How to Catch a Bunch of Crawdads

       Let's start this article with a couple of questions.

1. Do you call them crawdads or crayfish?
2. What do you do with them?

       I grew up calling them crawdads, and crawdads were bait. Simple as that.
Oh, how things change. Now these little creepy, crawly, snappy, creatures are a delicacy called fresh water lobster. I will pass, thank you very much, but I hear that they are quite tasty cooked up with some butter and garlic, and thrown over a nice pasta.

       Well, whatever you call them, and whatever you want to do with them, first you have to catch them. This is not always an easy thing to do. Until now. I've seen those little wire traps that you stick in the water and leave, only to come back to an empty little wire trap. Easy, but boring and kinda frustrating. Leave those wire traps at home. I have a much more fun way to catch them, and it is super easy! So easy, that the kids can help!

       Nomad Dad came up with this plan to catch the crawdads when he was cleaning the grill, getting ready to bbq some chicken for dinner. Scrubbie in one hand and chicken on deck, coupled with the Nomad Kids asking (20 billion times that day) to go fishing, and it just came to him. After dinner he took the kids to the creek to try out his plan, and it was a success! The next day, they went out and caught a bunch more.

       We shared our success with a few camping neighbors, who undoubtedly wondered what it was that we were doing. They were quite impressed. One even took pics of Nomad Dad's "rig" and texted them to her friend who had been using those little wire traps with no luck.

       One of our camping neighbors taught the Nomad Kids how to hold those creepy little creatures without getting pinched.  From what I gather, you have to get behind the crawdad and grab it as close to the "shoulders" as possible. This way, it can't reach back and pinch you. The kids were brave. Nomad Mom (me)... not so much. The closest I got to handling one, was to pick it up with a couple of sticks and quickly drop it into the old water bottle that we had cut the top off of. That is plenty close for me!

       I am sure that, by now, you want the details. Without further ado, here they are.

How to Catch a Bunch of Crawdads

What You Need:

• stainless steel scrubbie
• fishing pole or a stick with some string
• a net (optional)
• a bucket or vessel with water to put the crawdads in (we cut the top off of an old gallon water bottle)
• bait- they seem to love chicken!

Instructions:

1. Loosen the scrubbie coils by just pulling them apart a bit.
2. Attach the scrubbie firmly and securely to the end of your fishing line or string.
3. Bait the scrubbie. How? Simply stick some small pieces of chicken into the webbing of the coils so that they are good and stuck in there.
4. Have your net and bucket ready.
5. Find a nice muddy spot in the creek or river or wherever you are seeing the crawdads. Throw in your scrubbie line to rustle up the dirt and see if a crawdad is near. They will usually dart out from under the mud or a rock, if disturbed. Once you spot one, get that chicken-filled scrubbie close to the crawdad and wait for it to pinch on. 
6. Once a crawdad pinches on to your scrubbie, pull it up and secure it in the net before it lets go.
7. Now just drop it in your bucket of water.
8. Repeat until you have caught yourself a mess of crawdads.

Please let us know if you try this method of catching crawdads. We would love to hear how it worked out for you. Leave a comment below, and share a pic of your rig and your catch on our facebook page.

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Beals Point SRA (Campground Review)

       Today we will share our thoughts on Beals Point Campground. The campground ranks up there as one of the nicer campgrounds, and we recommend you check it out if you are planning to camp in the area.
       For more pics, come check out the "outtakes" on this Photo Friday post!

You will find nicely sized, shaded campsites at Beals Point SRA Campground

Overview:

       Beals Point is a California State Recreation Area that is located at Folsom Lake in Granite Bay, CA, just outside the capitol city of Sacramento. Folsom Lake has a few different day use areas, boat launch sites, and campgrounds. The Peninsula Campground is a remote campground on the eastern side of the lake. Negro Bar, to the south of the lake, offers group camping, and Beals Point, the more popular campground on Folsom Lake, is on the western side of the lake.

              Beals Point sports a bustling day use area of the Folsom Lake. The campground is nestled in a natural setting just a short walk to and from the lake. While most tent sites have room enough to accommodate an RV or trailer, there are no hook-ups in the main camping area. There is a small RV camping section; however, near the main gate.

Beals Point, located at Folsom Lake, has a large day use swim and beach area.

       Enjoy the day use beach at Beals Point with a large swim area,  and ample BBQ and picnic spots. There are restrooms and seasonal concessions and small boat (paddle boats, etc) rentals. There are a few good hiking trails throughout the campground and a widely used bike trail. There is not a boat launch at Beals point, but Granite Bay (which features its own day use beach) is only about a 10 minute drive away, and has ample boat launching ramps.

Camping:

       While there are no lake views from the campground, camping at Beals Point has its own charm. Just beware of the "squirrel mafia". Yes. I said it. The squirrels will waste no time moving in on your campsite and claiming the territory as their own. This means that they will chew through your belongings and steal your food, leaving your campsite looking like .... well... like a gang of squirrels tore through there! So, especially if you plan to enjoy some time away from your site for the day, keep your belongings picked up and your food packed safely away. Oh, and make sure you zip your tent!

       Now, what was I saying? Oh yeah... the campground. The camp sites each have a picnic table and fire ring with a cooking grate. Water is nearby, and so are garbage bins. The bathrooms are better than many campgrounds. There are both private restrooms and private (pay) showers. Restrooms are cleaned every morning. You may get a visitor or two, though. We have seen frogs and various bugs and spiders in and near the restrooms, so don't let them surprise you.

This little frog was waiting to greet us at the restroom door!

       As with any natural area, there are some some things you need to be cautious about. Park staff is pretty good about keeping poison oak out of the campsites, but it does grow near the hiking trails, so be on the lookout. There is also an occasional siting of rattlesnakes. If you see one, DO NOT try to catch it. Call the park rangers, and they will re-locate them. You may also see skunks and other little critters roaming around. Aside from the squirrels, though, I would have to say that the mosquitoes are the most prominent pests. I swear that they use the aroma of citronella oil as a beacon to tell them where the "food" is, so a repellent containing DEET may be your best bet.

This hiking trail leads to a group meeting area near, what we affectionately refer to as "the giant pine cone tree".

       Evenings are usually pretty mellow, and most of the time, campers abide by the quiet time hours. If you experience particularly annoying camping neighbors, don't hesitate to call the rangers.

Pros and Cons

Pros:

• close to stores and shopping
• lots of shade
• most tent sites have flat areas for the tent placement
• clean, private restrooms
• hot, private, pay showers
• good-sized tent sites
• nice day use beach
• lots of recreational options

Cons:

• occasional rattlesnake sightings
• pesky mosquitoes
• militant squirrels

BEALS POINT AT A GLANCE
  Beals Point Granite Bay, CA 95746 38°43'09.3"N 121°10'30.2"W

FEATURES	Y/N	COST	NOTES
Day Use	Y	$12
Tent Camping	Y	$33	$33 peak; $28 non-peak
RV Camping	Y	$58	$58 peak; $48 non-peak
Extra Vehicle	Y	$12	Campers allowed an extra vehicle at Day Use fee.
Check in/out Time	Noon/2p
Electric Hookups	Y		17 hookup sites are dedicated exclusively for RV use
Sewer Hookups	call
Water	Y		Shared water faucets are available throughout the park
Dump Station	Y	Free*	*$12 for non-registered campers
Restrooms	Y		Private restrooms
Showers	Y	25¢	Private quarter pay showers with hot water
# of Campsites	62		17 RV/trailer only; 26 standard; 19 tent only
Store	N		Shopping nearby; seasonal concessions in day use area
Lodge	N
Recreation	Y		Hiking, Biking, Boating, Swimming, BBQ/picnic, fishing
Wildlife	Y		squirrels, skunks, and other critters; birds, hawks, snakes
Setting			Wooded campground, a short walk from lake and beach
Use Limits	Y		30 camping days per year

While in the area:

While in the area, there may be a few things you would like to check out. Here is a short list of some of the many sites to see:

• Folsom Dam
• Downtown Sutter Street (Downtown Folsom)
• Folsom Zoo Sanctuary
• Nimbus Fish Hatchery
• Folsom Premium Outlets
• Rafting on the American River 

Have you been to Beals Point Campground? If so, we would love to hear your thoughts about it! Please share in a comment, below!

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How I Learned About Activated Charcoal

       Some things are learned the easy way. You see something in a book or online, it sparks an interest, so you look into it a little deeper, and voila'. Knowledge.
       Other things... well... not so easy. This way usually includes some degree of pain.

       Sure, I have heard of activated charcoal before. You probably have too. Unfortunately, in my case, it just didn't really spark enough interest in me to actually research it and find out what was so great about it. You know, like one of those "in one ear, out the other" type of things. Hopefully you don't make the same mistake I did! I mean, if you don't want to thoroughly study it and learn why it is awesome, etc., fine. Just do yourself a favor. Buy a little, stick it in your first aid kit, and just remember it is there when you need it.

     Now, on to my story.
Imagine that you are going along your merry way, just enjoying your evening at your campsite, perhaps relaxing next to your campfire, when you suddenly hear your camping neighbor freaking out and jumping around. You can't help but overhear words like, "It bit me!" and  "I don't know what it is!" and "It is IN MY PANTS!!!!"
Yeah... that was me!

       I went into the tent to investigate what was causing this pain, and what on earth it was that I had caught in my pant leg! My husband asked if it was an ant. I told him it was way too big to be an ant.
Tent zipped, pant leg inside out, and there it fell... right onto the tent floor!

I know, right?
I don't just have a dislike of wasps. I have a healthy fear of wasps! This sucker bit me or stung me or something THREE times! Whatever it was, it hurt!

       As I am recovering from my shock, but still in a great deal of pain, our camping neighbor made her way to our campsite and offered me some activated charcoal to put on my wounds. She told me to just make a little slurry with water, and put it right on there. I did. To my surprise, it took away the stinging and itching almost immediately.  After about 5 minutes, the pain was pretty much completely gone! So, yeah, this is something I definitely had to pass along.

       Of course, after this little traumatic incident, I wanted to learn more about this magical, black, powdery substance, and what it can be used for. I had already learned that it can be mixed with a bit of water, but it can also be mixed with other things before applying, as well. You can mix it with coconut (or other) oil, or mix it with a store bought or homemade salve. Once mixed, apply a dab to your bite, sting, itchy rash (think poison oak or poison ivy), and cover with a bandage or clean cloth. The stuff will stain, so covering it is good for protecting your clothing.
Pretty easy and straightforward.

What do you use activated charcoal for?
What do you do for bites, stings, and other itchy situations when you don't have activated charcoal on hand?
We are always looking to learn new helpful tidbits. Please leave a comment, and share your thoughts.

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