Crawfish season is coming, and we've got some ideas about the best places to find those tasty mud bugs.    Where do you get 'em?

Crawfish season runs through May, but we're coming up on the peak season in another week or two.  February and March tend to be the best months for harvesting crawfish because the crustaceans tend to be at the right place in their growth cycle, and the water and air temperatures are right for pickin'.

Southern Living Magazine says Louisiana’s crawfish season runs longer than the Texas season, and our Cajun neighbors over there tend to have one crawfish boil after another during the Lenten season.  Easter Sunday is a big day for crawfish boils in folks' backyards, so if you have relatives in Louisiana Easter dinner is probably at their house on April 1.

We think these might be the Top 5 Best Places for Crawfish around here.

1.  The Crawfish Shop - 2902 E Denman Avenue in Lufkin

2.  Clear Springs Restaurant - 211 Old Tyler Road in Nacogdoches

3.  Ralph and Kacoo's - 3107 S 1st Street in Lufkin

4.  Circle M Crawfish - 14449 State Highway 155 South in Big Sandy

5.  Dudley's Cajun Cafe - 1601 East Marshall in Longview

What's your favorite?

There's an art to eating crawfish, and those of us who don't want to look like novices can keep these tips in mind at the next crawfish boil, or out at one of those restaurants.

-- Pick a mud bug and twist and pull the tail from the head, and then peel off the first two or three rings.

-- Suck the head if you want!

--  Pinch the end of the tail and pull the meat from the shell.

--  Dip it in something creamy and spicy, or buttery.

-- Chase it with some sweet corn and perhaps a frosty beverage if you're so inclined.

If you haven't dined on this delicacy much in your life and you're wondering why people are so crazy about a crustacean called a mud bug, most people seem to agree they taste a lot like lobster, and they're a little bit more chewy than shrimp.  And they're a big hit at parties.

Crawfish can be a lot of work for one bite of protein, but this also works as a good diet plan.  In theory anyway.  Have fun!

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