Using efficient baiting strategies can reduce costs significantly. Shad and menhaden are more effective attractants than formulated baits when water temperature is less than 70 degrees F.
In Louisiana, fish baits are used almost exclusively during winter and early spring (November through March).
Even though fish baits are more expensive, the average 2- to 3-fold increase in catch compensates for the additional cost.
When water temperature is higher than 70 to 75 degrees F and ponds become deficient in forage (late March to early April in south Louisiana), formulated baits are equally effective or more effective than fish baits and, thus, more costeffective.
When water temperature is 65 to 75 degrees F, using a combination of fish and formulated bait in approximately equal portions can increase catch as much as one third over fish alone or formulated bait alone; however, the inconvenience of handling two baits at the same time should be considered.
During winter, when crawfish feeding is minimal and the crop of harvestable crawfish is relatively small, using 1 /4pound of bait per trap is sufficient. When water warms in the spring and the crop is near maximum levels, bait should be increased to about 1 /3 pound per trap.
Although it is not practical to weigh the bait going into each trap, the farmer can monitor bait use by keeping good records of the total quantity of bait used for the number of traps placed. For example, when using 1 /3pound of bait per trap per day, a 100-pound box of fish bait should be enough for 300 traps.
If only 200 traps are baited, then using 100 pounds of bait would be too much and would reduce profit. A 50- pound bag of formulated bait is enough to bait 150 traps. The farmer should pay attention to the amount of bait remaining in the trap after a 24- or 48-hour soak.
If a large amount remains, the bait amount can be reduced; if bait is rapidly consumed the farmer might consider increasing the amount of bait. Fresh bait should be used each trapping day, especially with fish baits. Bait residue should not be disposed of in the pond so that crawfish will move into freshly baited traps.
Trapping strategies:
Traps are placed in rows so that harvesting can be done by boat (Fig. 5). The distance between traps depends on how many are used (Table 3). A spacing of 40 to 60 feet between traps and between rows is most common.
Where annual yields of harvestable crawfish are expected to exceed 1,000 pounds per acre, there should be 20 to 24 pyramid traps per acre, baited and emptied three to four days per week.
If buyers require daily delivery of crawfish, or if the price is high and the catch justifies the effort, crawfish can be harvested as often as five or six days per week. If there are several production ponds, harvesting can be rotated among them.
Farmers often use a lower trap density of 12 to 15 per acre if there is a low standing crop of crawfish or if large areas must be trapped with limited labor.
Normally, traps are emptied 24 or 48 hours after baiting. The 48-hour soak time is generally used in late fall and winter when crawfish activity is slow and the standing crop of harvestable crawfish is low.
On non-harvest days, unbaited traps need not be lifted from the water and emptied before baiting because no additional yield is obtained by removing these crawfish (often called “walk-ins”) before baiting. To some extent, the average size of crawfish caught correlates with the time traps remain in the more small crawfish are caught.
After the bait has been consumed or the attractants in the bait have dissipated, some smaller crawfish are able to escape through the entrance funnels. After several days of intense trapping, the average size of crawfish caught decreases as the standing crop of market-size crawfish decreases.
If ponds with large crops of crawfish are not harvested often enough, forage will be depleted and crawfish will become more aggressive. This suppresses growth and, ultimately, reduces yield and profitability.
Excessive trapping also can decrease harvest efficiency by removing crawfish before they have had time to grow to larger sizes.
Harvesting schedules and strategies sometimes must be adjusted to accommodate markets. Buyers may prefer to have crawfish delivered only on certain days, such as Thursday through Sunday, when demand is highest.
Market demand for crawfish early in the season may allow for various sizes of crawfish to be sold with little problem; but when supplies are more abundant and buyers want only larger crawfish, trapping strategies may need to be adjusted, even at the expense of overall yield. Planning and good communication with potential buyers early in the season will allow a producer to respond to market preferences and improve his competitive position.
Authors:
Robert P. Romaire , W. Ray McClain and C. Greg Lutz
