How to Fish for Crayfish & Crawdads in Oregon

Choose fishing locations where crawdads are likely to be. "The Eugene Weekly" reports that the rusty crayfish, a non-native species, is well-established in John Day River. The Louisiana crayfish, another invasive species, lives in the Willamette River. Ringed crayfish reside in the Rogue River. Oregon's native species, the signal crayfish, lives throughout the state in rivers and streams. Crawdads prefer to build burrows in slow-moving rivers with sandy and rocky embankments.

Use a fishing net to scoop up crayfish in rocky locations. Crawdads are easier to spot in rivers with rocks on the bottom and they move slowly, so nets are perfectly efficient fishing tools. Lure crawdads out of their burrows and into your net by setting out bait. Crawdads are carnivores, so hot dogs, chicken and fish are good bait choices.

Set up a crawdad trap. Many fishing supply stores and online retailers sell traps. Set the trap out at night, when crawdads are most likely to be active. The best location to set up the trap is in a grassy, rocky or sandy location along the edge of a river. Put the trap in the shallowest part of the water and attach it to the water's edge. Place bait in the trap to lure the crayfish into it. Return to the trap in the morning and, if you've chosen a good location, it will be filled with crayfish.