Where to catch crayfish near south bay

My family has been bugging me to take them to catch crayfish recently, and the only place I caught them before was around Lake Tahoe, which is a little too far from Cupertino where I live. Does anyone have some suggestion on a good place to catch some near southbay? Hopefully it has easy access as I likely will bring along a grandma. Also, is fishing license needed for catching crayfish?

I set some traps in that lake up Stevens Canyon rd by the quarry and got a few while I was at the quarry for work this spring. 

I set some traps in that lake up Stevens Canyon rd by the quarry and got a few while I was at the quarry for work this spring. 

If you're talking about Stevens Creek Reservoir, it is all but empty right now.

-Allen

That's the one. Too bad. Nice spot right out of town too. Lexington reservoir maybe try, it is super low too, but might have them consetrated.

Thank you MontanaN8V for the suggestions. Stevens Creek is almost like my backyard (about 1 mile from my place), and like Allen said, it is almost empty . I checked with the family on Lexington, and nobody is interested since it is still in the valley:(. It is hard to make the family happy... Does any one know some place within 2 hrs of driving from south bay?

Spring lake in Santa Rosa has tons of crawfish,  Have the kids catch crawfish while you chase down LMB... Picnic and camping area

Does any one know some place within 2 hrs of driving from south bay?

ranch 99 

You mean these....sorry location Top Secret

ranch 99 

The Boiling Crab on Curtner 

http://theboilingcrab.com/locations/3

You mean these....sorry location Top Secret

Wow! These will work, at least they will get my family not wanting to seeing or eating another one ever again, relieving me

You mean these....sorry location Top Secret

Wow! These will work, at least they will get my family not wanting to seeing or eating another one ever again, relieving me

Hahaha, you guys are very funny . I actually never develop a taste for these buggers, so catching them is more fun than eating them.

There are quite a few places for these.  At Hellyer park there is cotton wood lake.  It has plenty of them there.  There is also a steam behind the lake that comes from Anderson lake in Morgan hill.  If you follow the trail (about 13 miles) you will follow the stream all the way to Anderson.  All along the trail there are plenty of spots to put traps.   
There is also a spot right behind Happy Hollow zoo and kelley park in San Jose.  There is a stream behind it and you can access it easy from the kelly park/happy hollow parking.  U should google earth the area and you will find it easy.  Its too bad your family doesn't want to do Lexington.  There is a small stream that parallels HWY 17 from Los Gatos to the reservoir itself.  That small stream has produces tons of them for me. 
Another spot I would try is Niles Canyon Road.  We don't have the parking that we used to years ago on that stream but you can park and walk up along the stream and set traps.  Another place I might try is where the san lorenzo river is a few miles before Santa Cruz.  You can access it from HWY 9 from henry cowell park or anywhere along that area down to santa cruz.  There is good fishing there if you like fly fishing but it has been banned since the beginning of the year because of the drought.  All these areas have been low because of the drought so it may be very different from when I went out last year.    You may have  better luck at that stream from cotton wood lake to anderson.  it is called the silver creek trail and it is all paved.  Good Luck!

There are quite a few places for these.  At Hellyer park there is cotton wood lake.  It has plenty of them there.  There is also a steam behind the lake that comes from Anderson lake in Morgan hill.  If you follow the trail (about 13 miles) you will follow the stream all the way to Anderson.  All along the trail there are plenty of spots to put traps.   
There is also a spot right behind Happy Hollow zoo and kelley park in San Jose.  There is a stream behind it and you can access it easy from the kelly park/happy hollow parking.  U should google earth the area and you will find it easy.  Its too bad your family doesn't want to do Lexington.  There is a small stream that parallels HWY 17 from Los Gatos to the reservoir itself.  That small stream has produces tons of them for me. 
Another spot I would try is Niles Canyon Road.  We don't have the parking that we used to years ago on that stream but you can park and walk up along the stream and set traps.  Another place I might try is where the san lorenzo river is a few miles before Santa Cruz.  You can access it from HWY 9 from henry cowell park or anywhere along that area down to santa cruz.  There is good fishing there if you like fly fishing but it has been banned since the beginning of the year because of the drought.  All these areas have been low because of the drought so it may be very different from when I went out last year.    You may have  better luck at that stream from cotton wood lake to anderson.  it is called the silver creek trail and it is all paved.  Good Luck!

From Lake Anderson to Happy Hollow is all the same creek ... Coyote Creek.  Don't go to Coyote Creek downsteam from Happy Hollow.  It's a major homeless encampment.

-Allen

LGCT runs dry altogether before it hits Lincoln Street bridge.  The stretches that do contain water are occupied with folks, either splashing kids (up by Vasona) or dudes you wouldn't invite home for a game of bridge.  Possibility (and its a stretch) between campbell perc ponds and Leigh Ave.    Maybe the tailout section of Vasona to Campbell? 

Coyote Creek for crayfish...
God bless ya guys, but is anyone concerned that water quality in Coyote Creek is compromised by heavy metals, pesticides, and fecal coliform?

for my 2 cents, the delta is within 2 hours and chock full o bugs.
Seems to me San Luis reservoir would also be a tasty destination from Cupertown...