Buggin Montana

  • I had a few hours of free time Yesterday so I took the family to one of the local rivers to do a little swimming. It is said withing 80 miles of my house there are 400 mile of river-so there is a lot of places to get away from folks most of the time. On this trip I went to one of the busier rivers around to clean up some junk left behind by careless inner tubers. I brought my gear along and a big bag to fill with some beer cans and sunglasses off the bottom of the river.
    Right off the bat when I got into the river I saw some nice crayfish, not the little ones I am used to seeing out here. I poked around for around an hour looking under rocks and checking in holes. I absolutely love diving in big current rivers-something like typical drift diving but more dynamic due to the vortexes and eddies on the riverbed. The water is low and clear now, and as warm as we hope it gets for the Wild Trout's sake (66* currently). The vis was around 20 ft horizontally on the bottom. All dives and drifts were under 10ft. Shallow and swift drifts, hand-grabbing the the crayfish as they bolt down current. I caught enough to make a nice meal for us and give me a reason to drink a bottle of wine. I just wanted to share something a little different with you guys. It was a great (and increasingly rare) day for me to get in the water during the Montana summer. :thumbsup2:



    "Whiskey don't make liars, it just makes fools. So, I didn't mean to say it, but I meant what I said."
    -James McMurtry

  • A picture of the river they came from during higher/dirtier water.

    "Whiskey don't make liars, it just makes fools. So, I didn't mean to say it, but I meant what I said."
    -James McMurtry

  • Nice catch. Have you ever had Louisiana crawfish to make a taste comparison?

  • Nice catch. Have you ever had Louisiana crawfish to make a taste comparison?


    I like these better. No mud taste-ever. Cold water rock dwelling crayfish. Plus, the LA crawfish I've eaten were frozen and who knows how old.

    "Whiskey don't make liars, it just makes fools. So, I didn't mean to say it, but I meant what I said."
    -James McMurtry

  • Those definitely look cleaner, that's for sure. Not all Louisiana crawfish taste like mud, it's all in how you prep before cooking.. a good batch is to die for.
    Yours look mighty delicious, it's got me craving them now. Are they a common food item up your way? What do you guys add to the boil?

  • WOW that looked great.
    Now I am homesick for a river and some big crayfish hunting in one of our tropical cool water rivers in my home island of Grenada.

    A bad day at sea is better than a good day in the boatyard
    George Steele

  • Those definitely look cleaner, that's for sure. Not all Louisiana crawfish taste like mud, it's all in how you prep before cooking.. a good batch is to die for.
    Yours look mighty delicious, it's got me craving them now. Are they a common food item up your way? What do you guys add to the boil?


    Fresh Dill, Thyme, Garlic, and Bay Leaves. Nobody seems to notice them here, so no not common.

    "Whiskey don't make liars, it just makes fools. So, I didn't mean to say it, but I meant what I said."
    -James McMurtry

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