ST. MARTIN PARISH, LA (KLFY)— Crawfishing is a huge part of everyday life for many in St. Martin Parish.
One Atchafalaya Basin craw fisher and his grandson have made it their passion and share their story.
“Crawfishing is hard. It is very hard,” Walter Angelle said.
“You never know what is going to happen in the woods. People see you raising traps and they think it’s easy, but it is not easy.”
Angelle is 90 years old and has been crawfishing for over 50 years. Lately, he has been accompanied by his grandson Aiden,14 who has been following in his grandfather’s footsteps since he could get on the boat as a young boy.
“Whenever we go, I run the boat. I run the cages. I do everything really.”
Aiden says he finds joy as a craw fisherman alongside his grandfather.
“Something about it gets me excited and sparks a passion in me.”
Both say they get excited with the other at their side.
“You just go and find them. When you pick up your trap and if you have two or three pounds in there you know there is crawfish right there, and it is going to pay you to put you traps right there in that spot. You are out in the wilderness, you are a free man. I been so long. I love it. My grandson, he loves it too.”