Crawfish!
[author] [author_image timthumb=’on’]https://www.biggame.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/untamed.png[/author_image] [author_info]Larry Weishuhn is a widely known writer, speaker, raconteur and world hunter. He co-hosts “DSC’s Trailing the Hunter’s Moon” on Pursuit Channel, CarbonTV and the show’s YouTube Channel.[/author_info] [/author]
A length of string equal to your height, a nail and a small chunk of salt-cured sow belly, all key ingredients to catching crawfish, well that, and being able to grab the crustaceans without being pinched by your quarry’s two large claws.
As a youngster growing up in southern Texas’ Zimmerscheidt Community, I learned from my maternal grandfather that crawfish could be found in just about any “mudhole” in our area. He, too taught me to fish for crawfish with the ingredients mentioned.
It was a simple “rig.” Tie a nail to one end of the string, spike the salt pork onto the nail, drop the bait into the murky water, wait a minute or so, then slowly start pulling on the string bringing in the pork to which was almost always attached one or more crawfish. When close enough with your free hand grab the crawfish before it turns loose and without getting pinched by your quarry’s claws.
Those less than three inches in length went into one bucket to be later used for fish bait. Crawfish longer than three-inches were put a “croaker sack,” i.e. burlap bag, later to be dropped into “spiced” boiling water, and when slightly cooled, peeled and eaten.
Fast forward many years later to Sweden hunting roe deer with Stefan and Sofia Bengssten with Scandinavian Prohunters (www.scandinavianprohunters). “We have to go set crayfish traps. Want to go?” Said Stefan with a smile. “Think you Texans call them crawfish! Here in Sweden we consider them a true delicacy, such a delicacy there have actually been wars fought of crayfishing rights.” Now I was smiling! Up to that point I had no idea Sweden even had any crawfish.
I related to Stefan how I had fished for them in the past, which brought on the comment, “Must have taken a very long time to get enough for more than one person to eat.” He was right.
A half hour later we were baiting small, probably 14-inches wide, 18-inches long and 6-inches tall box traps with dog food. We put out an even 50 of these traps. The following afternoon we checked our traps. They were literally full of crawfish, ranging from about three to six inches in length. We released all those less than 4-inches in body length. The larger ones were place in a trough in the barn, through which circulated fresh water.
We checked traps every day and eventually accumulated about 60-pounds of crawfish.
Last night in camp we had a Swedish Crawfish Boil, complete with potatoes and corn on the cob. Talk about a feast! Just thinking about that meal now, makes me want to return to Sweden!
Regardless of what is going on in the world there are always small things, of beauty and splendor, for us to enjoy, admire and appreciate!
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