crawfish
Crawfish season in Texas: when it starts, peaks and ends
When crawfish season runs in Texas, what makes a season late or expensive, and how the 2025 and 2026 seasons went, from AgriLife, LSU AgCenter and news reports.
Key points
- Crawfish season broadly runs from January to July, and the best months are March, April and May.[29][28]
- Texas is the second largest crawfish producer in the US, with about 40 producers on close to 18,000 acres.[A]
- Weather decides how good a season is. Drought hurt the 2024 harvest, and freezes and snow delayed the 2025 and 2026 seasons.[A][B]
- Prices follow supply: high in January and February, lower at the spring peak. Reported early 2026 consumer prices were $10 to $15 a pound.[B]
When is crawfish season in Texas?
Texas follows the same crawfish calendar as Louisiana, the largest producing state, and Texas farms are second. Visit New Orleans gives January through July as the broad season, with March, April and May as the peak.[29] Louisiana growers say the same: boils are usually at their best in March, April and May.[28]
| J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crawfish (peak darker) |
What each part of the season looks like
- January and February. The first crawfish appear. They tend to be smaller, supply is thin and prices are at their highest. A cold snap can pause harvests for days.[B]
- March to May. The peak. Crawfish are bigger, supply is steady and prices usually fall.[28][B]
- June and July. The tail end. Supply tapers off as the season closes in the summer heat.
- August to December. Off season for live crawfish. Frozen tail meat is still sold all year for étouffée and other dishes.
Why some seasons are late, short or expensive
Crawfish are farmed in shallow ponds, so weather in the months before the season matters as much as weather during it.
- Drought. Texas A&M AgriLife names drought as the main cause of the poor 2024 harvest. Dry ponds and heat reduce how many young crawfish survive.[A]
- Freezes. In cold weather, crawfish burrow into the mud instead of feeding and growing. KBTX reported in February 2026 that the cold also damaged crawfish while they were molting, before their new shells hardened.[B]
- Costs. The LSU AgCenter’s crawfish specialist Todd Fontenot noted before the 2026 season that a dry fall raised pumping costs for farmers, and that rising production costs tend to fall on farmers rather than passing straight through to consumer prices.[C]
How recent seasons went
2025
Texas A&M AgriLife reported in March 2025 that production was better than in the drought years but not fully recovered. Multiple freezes and historic snow in East Texas and Louisiana had stunted growth and delayed harvests. AgriLife aquaculture specialist Todd Sink said: “While we’re doing better than the last two years, we’re nowhere near what I would consider to be a bumper crawfish season.” At the time, AgriLife reported live crawfish in Houston at about $4.19 a pound, against a more normal $2.75 to $3, and boiled crawfish at $6.99 to $16 a pound depending on location.[A]
2026
Heading into the season, the LSU AgCenter expected a fairly normal year, with pond conditions generally favorable and no drought as severe as 2023’s.[C] Winter then intervened. KBTX reported on 4 February 2026 that arctic weather in Louisiana had cut supply, with consumer prices of $10 to $15 a pound and wholesale around $7, and that sellers expected prices to drop below $10 once supply improved in late February or early March.[B]
We will update this page when the 2027 season starts. Prices quoted here are past reports, not current prices.
Texas crawfish farming in brief
Texas ranks second nationally in crawfish production. AgriLife counts about 40 producers on close to 18,000 acres, averaging about 650 pounds per acre, the Louisiana standard. Some Texas farms raise crawfish in dedicated ponds year round instead of rotating with rice, and have harvested up to 850 pounds per acre in good seasons.[A]
Crawfish near Spring during the season
Our crawfish in Spring, TX guide lists places where public listings show crawfish, from Gosling Rd and London Way Dr to Louetta Rd and FM 2920, with addresses and sources. For oysters, see oysters in Spring, TX.
Tip: Texas public waters are open for oysters from 1 November to 30 April, so from January to April you can find both local oysters and fresh crawfish, and the crawfish peak in March and April overlaps the end of oyster season.[26]
FAQ
When is crawfish season in Texas?
Broadly January through July, with the peak in March, April and May. Cold snaps and drought can push the start later or cut the season short.
What months should you not eat crawfish?
Live crawfish are mostly out of season from August to December. You can still buy frozen crawfish tail meat all year.
Why are crawfish prices so high at the start of the season?
Supply is low and the crawfish are still small. In February 2026, KBTX reported consumer prices of $10 to $15 a pound after freezes cut supply, with relief expected by late February or early March.
How was the 2026 crawfish season?
The LSU AgCenter expected a fairly normal year, but freezes in early 2026 cut supply and raised prices at the start. Supply was expected to improve from late February and early March.
Does Texas produce its own crawfish?
Yes. Texas is the second largest producer in the US, with about 40 producers farming close to 18,000 acres, according to Texas A&M AgriLife.
Sources for this page
- Texas A&M AgriLife Today, “Crawfish production better, but still recovering from drought”, 18 March 2025. https://agrilifetoday.tamu.edu/2025/03/18/crawfish-production-better-but-still-recovering-from-drought/
- KBTX, “Recent freezing temperatures impact crawfish supply and price tag”, 4 February 2026. https://www.kbtx.com/2026/02/04/recent-freezing-temperatures-impact-crawfish-supply-price-tag/
- 225 Baton Rouge, “What’s the outlook for the 2026 crawfish season?”, 8 December 2025 (LSU AgCenter crawfish specialist Todd Fontenot). https://www.225batonrouge.com/food-drink/whats-the-outlook-for-the-2026-crawfish-season