You picked up a live sack. Here's how to keep as many of them alive as possible until they hit the pot. Crawfish need three things: cool, damp and some air. Most losses come from heat, standing water or a sealed container.
The short version
- Leave them in the mesh sack.
- Put the sack in a cooler with the lid cracked and the drain plug open.
- Lay bagged ice or frozen water jugs on top of the sack, not under it.
- Keep the cooler in the shade, out of the sun and out of a closed, hot car.
- Never cover them with water or seal them airtight.
- Boil the same day or the next day if you can.
Step by step
1. Keep them in the sack
The mesh sack is the best container they'll get. It holds them still, lets air through and keeps them from piling up and crushing each other. Don't dump them loose into a cooler or tub until you're ready to rinse and boil.
2. Use a cooler, but don't close it up
A cooler keeps the heat off, but a shut cooler runs out of air. Prop the lid open a crack and open the drain plug so meltwater runs out. Lay the sack flat rather than standing it on end, so the ones on the bottom aren't carrying the whole load.
3. Ice goes on top
Put bagged ice or frozen water jugs on top of the sack. As it melts, the cool water drips through and keeps them damp. Don't bury the sack in loose ice, and don't let it sit in a puddle of meltwater. Crawfish breathe through gills that need to stay moist, but if they're under water in a closed space they use up the oxygen and drown.
4. Shade, always
Heat kills crawfish faster than anything else. Keep the cooler in a shaded, cool spot: a garage, a carport or under a tree. Never leave the sack in direct sun or in a closed vehicle, even for a quick stop.
5. Keep them damp, not wet
If the top of the sack dries out, a light sprinkle of cool water helps. Never soak them or fill the cooler with water.
6. Boil sooner rather than later
Kept cool, damp and shaded, crawfish can stay alive for a few days, but you lose a few more with each day that goes by. Plan your boil for the day of pickup or the day after.
Overnight
- Leave the sack in the cooler with the lid cracked and the drain open.
- Top off the ice before bed and dump any standing water.
- Keep the cooler somewhere that stays cool overnight and is out of the morning sun.
- Don't move them into a bucket of water overnight. That's the most common way people lose a whole sack.
Right before the boil
- Rinse them in clean, cool water just before cooking. Don't let them soak for long.
- Pull out any dead ones. A live crawfish moves its legs or tail when you handle it. Dead ones are limp, don't react and may smell off.
- Throw dead crawfish out before cooking. They break down fast and aren't worth the risk.
What's normal
A few dead crawfish in any live sack is normal. They're live animals that came out of a pond the day before. If you see heavy loss when you pick up, text us at (205) 441-3248 right away with photos and a rough weight or percentage. We handle every case individually. See our Guarantee & Refund Policy.