This picture makes my mouth water. Thank goodness it is an early crawfish season in Texarkana so I don't have to keep driving to Shreveport every time I have an urge to dive into some mudbugs. The first crawfish hut opened last week in Texarkana. 

On January 8, Hot Tails Crawfish hut kicked off the season and so far, they appear to be the only game in town. Others will soon follow suit and fire up the crawfish boil earlier than in recent years. This crawfish season will be better than last year as far as quantity goes which means cheaper prices for the consumer. Last year the first hut to open was once again Hot Tails. In comparing prices from last year to this year, cost per pound in town is less this year than it was last year. Supply rules the price as it does every year--once there is more crawfish available from the farmers the price per pound will go down. It usually goes down a little each week or so all season long. I can remember not long ago the price was below $2 per pound by the end of the season.

Hot Tails Crawfish Hut is open Thursday through Sunday if they have enough to make it through the weekend. They are located on the right side of the road just before Index Bridge which is approximately 5 miles north of Texarkana on Hwy 71.

crawfish tray credit Mimi Campbell Townsquare Media
Mimi C/Townsquare Media
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Shamsie's will open later this month. I have not seen anything on Twisted Tails page yet. There are others in the surrounding areas too like KJ's in Genoa that plan to open Super Bowl weekend and Coach K's in Hooks hasn't made any announcements yet. Do you know of any crawfish huts that I can add to the list? Send an email.

The season for crawfish does not have a definitive starting and ending date. There is no legal timeline like with crab, shrimp or lobster seasons. You can actually get live crawfish all year long although it is not as good as it is during the heart of the season and it is more expensive. My crawfish season is defined usually as November or December through July. The crawfish are smaller and weaker at the very beginning of the season which can affect the taste a bit but diehards like me will do whatever it takes to be there at the beginning. And, at the very end of the season the taste wanes a bit and the shells are much harder making it more work to eat. This year my crawfish season started on Dec. 5 when Crawfish Palace opened. It is an expensive trip by the time I calculate $6.99 a pound and the gas to and from Shreveport. Of course going to Shreveport means more than just eating crawfish because there is a shopping trip always tempting me by the time I get there. I have been the very first customer to enter the restaurant for the season at least the past three years. I could eat (and have) crawfish for every meal of the day!

To read more about my obsession...uh, I mean, to read more of my experiences with crawfish here are a few stories I have written
in the past:

 

 

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