Anyone dive to collect freshwater Crayfish in the UK?

[Huan]

Unfortunately we have our own crays here in Ireland Astacus Pallipes they are though to be a remnant of the lusitanian flora that survived here but few other places.
I have just finished reading a paper on the species here in Ireland, very interesting but I doubt that they will be around in any numbers for long.
Large scale developments are prevalent in most parts of Ireland and the water quality is declining at a rapid rate.
The native crayfish is a protected species here in and there has already been outbreaks of plague amongst the populations probably caused by anglers using infected tackle.

 

[sickbugs]

maybe one of you guys might want to try the best local bait down here for crayfish, which just happens to be smaller crayfish, the large ones go crazy over the tail meat from smaller ones. my prefferred way of catching crayfish is a very very small fishhook (smallest you can find) with a tiny piece of bait on it, use a single split buckshot sinker, and drop it right it front of 'em, after they have swallowed, give them a 10 sec count then slowly lift, only problem with this way is you have to become adept at grabbing them by the head and claws at the same time, to remove the hook. the local species gets pretty huge (biggest i have measured was a 12 inch body, and my uncle, a petshop owner, swears he measured one in at 14 inch body length. they pop 6 lb test so we use 10.. but the signal looks pretty small, so that shouldnt be too much of a problem.

 

[naiad]

maybe one of you guys might want to try the best local bait down here for crayfish, which just happens to be smaller crayfish, the large ones go crazy over the tail meat from smaller ones.

Nice! At least they don't miss their friends.

 

[Oldsarge]

Well, Ben, looks like you better get a kettle ready.

 

[stone_shot]

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.

Back when I still lived in the US we used to put a chicken neck tied to a lead fishing weight in inside a 4 litre glass bottle and lower it into the water. Those crays aren't that smart--they usually checked in but didn't check out! It's really easy to catch a mess (I believe that's the unit of measure for crayfish! ) in no time at all and it takes hardly any work. I suppose that would bring up some issues with bird flu--so any kind of meat would probably do the trick as long as it's not rotten. (you would think the smellier the better but they definitely seemed to go off the bait once it started to rot--maybe they are smarter than I thought!!)

 

[SurfnSpear]

I have left the largish head and leftovers from a bass in my trap over 2 weeks and just kept going back to remove the new crays...I think that was going downhill and they still came in....they stripped it eventually. But then I have a crayfish hotel. A cleansing tank with a little pump that they can sit in for 24-48 hours. Thereafter rinse in the sink and straight into the freezer or into the pot.
WOOHOO SUMMERS COMING!!!

 

[Mr. X]

Gordon Ramsey cooked crays tonight

Just noticed Gordon Ramsey was cooking freshwater crays on his "The F Word" cooking programme this evening. The dish was fresh water cray tail salad (or some such name). Didn't see the details, but he cooked them & tore the meat out of the tails & used that to dress a pretty normal looking salid. (Not a patch on Old Sarge's Crawdad).

To quote the great chef: "Delicious & costs f@#k all". Well, nobody said he was a poet.

 

[Mr. X]

Signal Crayfish Trappers, Chippenham needs you!

"...The British whiteclaw crayfish were being slowly but surely being eaten by aggressive American Signal Crayfish at the By the Brook near Chippenham."​

British Whiteclaw Crayfish rescue, predation by American Signal Crays & Crayfish Plague: http://www.gazetteandherald.co.uk/n...splay.var.882510.0.rescuers_save_the_cray.php

Conservationists are moving the whiteclaws to "safer waters in the Mendips". Sounds like a hopeless task but they might appreciate some help removing the invading American Signal Crayfish. Yum!

 

[Oldsarge]

Go get'em, boys (and girls)!

 

[naiad]

The Signal Crayfish are found in the rivers Test and Itchen in Hampshire. That's where I'll be in a few weeks! If anyone wants to go crayfishing with me they are welcome. Anyone who has a tank and freezer can have them, as I won't be able to take them home.

Lucia

 

[Mr. X]

The Signal Crayfish are found in the rivers Test and Itchen in Hampshire.

I was at Broadlands in Romsey a few weeks ago, at the CLA Gamefair. They'd built an impressive temporary float bridge across the Test which allowed a good view of the river: wide, fast flowing with a rich cover of green string weed below the surface. I am told Broadlands has some of the finest flyfishing in the country and that the Queen Mother used to fish there (it used to belong to Lord Mountbatten of Burmah).

Almost went crayfishing this afternoon but couldn't decide where to try and everybody was lethargic after Sunday lunch, so we went for a walk across the meadows instead! I think we are overdue for some crayfishing though.

 

[Mr. X]

The BBC had a TV program tonight on the preparation of a special 3 course meal (not a banquet) at Windsor Castle for the Royal Family, French President & PM, etc. to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the signing of the Entente Cordiale.

A couple of points of interests:
1. Crayfish was served (as the starter?)!
2. The entrance to the grounds was flanked by a large & vociferous Pro-Hunting crowd (the target of their venting, apparently the PM).

Entertainment: Les Miserable performed by the London cast.

What more could you ask for, Crayfish & the finest wines served at Windsor Castle with the Queen. Ok, different guests.

 

[naiad]

I don't know if this would be allowed on all rivers, but here is a crayfish trap...
http://www.sharnbrooktackle.com/acatalog/Online_Catalogue_Crayfish_Traps_99.html

And some recipes....
Crayfish Risotto
Crayfish Soup

 

[spearheads]

I don't know if this would be allowed on all rivers, but here is a crayfish trap...

i think you need a licences to put traps in rivers in the uk

 

[Mr. X]

The form is available on-line. I think it was the dept. of env. (or is that DEFRA now?). Google will probably find it.

Naiad that is a really nice trap. There is a guy in the USA that makes some professional metal ones that really look the biz. For the occasional trip, if you have an hour or 2 to kill, a kids beach nets at 99p works surprisingly well.

Crayfish Risotto sounds very interesting:hmm.

 

[Tim1]

I don't know if this would be allowed on all rivers, but here is a crayfish trap...
http://www.sharnbrooktackle.com/acatalog/Online_Catalogue_Crayfish_Traps_99.html

Here's my version made with some plastic mesh from the local agricultural merchants and a few cable ties. I use a laundry tablet bag to hold the bait. I reckon each one costs about £2.00.

 

[1 shot 1 kill]

Went down to the river in Buckingham with a couple of mates on saturday for a bit of a trial run. Using rigs that took hours of preparation and hundreds of pounds to build (a stick with 4' of 5lb line, a No. 4 hook and a 2oz lead) we managed to catch 13 decent sized signal crays in about 2 hours, if we'd had a net to get them just below the surface we could have doubled that figure!

We decided to eat them that evening (after changing their water twice) to see if they would benefit from from a day or two in fresh water next time. After a 5min dip in some boiling water we tucked in and were impressed, especially when we got stuck into the claw meat. In the future we'll leave them to stand at least over night so we need less sweet chilli sauce to cover up the very slight 'muddy' taste.

All in all it was one of the most rewarding trips ever, we had no expectations and it turned out to be brilliant fun and provided some great food. Only improvements we could come up with (other than a net) would be a few beers to enjoy whilst catching as well as while eating!

 

[Mr. X]

Sophisticated specialist equipment like 99p service station rockpool nets work too! Didn't realise there was accessible meat in the claws...you must have got some big ones. We've had some crab-breaking experience this year (with nutcrackers & crab meat needle) - so will have give it try next time.

Found a small stream about 2 miles from home that looks v. promising. Most of it is fenced off by road barriers & private gardens. Will need to check access rights. There is an old disused watercress bed/trout farm a little further down stream - might be too polluted though (they had to close the trout farm some years ago because of the pollution/disease it caused -- the former owner told me they used to add female hormone to produce all females towards the end).

BTW Somebody told me recently that "fancy french langoustines" are just scampi, which apparently is like a crayfish with only tiny claws. Also called Dublin Bay prawns.

 

[1 shot 1 kill]

Can't really comment on the size, having never seen a signal cray before! I suppose the the average length was about 15cm which we thought was a bit small when our stuff from the Environment Agency said they get up to 30cm! A 99p net was exactly what we were after but no suitable vendor could be found nearby, we'll ensure we've got one next time. As for removing claw meat we found that by pulling out the articulated pincer the hard 'divider' in the claw meat was also pulled out and a swift pummel with a beer bottle soon produced a good chunk of meat!

I had heard the story about scampi previously and was told the reason it was renamed was that it was thought the british public wouldn't be too keen on any 'foreign sounding muck'!

 

[SurfnSpear]

Alex, if you got 15cm first time then well done. Even I am pleased if I get an odd one that size. Up to 30cm.....I would be very pleased...:t