There are a few who come out in the day time - but the majority of them are night walkers!  So early in the morning or late in the evening will produce more, but the best is to put the trap out one evening, and come back the next day or in a day or two.  Middle of the day results in very little.

And yes, you can freeze the parts; tails and claws.  (Only keep the largest of claws - the little ones result in lots of work and little meat!)  I freeze them until I have enough to eat.  50 per adult is a good average.  Dipped in melted butter... hummmmm!  (My daughter and I had 150 between us and we paid the price with extruded stomachs!)

Faz and I recovered Doug's trap for him, apparently quite a distance from where it was set.  Might want to tie a cinder block to the trap? I didn't really look at the trap closely, but it looked more like a minnow trap than a crawdad trap (and I have a crawdad trap).  

Legally, you can use two traps for craws in W. WA waters, except 3 in the Columbia River. You have to have a good float, and your first & last name, plus permanent address has to be on it; phone optional. You cannot use a bleach or antifreeze bottle, etc.  The rope itself has to be weighted so it can't float on the surface.

See page 133 in the '04 regs for more info. You need to read the fine print, as there are other crictical rules you need to know, to be legal, and you can't afford not to be legal.  I have pulled up a couple of craws on plastics, in about 16'-20' of water, and about this time of year.  Maybe catfish bait would work? Or squirt some Smelly Jelly onto the catfood?  Leave the trap in the water all night!

C&R, Steve