudbugs.

WTR wrote:

lfinsr wrote:There were no mudbugs where I grew up (Albuquerque) and the only ones I've ever seen were in Jamablaya. So... if one of those critters were to actually get a hold of you with those pinchers, how much bite they got?

You must never have spent anytime in an irrigation ditch. The Q has plenty of mudbugs.

Those irrigation ditches you speak of must have been down in the valley. Where I'm from there was nothing but sand, cactus, and tumbleweeds...

lfinsr wrote:

WTR wrote:

lfinsr wrote:There were no mudbugs where I grew up (Albuquerque) and the only ones I've ever seen were in Jamablaya. So... if one of those critters were to actually get a hold of you with those pinchers, how much bite they got?

You must never have spent anytime in an irrigation ditch. The Q has plenty of mudbugs.

Those irrigation ditches you speak of must have been down in the valley. Where I'm from there was nothing but sand, cactus, and tumbleweeds...

Any place at the river or an irrigation lateral.

The Annoyed Man wrote:In possibly the most bizarre event since we moved to Texas, we found a live crawdaddy in our driveway this morning. That's right.... a mudbug.

Of course you cooked him up and ate him right?

Growing up in South Louisiana, on more than one occasion after a heavy rain, I was able to gather up just enough crawfish to make it worth boiling (several handfulls, at least enough for 1 little kid).

My Dad use to get a kick out of boiling them for me.

rotor wrote:I keel you if you mess with me!

That's what the one in my driveway did........put up his dukes and said "you don't WANT any of this!"

AndyC wrote:I'll be going to my first crawfish boil with a friend soon - can't wait :)

I had to chuckle, though - she said that various Yankee friends of hers have turned green at the thought when invited so she asked if I was sure I wouldn't be squeamish. After all the stuff I've eaten on various bush-survival courses, I just smiled and said 'Nope'.

I eat the tail meat. However, a real Cajun eats the tail then sucks out the guts.

The Annoyed Man wrote:

rotor wrote:I keel you if you mess with me!

That's what the one in my driveway did........put up his dukes and said "you don't WANT any of this!"

You gotta respect the little guy for being so bold!

… and delicious.

Scott in Houston wrote:

The Annoyed Man wrote: That's what the one in my driveway did........put up his dukes and said "you don't WANT any of this!"

You gotta respect the little guy for being so bold!

… and delicious.

Heh heh