Cray Fish

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Mark Williams 16

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hi all

Just a short note, I went fishing last weekend at a lake in Billericay Essex, caught a couple of bream and roach, but that's not all, to my surprise i also caught a European Cray Fish, not a American red signal cray that are in alot of our rivers.

This might not be big news to alot of people but i thought it was something to remember, as i've never seen one let alone caught one. Just thought i'd let others know. Mark
 
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Bryan Baron 2

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Are you sure it was a native crayfish and not a juvinile siganal.

Thankfully we have a lot around here they are in one of the flyfisheries that i go to. But the signals are knocking on the door. Less than 50 miles away and already in the River Ribble fedder streams.
 
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Mark Williams 16

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HI Bryan when i 've found out how to upload a picture to the forum i'll show you what i got. Thanks for the reply Mark
 
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Bryan Baron 2

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No problem mate.

To upload a picture know where it is on your computer. Select the icon that looks like a tree(3rd from right) and click the Your computer button at the top right. Then click on the browse button and link to the location on your computer.
 
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NomadPaul

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Mark , that looks like a young Signal /forum/smilies/sad_smiley.gif....and was it Lake meadows you were fishing ?
 
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Bryan Baron 2

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Here is a good description from JPR Enviromental

Adult white-clawed crayfish may reach 12 cm in length from the tip of the rostrum (‘head’) to the end of the telson (‘tail’). This is much smaller than adult signal crayfish that can grow to 30 cm. There is a single pair of post-orbital (behind the eyes) ridges unlike the signal crayfish that has two pairs. The body of white-clawed crayfish is smooth, generally brown to olive in colour with a pitted appearance. Signal crayfish also have a smooth body but the colour is often more reddish-brown. Claws of signal crayfish are smooth and red on the underside with a white-turquoise patch on top of the junction of claw (which gives them their common name of ‘signal’) and are usually very large (if they have not been previously lost and re-grown). White-clawed crayfish have rough top sides of their claws with dirty-white to pink colour on the underneath (hence their common name).
 
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Adam Ellis

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I realise this is an old post but the photos are definately of a White-clawed native crayfish, and not a juvenile signal crayfish. I would be interested to hear the location of this lake as it may represent a new record for the species in the area.

If you have any details you can contact me on adam.ellis@environment-agency.gov.uk.
 
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Keith M

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Great to see one of these, I used to see them in the streams that fed the GU canal near Watford but since the Signal and Turkish crays have spread I havent seen one.

Great news.
 
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Fred Bonney

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Welcome to FM, Adam.

Got a decent crash helmet ? /forum/smilies/wink_smiley.gif
 
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