FAQ
Have a question? Explore our FAQs below. If you can’t find the answer visit out contact page or email directly at Info@WashingtonCrawfish.com.
- Why isn’t May/June on the Pre-Order Calendar?
After many seasons of making the mistake of taking orders before July 4th I no longer take pre-orders before July 4th. - The pre-order quantity per week is based off the total number of pounds I can personally catch in a week. It doesn’t rely on outside sourcing (and where that might fall short). Due to the volatile conditions of Western Washington spring weather and rivers July 4th marks when I can typically run a boat and achieve consistent yields per trip.
- Yes, per the regulations the season is open in May but realistically the season in Western Washington starts June/July.
- Anything that is caught and available early in the season will be sold on a first come first serve basis.
- What type of crawfish do you fish for?
While several different kinds of crawfish can be found in Washington, the only one native to the area is the Signal Crawfish. - What size are the crawfish?
Sizes range from 3 1/4″ tip to tail up to 6″. Most of the crawfish caught average 4″-5″. - How many pounds do you catch on average per season?
In the 2022 season, we moved around 3000lbs. However, the average pounds caught per season can vary depending on weather and environmental conditions. - Where do you primarily catch crawfish?
We fish locally in Western Washington, with the majority of our traps in the Snohomish River system and Lake Washington.
- Why is the window for purchase so short?
To ensure a fresh product, the purchase window is based around the fishing season (May-October), however this is also dependent on river conditions and subject to change. - How fresh are the crawfish when purchasing?
The crawfish are delivered as fresh as possible (pulled from the traps, purged, and then delivered). Once out of the water, the crawfish are purged for 48 hours minimum. The purging process helps to clean the crawfish and clear out the gut tract. Crawfish are bottom feeders and without purging you eat what they ate (if they’ve been in the traps awhile its old hot dogs and fish guts!). - Why are the crawfish delivered live?
When killed, crustaceans often release bacteria that can multiply extremely fast. By cooking the crayfish alive, it dramatically reduces the chances of getting sick. Don’t let this scare you into not enjoying this type of protein, just make sure to prepare and handle the food safely. The taste of live crawfish is also dramatically better than frozen. Once you’ve experience live, fresh crawfish, you’ll never want to go back! - Why don’t you deliver frozen crawfish all year long?
We are committed to providing a fresh product with the best taste possible to the residents of Western Washington. Doing so, we only sell live, fresh product caught during the short fishing season.
- Why do I need to make an order inquiry before ordering?
Because of the nature of the product all orders for live crawfish require more communication than usual. Crawfish once pulled from the river/lakes need purged which is process to clean the gut tract. This process takes several days. Most importantly, we need to make sure that we can align the desired yields with your boil date to ensure that you have fresh, live crawfish in time for your boil. - How far in advance should I make my order?
Your order request date and live crawfish on-hand will have to align for a successful order. The sooner you let us know, the better but we would recommend at least a minimum of 2 weeks notice. - How many pounds per person should I expect to order?
Depending on how you plan to prepare your crawfish, we recommend 4-5 pounds per person if you are throwing it into a boil with other fillers (potatoes, sausage, shrimp, corn etc.) or 5-7 pounds per person if it is the centerpiece of the meal. - How many crawfish are there per pound?
Typically there are 10-16 crawfish per pound. The average pound ends up being 12 crawfish. - What is the cost per pound?
Here is the cost per pound by order quantity. Please note, prices are subject to change depending on market value. - 0-50lbs | $Market/lb
50-80lbs | $Market Price with 5% Discount/lb
80-100lbs | $Market Price with 10% Discount/lb
100lbs+ | Negotiated Pricing
- Do you ship out of state?
We do not offer 3rd party shipping at this time (UPS, Fedex, etc.). - How far do you deliver?
We primarily cater to residents of King, Snohomish and Pierce County who are able to enjoy live crawfish that comes from local rivers and lakes. Anyone is welcome to buy live crawfish from us but it might require a little bit of a drive. - Is delivery included in the cost of purchase per pound?
This will vary by location. There is typically a delivery free calculated by total mileage. Please use our contact form to verify the delivery cost for your location. - How do I pick up my order from you instead of having it delivered?
If you choose to pick up your delivery instead of having it delivered, we will meet you in the Sultan/ Monroe, Washington area. - How soon can I expect my order?
Due to the nature of the product, we will need to arrange a delivery date before hand to ensure that we can deliver the quantity needed by your desired delivery date. We will try to accommodate all orders, however please keep in mind that the environment plays a large factor on our yield. Please use our order inquiry form to contact us with questions about your order.
- Do I need to be home to take delivery?
Due to the nature of the product, it is recommended that you are home to take delivery. You will need to use or cook this product immediately because it is live. - How soon can I use the product?
We highly recommend you use the product immediately to avoid any food borne illness. If you are unable to use the crawfish immediately, we recommend cooking them as they are live. At this point you can refrigerate the meat for up to one week or freeze it. - What is the best way to prepare crawfish?
Check out our recipe page for a great way to prepare a crawfish boil!