License Requirements
- Basic Fishing License
- A Recreational Crawfish Trap Gear License is required to use crawfish traps in public waters.
EXCEPTIONS
- A Wild Louisiana Stamp can be used in lieu of a basic fishing license to use crawfish nets, dip nets, hand lines or bait seines on LDWF WMAs or refuges.
- A Basic Recreational Fishing License or a gear license is not required to use crawfish nets, dip nets, hand lines or bait seines for taking crawfish recreationally on LDWF WMAs or refuges.
Methods of Take
Crawfish may be taken with any legal crawfish trap, crawfish net, hoop net, wire net, handline, bushline, bait seine, dip net or cast net (not to exceed 8.5 feet in radius).
CRAWFISH TRAP
A crawfish trap is defined as any device constructed of coated wire with the opening of the throats or flues not exceeding 2 inches and which is used for the express use of taking crawfish. Crawfish traps are typically of the pillow style or cone style with minimum mesh size no smaller than 3/4 inches by 11/16 inches. Traps must have a minimum mesh size of a hexagon of 3/4 by 11/16 of 1 inch from wire to wire not including any coating on the wire.
Crawfish traps must be marked with a waterproof tag, provided by the fisherman, with the name and recreational gear license number of the fisherman legibly printed on the tag.
CRAWFISH NET
A crawfish net is defined as any device constructed with vegetable or synthetic material without flues or throats attached to a wire frame that forms a net basket and is used for the purpose of taking crawfish.
Seasons
There is no closed season for wild crawfish harvest EXCEPT for some wildlife management areas and state and federal refuges.
Size and Possession Limits
- There is no minimum size for crawfish.
- The bag and possession limit for crawfish is 150 pounds daily per person in state waters.
- No more than 35 traps may be used per person while fishing recreationally for crawfish.
