Crayfish

[FatBuck]

I heard you can eat crayfish.

If I found some in Alberta (I have seen them before on a riverbed):

Can you catch and eat them?

How can you tell if they are ok to eat?

How do you cook them?

Any reason not to eat them?

[mapleleafman3]

the regs say
"Crayfish are native to the Beaver River system. However, they appear to have been illegally introduced into many Alberta waters and may be adversely affecting aquatic ecosystems.
Some people have expressed a desire to consume crayfish. In all waters other than the Beaver River, people may catch crayfish for consumption. Legal capture methods include angling (sportfishing regulations apply) or catching them by hand. No licence is required to capture crayfish by hand. The retention and transport of live crayfish is illegal and all retained crayfish must be immediately killed to prevent the spread of this species. Please help prevent the spread of invasive species."

I've lived in mississippi and love crayfish... Used to catch them by tying a piece of hotdog to some fishing line and drop it in their hole... When you feel a tug on the line pull it out...

best way to cook would be to steam or boil with seasoning... I'm not sure how to tell the good from the bad.... Can't help ya there... but everyone in the mississippi i caught i ate.. never had problems...

if you can get enough of them, it would be a great meal... Bu you need a couple pounds since you only eat the tail....

[Geezle]

They're definitely good to eat, though I've only had them once.

We went out once it got dark with flashlights and just waded around where it was shallow and they were out all over the place. Just scooped 'em up with a net and dumped them in into a 5 gallon pail.

We cooked them the same way you would a lobster, toss them live into a pot of boiling salted water. Not sure about cooking time, but I do remember them turning colors like a lobster does also.

You can eat the meat in the tail as well as the claws...tasty with some garlic butter!