Crayfish Snares

June 18, 2020

Question: Would snares for crayfish similar to small crab snares be legal? Would the rules be the same? (Cal)

Answer: The rules for taking crayfish for sport are outlined in California Code of Regulations (CCR) Title 14, section 5.35. For the most part, you can take crayfish any time of year and there’s no bag limit. There are restrictions on some bodies of water in Shasta County. These restrictions, outlined in CCR Title 14, section 5.35 (d), were enacted to protect the endangered Shasta crayfish.

In bodies of water that aren’t restricted, you can take crayfish by hand, hook and line, dip net or with traps not over three feet in length. There are differences between crayfish traps and crab snares which are relevant to your question. A crayfish trap is an elongated wire mesh trap with two open ends. The crayfish is attracted to the bait and is then trapped by the cone-shaped opening. A crab snare is a loop snare that slips around the crab’s leg and tightens when drawn up by the angler. CCR Title 14, section 5.35(d) does not provide for the take of crayfish by snare traps. To lawfully take crayfish, you would have to catch them by hand, hook and line, dip net or trap less than three feet in length.

The taking of crayfish is legal in waters closed to trout and salmon fishing so long as you are using any of the above methods except hook and line.