Crawfish season update: What the snow, ice and Arctic chill means for prices and supply

BATON ROUGE — As the snow melts and we bid farewell to our temporary winter wonderland, it’s time to refocus on what truly matters: the crawfish ponds. Because let’s be honest, snow angels are fun, but nothing beats a steaming pile of mudbugs on the table.

Crawfish farmers and seafood lovers alike are eager to understand how the recent hard freeze and cold weather have impacted this year’s mudbug season.

During frigid conditions, crawfish survival becomes a concern. Prolonged cold temperatures can drive crawfish deeper into the mud for warmth, making them harder to catch. In extreme cases, severe freezes can kill off part of the population, reducing the overall harvest.

Across the South, fans of the beloved mudbugs have been sending up prayers online, hoping for a strong season.

According to Todd Fontenot of the LSU AgCenter, crawfish are a lot like Southerners in the cold: they find a warm place to protect themselves but emerge again when the sun comes out.

“Since crawfish are coldblooded, they’ll get down there to the bottom of the ponds of the water when it gets cold, and they’ll kind of get in that straw and that just in that mud in that area to protect themselves,” Fontenot said.

Crawfish Season Overview: There Is Hope

Crawfish season in Louisiana typically runs from January to July, with the peak months of March and April offering the biggest and juiciest crawfish. “It does take a little while for them to come get back active and moving around again, being drawn to the bait,” Fontenot said.

While some crawfish usually hit the market in January, the peak of the season is still weeks away, allowing time for the weather and ponds to recover.

“The good thing is, our temperature is rebounding pretty quickly, so we’re going to be in the upper 60s, or maybe even almost 70s by early next week. Yeah, so that’s going to warm up that water, get them back moving,” he said.

The Good News: A Promising Start

Before the recent freeze, conditions for this year’s harvest looked favorable. Significant rainfall in October and December replenished ponds that had suffered from drought the previous year. Farmers were optimistic about a more abundant harvest compared to last year, when high temperatures and limited rainfall led to lower yields and record-high prices of $12 to $13 per pound.

“This time last year, no one was catching crawfish. So there was just none out there yet people had a demand for them. There was just not enough crawfish out there to meet the demand, and people were still willing to pay for them,” he said.

This year, crawfish season kicked off at around $9 per pound. Thanks to promising conditions, farmers and experts are hopeful prices could drop to a more budget-friendly $4 to $6 range later in the season.

While the recent cold snap may temporarily reduce early-season supply, experts are optimistic about a “normal” year for availability and pricing. Crawfish lovers can expect a more affordable season.

“As we move into the season, we’re going to see crawfish at a reasonable price for most consumers,” Fontenot shared.

What’s Next for Crawfish?

Once temperatures rise and ponds warm back up, crawfish are expected to emerge in greater numbers.

“I think we’re going to rebound fine,” he said confidently.

For now, farmers are closely monitoring their ponds. It’s a race against time to ensure supply rebounds ahead of the peak months of March, April, and May. While it’s a waiting game for now, the forecast for crawfish season remains optimistic.

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