Catching Crayfish

slade5x5

I was thinking about getting a crayfish trap and trying my luck in the small rivers near me, but i have a few questions i was hopeing someone might be able to help me out with.

1,Has anybody tried catching them before and have they had any luck?

2,Also has anybody applied for the relevent licences, and if so how easy were they to get?

3, Is there a list/ database of definate siteings of them.

From what i know the American signal crayfish are supposed to be killing lot of indiginous creatures in our water ways and the trapping and killing of them is a good thing ( plus you get a free meal).

I am not to sure if this is the correct forum to post this but i couldn't think of anywhere else.

All and any help would be appreciated.

Ken68

Am also interested in this Slade, will do some research and get back.

slade5x5

Cheers Ken

I am going to give the EA a ring tomorrow and see what i can find out.

I will let you know

Ken68

Have e- mailed these people, Slade...signal crayfish is mentioned as a pest on their website.

http://www.rivercare.org.uk/contact.asp

Debt_Free_Chick

Have you seen the Crayfish King website?

Is there a list/ database of definate siteings of them

Try this one - it worked for me Put Signal Crayfish into the search engine in the top right hand side and then choose option 3 - the interactive map.

Also has anybody applied for the relevent licences, and if so how easy were they to get

Pretty straightforward - but remember that you need the landowner's permission. Or possibly permission from the local fishing club, if they have the rights to fish on that stretch of water. The nearest pub is usually a good information point

I guess you have the Application Form?

Make sure that if you catch any native Crayfish, that you return them to the river - not only do you risk a fine if you're caught trapping them but they are an endangered species in the UK.

Lots of folk on the River Cottage Forums trap crayfish.

HTH

Ken68

http://forum.downsizer.net/viewtopic.php?t=14003&start=0

mjr600

I'm sure you just can't eat them staight out of the river, I guess you have to keep them in fresh tapwater for a week or so so that their 'inards' have a chance to be flushed out before they can be cooked, much like snails. We have snails galore in the garden and I've always fancied eating some after the appropriate cleaning period, I think you feed them on just lettuce for a week with a bit of clean water in a sterile container, then when they have 'released' all the stuff they ate in the garden they're ready for the butter and garlic.

OH has stopped me from doing it so far, but there's time yet.

skr00ge

slade5x5 wrote: »

1,Has anybody tried catching them bef

Hugh FearnyWhittingwhatsit (Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstal) has done it and on camera. One of the River Cottage series. He found some road kill and you thought, "he's not going to eat it, is he?". Anyway he stuck it in some kind of cage and dropped it in the brook/stream. The crayfish come for the dead meat.

Hey presto.

He didn't have a licence but it was on the property he was renting.

eryn_kathleen

I've caught them in the States. The best way to do it if you're just catching enough for one meal is to find the medium sized rocks in the bed of a clear stream. In the afternoon they'll hide from the sun (even on somewhat overcast days) under the rocks, and if you pull the rocks straight upwards so they don't kick up any dust(mud), you'll see the crayfish just sitting there for a couple of seconds - giving you just enough time to catch them with your free hand. We used to do it all the time as kids and it's surprisingly easy. It's not too often you get the big scary ones!

We used to eat them the same day, but it was a very clear stream and I don't know if that's normal practice.

FrugalFairy

We go crayfishing ion our local canal - don't need permission on a canal.

It's really easy ... get a piece of string, tie a small weight on the end, and attach a small piece of bacon. Then just dangle it in the water (the weight must hit the bottom), when you get a tug pull it up carefully and a crayfish will be attached! We catch loads this way. Although we don't eat them, we know various other people that do.

tim_n

Ken68 wrote: »

http://forum.downsizer.net/viewtopic.php?t=14003&start=0

huzzah, my post (tim_n aka fallscrape on downsizer...)