I fish in a reservoir in NJ, there is also a few other places I go. I have never seen a crawfish swimming around anywhere. Do we have them in NJ? (Monmouth Co.)

Are they in the deep water?

Streams?

Under rocks?

Even as a kid when I would mess around down by the water, I never saw a crawfish. I saw lots of others things but no crawfish. Any ideas?

I am also trying to determine which kind of shad live in this reservoir, and what they look like. Any ideas on how to find out?, or how to catch some of them?

Thanks again everyone.

Hey, as for finding crawdads use a flashlight and go at night looking in the rocky areas.

Make you some traps, bait them with cat food, stick them out several areas late one one evening and go back early the next moring to check them.  I most cases, rip rap and rocky areas are but some mud banks will have them as well.  Place you traps at various depths, to find what depht they are staying.   Find them and their depth and you will find bass visiting those locations.

You have to place them very late and check them early or someone else may have gotten them.   I anchor the line to the trap on something just below the water line

Some people are such d**ks!!! I bought a craw trap and had it in the water ,was on my float tube,out a ways and saw someone pull my trap out and walk off with it. I guess they didnt see me as I waved my arms and yelled at them,or they didnt care. Now I take a 2 liter soda bottle,cut the top off where it begins to taper from the main body,invert it and staple it together. Havent tried it yet but in theory it should work as a trap. Saw it in a Field and Stream magazine.