Crawfish, otherwise known as crawdads or crayfish, are one of the best tasting crustaceans that require a fraction of the work to harvest. For casual crawfishers, all you need are quick hands (and preferably a good pair of gloves) but if you want to get serious about it then you’ll definitely want to pick up a trap. Depending on the type of crawfish trap you’re looking for they’re generally pretty inexpensive and can easily pay for themselves after even a single harvest. But with all the different traps on the market we went ahead and reviewed some of the best selling options and came up with a list of the top five you can order online.
- Frabill Two-Piece Crawfish Trap is the best value for your money.
- Protoco Crawfish Trap is best for durability.
- Frabill Two-Piece Crawfish Trap is best for calm waters.
- Frabill Box Crawfish Trap is best for brackish or salt water.
- South Bend Wire Crawdad Trap is best for smaller crawdads.
- Ieasky Collapsible Crawfish Net is best for storage and portability.
Our Top Overall Pick
- Protoco Crawfish Trap is our top, all-around pick based on value, utility and durability.
| Image | Name | Features | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Protoco Crawfish Trap |
| Check Price |
  | Frabill Two-Piece Crawfish Trap |
| Check Price |
  | Frabill Box Crawfish Trap |
| Check Price |
  | South Bend Wire Crawdad Trap |
| Check Price |
  | Ieasky Collapsible Crawfish Net |
| Check Price |
Top 5 Best Crawfish Traps
1. Protoco Crawfish Trap – Best for Durability
- This trap comes with an inbuilt bait box right in its middle.
- The orange tunnels on all four sides of the trap make it convenient for the shrimps to enter the trap but impossible to leave until the user himself takes them out.
- The manufacturers designed it to remove trapped shrimps from the Protoco Shrimp trap. It mechanically moves down to allow an effortless movement of shrimps out of the trap.
- The trap’s steel body has a Black Polythene coat to prevent damage and increase its life.
- The trap is spacious enough to accommodate many shrimps at a time.
- Price: Check Price
The Protoco Crawfish Trap is a well-constructed trap for shrimps/crawfish. Its robust steel mesh body covers all the corners of the trap. It has an exceptionally durable and long-lasting coating of Black polythene to save it from any saltwater and unwanted sea debris.
It comes with an inbuilt bait box, which makes it stand out from the rest of the traps. This feature makes it convenient to carry the trap to the fishing point rather than having an additional bait box with the trap. Its smart design makes it easy to catch a shrimp and hard to let it out until done by the user himself. It is, without a doubt, a perfect trap for a good fishing experience.
- Long-lasting because of a durable coating
- Inbuilt bait box saves extra money
- Comes with an innovative design to trap shrimps
- Sturdy to keep the fishing process effortless
- A little expensive for many people
- Might let other marine life interfere while trapping shrimps
2. Frabill Two-Piece Crawfish Trap – Best for Calm Waters
- Frabill is a two-piece trap with measurements as 16*9.
- The benefit of this design is to make baiting highly convenient and simplify the catch of the prey.
- Frabill Crawfish has a Torpedo shape that works best in calm or still water.
- This crawfish trap can trap crawfish, crayfish, and mudbugs.
- The net used for this trap is highly durable and robust enough to have a long life.
- Price: Check Price
Frabill Crawfish trap is a cleverly built crawfish trap in a Torpedo shape. The outlook of the trap feels solid, with thick vinyl covering the steel metal. The manufacturers designed it to make baiting quite simple and convenient for even a layperson who knows nothing about fishing. The net used to make up this trap is very strong and keeps the fish completely trapped until they pull out of the trap after an extreme effort.
The best thing about this trap is that it is highly affordable. For a family with so many anglers, this is a great buy. The results of this trap are also great. It catches up to 20 to 30 crawfish at a time, provided the water is still.
This product is highly durable and long-lasting. It is mainly because of its excellent structure and due to the material used in its making. Overall, it’s a wonderful product for people who aim to catch many crawfish at a time.
- Very well-priced and affordable
- Built for convenient baiting
- Assembling this trap is quite easy and simple
- It has a strong structure and a long-lasting built
- There are a few chances of escaping for the trapped fish if left unattended.
- You can only use it in still and calm waters.
3. Frabill Box Crawfish Trap – Best for Brackish or Salt Water
- This trap’s outer surface comes with a robust vinyl that makes its body safe to use under saltwater.
- The dark black color of the trap surface makes it easy to camouflage with the water surface.
- This crawfish trap provides a convenient access door to let the trap enter and remove the catch.
- This trap has a long life as it is safe from external damage because of a heavy-duty coating.
- Price: Check Price
Frabill Crawfish Trap is a trap with a prominent built and strong structure to keep it in for a long time. It has a safe sliding door that helps the catch enter this structure and stay in until removed by the user. This trap has black paint on it, which makes it easy to camouflage with dark surfaces. It is large enough to trap and carry many crawfish.
This trap is also great for catching snakes, minnows, and baitfish. The structure has a potent vinyl coat that prevents it from rotting and getting damaged in saltwater. This product is definitely worth the money spent on it. It promises to be a multi-functional trap that can work both on land and underwater. It is also easy to clean and keep tidied after taking out the catches.
- Outstanding quality and performance
- Highly affordable when compared to its versatile use
- Has a long life because of a generous coating on its surface
- It is a little heavier than many similar traps.
- Unneeded things can get stuck in the trap until the user pulls them out manually.
4. South Bend Wire Crawdad Trap – Best for Smaller Crawdads
- It is corrosion-resistant, which means it’s safe to use this trap underwater.
- Removing the bait is easy when using this trap, making it convenient for even a person who uses it for the first time.
- The trap is camouflaged with a high-quality black coat to ensure that it remains hidden from the fish and doesn’t rot quickly.
- The net bars on this trap are of heavy metal to prevent crawfish from escaping the trap.
- Price: Check Price
South Bend SBCD-2369 Wire crawdad trap is a perfect and well-built trap to catch crawfish and other tiny water animals. This trap structure is substantial and exceptionally lightweight, which makes it easy to carry around.
This trap has a black coat on it to ensure that the bars remain safe from debris or saltwater. The trap is entirely corrosion-resistant. The black color also helps to camouflage the trap and keep it hidden from the fish’s eyes.
The trap’s size is slightly smaller than most traps, but its size is justifiable with the price quoted. You may use this trap for short fishing trips and experiences. It is straightforward to assemble, and any layman with no fishing experience can use it.
- The small size makes it easy to carry everywhere
- Corrosion-resistant
- Lightweight
- Cheaper than many traps
- The size may be too small for a majority of users
- A handle or a spot to attach a rope is missing from the central opening, which means it might get hard to catch a crawdad through a small hole.
- The trap has an inadequate locking mechanism, which may lead the prey to escape the trap.
5. Ieasky Collapsible Crawfish Net – Best for Storage and Portability
- This trap is highly portable with an effortless process to use and requires no installment at all.
- The crab net is lightweight and sturdy because of the strong steel support and two net nylon layers.
- Its zipper opening makes it easy to take out prey from the trap.
- This trap folds up after the job is done, and you can easily store it in your attic.
- Price: Check Price
Ieasky Fishing Bait Trap is a highly clean and well-made trap. It’s straightforward to use and comes in 2 pieces. It has a folded design, which makes it a strong candidate when it comes to convenient storage. The zip design is indeed a smart addition to its overall structure. The zip opening helps to take out the prey without any hassle.
The steel support and nylon mesh make this trap highly durable and long-lasting. This trap is straightforward to use. The user puts the bait in the inbuilt bait pouch after opening the trap. The prey then enters the trap from its front mouth. The structure of this trap is perfect for keeping the game from escaping the trap.
It’s properties and functioning justify its relatively higher price. This trap is indeed great for a perfect catch.
- Highly durable and lightweight
- Its folding property makes it a favorite choice for many people
- The zipper design makes it easy to take out all the fish from the trap
- Very well-priced
- Comes in two pieces and with many other accessories
- The inbuilt bait pocket is a little smaller than a regular one.
Conclusion
As you can see, there are a lot of great options if you’re shopping for a crawfish trap but we strongly recommend the Protoco Crawfish Trap for the reasons we mentioned above.
Buyer’s Guide
There is a great deal of variety among crawfish traps and it’s worth comparing the requisite features before making a purchase. That’s why we wrote this buyer’s guide so you can determine which elements are most important before you buy a crawfish trap.
Type
The type of a crawfish trap is as vital as the money spent on buying it. The kind of trap is essential to know the buyer’s trap’s shape, quality, features, and performance. There are different types of crawfish traps that might work in some areas but might not be effective in others. Before buying, it’s essential to confirm that the style matches the buyer’s requirements.
Material
The material of a crawfish trap is everything that a buyer must know. Crawfish traps need to be made with a strong, long-lasting material and are corrosion-free. For this reason, the buyer must do proper research on the trap material that he/she is going to buy. Coated crawfish trap with polythene or vinyl is vital to stand saltwater or any water debris.
Dimensions
The size or dimensions of a crawfish trap depends on the buyer’s requirements. If a buyer is looking for big catches every day, then a big trap would suit his needs. If a family is looking for a short fishing trip on occasion, then a medium or small trap would do the job. Before buying a crawfish trap, the buyer must be aware of his/her reasons to buy it and then choose the size accordingly.
Storage & Portability
Storage and portability are two main factors that make a trap worth buying. A crawfish trap that folds up takes relatively less storage space and is easier to carry. For these reasons, it becomes a buyer’s first choice. A big, unportable trap is not hard to carry, but storing it later might become a problem for many. However, if a buyer has enough space, this might not be an issue.
Durability
The more potent, long-lasting, and sturdier the trap, the better the performance you will have. The durability of a trap is as essential as its structure, size, or material. A durable trap will stay sturdy in still water for a long time and do its job well.
Warranty
Be sure to check whether or not the manufacturer offers a warranty on the item you intend to purchase. While Amazon should cover broken or defective items upon delivery, it’s up to the manufacturer as to whether they will provide a replacement after it’s been used. Compare different crawfish trap sellers to see if any of them will offer replacements in the event it breaks from normal use.
Return Policy
Even if everything works properly, you may discover you’ve ordered the wrong crawfish trap for your needs which may require a return. Be sure to check with the vendor before purchasing to see if they will allow a return and if so, under what circumstances.
Shipping
Shipping is easily one of the most annoying costs associated with making online purchases. Be sure to compare the shipping costs to your location prior to making a purchase so you don’t end up spending more than you bargained for.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which crawfish trap is the cheapest?
If you’re shopping for the lowest priced crawfish trap you can find then we recommend the Frabill Two-Piece Crawfish Trap. Of all the crawfish traps we’ve reviewed, none of the others can beat it’s price.
What is the best crawfish trap?
A crawfish trap that works best is the one that has an adequately coated surface to keep it safe from corrosion and whose structure makes catching fish more comfortable and prevent it from escaping the trap.
What is the best bait for crawfish traps?
Interestingly, fish make excellent bait for crawfish traps. Sunfish, shiners, and herrings are used as bait to attract crawfish. Some expert fishermen also use ponies and salmon heads as successful bait. Chicken backs and shad are also, very commonly, used as baits.
How long do you leave crawfish traps out?
It depends on how populated the river or lake is. If it is well-populated, leaving the trap for an hour or so will be enough. If it isn’t, then you must leave it for a night.
How do crawfish traps work?
These traps attract crawfish through the smell of bait. You should attach food to the lure to make the crawfish enter the trap through the tunnels. Place it at a right angle to prevent the fish from escaping.
Where is the best place to put a crawfish trap?
Crawfish traps work under shallow water. It doesn’t matter if it’s a river or a lake. It would help if you placed crawfish traps under the shallow side of the water. Crawfish are usually in freshwater, so going to sea to find them is a complete waste of time.