Experience one of Sweden’s strongest (and strangest?) traditions and go crayfishing. Sum it all up on the acclaimed crayfish party afterwards. If it's the red freshwater delicacy you're looking for, then Smålands is the place to be.
While summer’s coming to an end, the genuinely Swedish tradition to fish crayfish begins. It’s an old tradition dating back to the 18:th century, and it became so popular it almost made the crayfish extinct in many of the lakes and rivers in Sweden. Because of that, fishing restrictions were set to allow crayfishing only between August and October every year.
Since the crayfish are nocturnal they have to be caught while it’s dark, so traps are usually set out in the evening and pulled up in the morning. The catch is then to be feasted on at the mandatory crayfish party and is best enjoyed together with silly party hats, hanging paper moons, assorted pies, snacks and drinks.
If you’d like to experience a crayfish tradition then the Småland region offers great opportunities with its many lakes and rivers. There are single events as well as package deals including accommodation. If you’d like to go fishing on your own, you must follow the County administrative board's rules for fishing crayfish.
The crayfish season begins on the second Friday in August and continues through October.