Moosebonsai said:
I'm not above asking "where?" Do you set traps or use a line? I guess I just looking for some free guidance how to help my boys get a pot load of crawfish.
Crayfish are really easy to catch using traps. You can buy some generic trap at Fishermans, Dicks, or pretty much any place that also sells crab traps. Also search online, and there people out there with diections for making your own traps. I have used my own homemade traps as well as the commercial ones.
As for where to catch crayfish, look for area's of water with low to no current. Lakes are a good bet, but slower rives like the big C and the Willamette can be good. Crayfish tend to live in rocky bottoms and like to hide in the rocks to hunt from. Crayfish by myth are not "scavengers", Their favorite food is trout smolts. They catch them with their "claws" and eat them head first. They will also prey on sculpin, minnows, and any other small fish.
When using traps, you can use cat food cans, Canned tuna etc. But the best bait is fresh fish. Throw in your traps in a rocky area and let them soak for an hour or so and check the trap. There should be some in there. But.... Crayfish do hibernate in the winter, so you might have less success crayfishing during those winter steelhead trips. The Crayfish are most active in spring when they come out of hibernation and feed voraciously to get ready to mate.
Hope that helps a little.