crayfish are driving me mad! help.

[Anderoo]

Here we go:

 

 

Skip to 3.30.

 

And just because chub and perch have toothless mouths, don't think they have no teeth - they're just situated back in their throats, and very powerful they are too (as anyone who's accidentally put their finger down a chub's throat to retrieve a hook will tell you!)

 

Edited February 11, 2013 by Anderoo

[jimpy0]

you could always make up a crayfish net and take them from the river - damn lovely with some pepper and vinegar, treat em as you would prawns

[kirisute]

http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/homeandleisure/recreation/fishing/38051.aspx

nothing is as simple as that mate...something Mr Whittingstall fails to mention when he advocates trapping a healthy number of crawfish for lunch!!

I don't think a lot of people realise they need written permission to trap them or that the traps have to conform to guidelines etc

 

Reepham fishery; just up the road; is so strictly governed about their traps that each is serial numbered; and every month or so they are visited to ensure compliance with EA standards and that all crayfish caught are destroyed! they are not allowed to keep them for food or sell them to local restaurants etc

its awful when you consider the amount of crayfish they have to destroy! they could make a tidy sum from them or even supply a local food establishment

Edited February 11, 2013 by kirisute

[peterpikefisher]

try fruit flavoured baits or imitation baits

[tinca steve]

To catch them on purpose you need a licence, If caught by accident you are not to put them back in. LAW.

 

Baits that seem to be less like food for them seems to be anything vegetable based. Chick peas not from a tin as they are sweetened, dried ones cooked up yourself do work, but it may take a time for them to be accepted. Maples, Tares and frozen untreated Sweetcorn(Iceland) are others that could work.

 

Keep away from meaty or sweet things.

 

Just to give you food for thought.

[jack1432]

cheers lads.

 

I'll give them all a try over the rest of this season and next season

[chesters1]

http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/homeandleisure/recreation/fishing/38051.aspx

nothing is as simple as that mate...something Mr Whittingstall fails to mention when he advocates trapping a healthy number of crawfish for lunch!!

I don't think a lot of people realise they need written permission to trap them or that the traps have to conform to guidelines etc

 

Reepham fishery; just up the road; is so strictly governed about their traps that each is serial numbered; and every month or so they are visited to ensure compliance with EA standards and that all crayfish caught are destroyed! they are not allowed to keep them for food or sell them to local restaurants etc

its awful when you consider the amount of crayfish they have to destroy! they could make a tidy sum from them or even supply a local food establishment

The traps have a general number on the lables to show who has the licence ,it doesnt have to be the licence holder who operates the traps as its venue related and they can delegate who does the trapping.

Not heard of any EA checks myself and i have never come across any regulation on destroying crays only the way they are killed if you kill them what happens after you catch them.is up to you other than you cannot return alive or dead crays to any water,.

I dump my dead ones down the back of the dam by next day all have gone something obviasly enjoys them.

Theres no money in small scale trapping the buyers really want x hundred of a certain size a week but in reality they come in all sizes so on a small pond you would have to keep the wanted ones alive to you had the correct amount and you would have to feed them

This time of the year they are tucked up in their holes so few are caught ,if you could get free bait you may make a few bob locally but they can strip a whole pilchard overnight and are masters of opening the bait cages that are supposed to stop them doing it

Strange thing in my experience they dont notice freshwster fish in a trap ,they dont like pongy fish but they love pilchards.i thought it was the oil but they dont like mackeral ,perhaps mine sfe just fussy

 

The EA dont want signal crayfish removed from.britain as they have this general trapping regs ,if they made it open house on all ponds and only licenced the rivers when our ones may still be alive they would make a much bigger dent in the population

Edited February 11, 2013 by chesters1

[Worms]

 

The chitin shell is a rigid, fixed size so in order to grow, crays have to get rid of the shell and move up to a larger size. Its the same process that gives us peeler crabs and for the same reason.

 

 

Larger perch take lures. Crays usually don't. Chub, I really dunno if they take lures or not. Never even seen one to the best of my knowledge.

 

Newt, chub fishing with lures is good sport, they'll eat anything but fishing for them with a popper or a big leggy fly is great, they hit the lure like a train!

[Ken L]

As simple size two or three spinner will catch both chub and perch. Indeed I catch more of both on lures than I ever did with bait but chub aggression is very swim dependent and you will struggle to catch them consistently on lures if the water is more than four feet deep.

Surface lures including flies are also great fun for summer chub.