Anyone dive to collect freshwater Crayfish in the UK?

[Mr. X]

:hmm Interesting link. While our crays were all red, I think at least one of our larger ones might be one of those other non-native specifies, the decorative Australian redclaw crawfish: its claws had large bright blue-green patches, very distinctive and I think it had bright red tips like in the picture (I will double check when we cook them). It says they are incapable of breeding in the UK but nature is funny like that -- or perhaps they cross breed... or perhaps it was a pet (seems unlikely given the all the other cray around).

The big one did not have the characteristic red tip after all . The bottom of the claw & body were red-orange, the top of the claws (of several crays) though were that strange electric green, blue. Conclusion: most likely an American signal cray.

BTW I have been told of 2 other hot spots locally, on 2 other rivers. There are obviously a lot of them around.

A few additional observations:
- There is not much meat on a crayfish -- it's all in the claws & tail, not the body.
- The crawdad recipe is excellent but note that quantities are for 10 lb of crayfish (1 to 2 bucket fulls? oops! :duh ), we only had 2.5 lb but used half the recipe! (Not a problem -- despite the v. large quantities of cayenne & salt - it was not over hot as the powerful cooking mix is strained & tipped away once the crays & "lumpy bits" are done).
- It required our 2 largest boiling pots (the big ones with 2 handles)
- The cooking mix is quite caustic on the eyes, the combination of lemon juice & cayenne pepper, along with the salt -- probably helps sterilize the crawfish of any bacteria, etc.. [Would probably be an excellent recipe for Mace too rofl ]
- Suggestion: add a side dish of spicey, peppered rice -- shelling crays is hard, hungry work! & you get a taste for that cayenne pepper hmmhmmhmm

 

[deirmendjian]

Alright. You guys absolutely have to let me know where I can go nearby to get me some of these little buggers. I'm in Colchester. Anywhere nearby where I might be able to go?

I used to catch 'em all the time in the states, as a kid . . . but from polluted streams and creeks. I never dreamed of eating them, just used 'em for bait.

 

[naiad]

We have to organise a trip. Anyone up for crayfishing?

 

[Mr. X]

Anywhere nearby where I might be able to go?

Pick any nearby stream or river...they seem to be everywhere.

 

[flyflicker]

Mr X - Which is your local river/stream that you got them from???

 

[Mr. X]

Mr X - Which is your local river/stream that you got them from???

Hi Flyflicker,
There are 3 (I think) distinct streams/rivers near where I live. I have now heard reports of crays in all of them & in multiple locations on each. One of the streams feeds into one of the river Avons; I see you are in Dorset -- this is the river Avon out of Salisbury (which reaches the sea at Chichester), not the Bristol Avon. But I wouldn't bother travelling that far -- I am sure they already exist much closer to your home (& everybody elses for that matter). Take a look in the nearest river, stream or ditch near your home. I used tin sardines ... cat food, meat left overs/fat/gristle* -- anything meaty, preferably smelly, should do the job.
[* I hear now that fish-based bait is best...might be something to do with the fish oil.]

The first place we visited was based on a tip off but we later found out we got the directions wrong and were about a half a mile off target. It didn't matter because the crays are everywhere. One of our party spotted one as soon as we approached the river -- I reckon that was lucky though, usually they hide under rocks, walls, logs & banks.

 

[SurfnSpear]

Hi, I have the Kennet and Avon Canal, and several converging trout streams within 700m from me. In the summer I stood in the clear streams and caught loads by hand which is quickest...but then the biggest seem to come into the traps in the murkier waters of the canal and even ditches a couple of feet wide with about 6 inches of water. I am positive you will have loads around wherever you have some water. Happy hunting.
P.S. Naiad surely you could charm some London based Antipodeans to venture out for a hunt! Just show them a picture of my platter!rofl They are a little more work than lobster from the fishmonger (and on the plate) but it makes some spare time so much more interesting.
By the way...that is a lobster in there just for evaluation!

Cheers

 

[Mr. X]

Hi, I have the Kennet and Avon Canal, and several converging trout streams within 700m from me. In the summer I stood in the clear streams and caught loads by hand which is quickest...but then the biggest seem to come into the traps in the murkier waters of the canal and even ditches a couple of feet wide with about 6 inches of water. I am positive you will have loads around wherever you have some water. Happy hunting.
...

I hadn't thought of the canals. If the Kennet & Avon have craws, then the Bristol Avon, River Kennet & Thames will too. Just look at the map:

http://www.canaljunction.com/canal/kennet_avon.htm

 

[Mr. X]

Traps
=====
There are a lot of craytraps on ebay & the web at the moment. I got a couple of the inexpensive net-type -- 1 large round (big enough for lobster supposedly) & 1 rectangular cross-section (entrance is probably too small for lobster). [By the way, anybody know what the rules & etiquette are on trapping lobster???]

I haven't had a chance to try them yet, they both look quite good. They seem to cost just under 10 pounds inc. shipping. Although I think the rectangular one is selling for under 5 pounds inc. shipping from one seller this week.

Occasionally more substantial and expensive ones (like the black & yellow one feature by an earlier poster) appear on ebay from time to time. There is a UK site (check google) selling very solid looking galvanized steel bar trap -- might be the best long term investment...it cost about 23 pounds (inc. shipping I think).

Tips
===
I also found a cray trap maker in the states. His fancy steel cray traps look good -- if you live state-side. His site also has some tips. For example, he recommends only using fish-based bait (e.g. fish heads), so careful with that cat food. Using a bait "box" (cage) -- to maximize scent & protect the bait.

 

[Mr. X]

This looks cool. Simple, unobtrusive...
[font=Arial,Helvetica]Deluxe Lobster Package[/font]

http://www.spearfishinggear.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=DLP79&Category_Code=LG

I took my larger net/pot down to the coast with me last trip but thought better of placing it. Just as well, there was a fisherman pulling up pots there and the pot buoy I have was actually found washed up on the same beach -- it might have been his!

 

[Mr. X]

You go, X-y! Counter-predation rocks! Munch dem bugs!

Ladies/Gentlemen, according to BBC Radio 4 this morning, we have a new alien species in the UK, apparently in need of extermination. They burrow & destroy native specifies & environment; sound familiar? Coming to a river/stream/canal near you soon: Chinese Mitten crabs.
[Click the above link to go the a new dedicated thread]

 

[Huan]

The absolute best bait for Crays is Ox liver.

 

[Mr. X]

A friend just sent this:

"there is a program on BBC2 about the crayfish in england on BBC2 in the early hours of tomorrow morning called invasion of the plague bearers. It's on about 2:30 in the morning and lasts for quarter of an hour."

 

[fogish]

http://www.utahdiving.com/recipes.htm
We have tons of crayfish, I hope you enjoy at least one of these recipes. Where I am, you go diving in the lakes and pull the crayfish out by hand. I will have to try out a net.

 

[Pav]

How far up into fresh water are these found? Tidal water? or further up?

 

[Mr. X]

We know of crays in several streams that form the source to several rivers in roughly the same area. All are near the Kennet & Avon canal - which apparently also has signal crays. Apparently they cross from stream-to-stream and can travel over land. Sometimes found in ditches & ponds too apparently.

Best bet might be to find a nice spot on a stream/pond close to home and throw a few sardines in & see if anything comes in. If they are nearby, I would expect to see them within 10 minutes.

 

[Huan]

How far up into fresh water are these found? Tidal water? or further up?

These are exclusively fresh water animals.

 

[Mr. X]

Huan, I almost suggested Ox liver, per your original recommendation -- but there was a case of mad cow/CJD here a few years ago. With foot & mouth not too long gone & bovine TB an open issue, tinned sardines seemed a safer bet in our fairly pristine but rapidly disappearing streams (water is being sucked out for a big town expansion & sewage is not returned...a mixed blessing!). I am sure liver (or any meat/offal) would do the job though.

 

[Ben Gowland]

Wow - can't believe I missed this thread!

I used to study these animals in my days as a research scientist.

Their latin name is Pacifastacus leniusculus.

From memory, these don't live further north than the lake district, so I won't be able to join in all the fun.....

 

[Ben Gowland]

Just checked on the interweb and tehy have made it into Scotland!

That's quite a bit of movement in the 8 years since I studied them - they may be up in Aberdeenshire in another 10 years!