Northwest Sportsman Mag - May 2021

HUNTING FISHING You’d be crazy not to try your hand at catching crawdads.

Season begins in May in Washington and whether you’re looking to cook up natives like signals or eating the invaders like red swamp, northern and rusty crayfish, it’s a fun way to spend a day. (SCOTT HAUGEN)

Lake Washington’s Other, Other, Other Fishery There are crawdads to be had on the Emerald City water, and your shrimp gear – minus about 300 feet of leaded rope – will work just fine.

By Mark Yuasa

M

ention the word “crayfish” and the first thing that comes to mind is Louisiana, where the shellfish lurks in the swamps and bayous and, as a valued commodity, has been raised in fish farms since the 1880s.

While this may be the case in the Bayou State – where they’re dubbed the official crustacean – what many

don’t realize is that a wild and larger species is thriving on the bottom of Lake Washington in the backyard of the Emerald City.

The signal crayfish found in Washington aren’t the same species as those found in other parts of the country or world, but they are tastier and bigger than Louisiana’s red swamp and white river crayfish.

“We don’t do any monitoring of crayfish outside of a little commercial

catch, but even that data hasn’t been recorded for quite some time,” says Steve Caromile, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife inland fish manager.

“As a whole they’re a fairly healthy, abundant population especially on this side of the state and in Lake Washington,” adds the Olympia-based Caromile. “I would agree people still have a decent chance to catch crayfish.

As you know, it’s all about location.” nwsportsmanmag.com | MAY 2021

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