peter crabtree
AKA Simon, 1953 - 2022 (RIP)
Skippy the Ricky beat is now full of the things as is the Gade and Chess.
Signal Crayfish ?
- Thread starter Bob Hornegold
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barbelboi
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Didn't know they were that close. I heard something about the Chess but haven't fish those parts for many years. Not a sign in the Colne along the Yiesley/West Drayton stretches thankfully. Are the rainbows in the Chess stiil self substaining?
Jerry
PS The buffer zone in between is the GX&U stretch - have they reached there yet?
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xenon
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they are definitely in the Colne around Radlett way (near Watford)-bloody heaving with them in places.
Was it that long ago!!
That may have been the one I heard about Bob, he put them in and not to long after they were all gone!
I can remember them being caught in pots commercaily in the Tove at Castlethorpe, and they were certainly in their hoards in the Ouse at Stoney Stratford !
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S-Kippy
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Thanks Simon...bang goes any thought I had of renewing my URACS ticket. I may never catch another barbel at this rate.
---------- Post added at 17:07 ---------- Previous post was at 17:06 ----------
If they haven't then they will. That's the Colne finished.
richiekelly
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how far north have they been found? the blythe up this way is full of the things, how do you go about getting a licence to trap them?
barbelboi
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Blanker, They've reached Scotland but as yet, the distribution of signal
crayfish in Scotland is believed to be restricted to a few streams in south
west Scotland, although isolated specimens have been reported from
further north.
Jerry
crayfish in Scotland is believed to be restricted to a few streams in south
west Scotland, although isolated specimens have been reported from
further north.
Jerry
Has anyone tried Armamesh and found it to work?
I've heard it actually doesn't, but am willing to keep an open mind if someone has tried it and had it withstand their attentions? It may be that a positive experience is based on a session or sessions where the crays weren't that active or in great numbers.
Or maybe I'll try it myself and report back?
I've heard it actually doesn't, but am willing to keep an open mind if someone has tried it and had it withstand their attentions? It may be that a positive experience is based on a session or sessions where the crays weren't that active or in great numbers.
Or maybe I'll try it myself and report back?
Ah, that's because those not in the know but with the ponds were sold a pup by those in the know who wanted to supply them with 'stock'. Think ostriches, llamas, alpacas and so on. what next, I wonder, camels' milk, fruit bat curry?
Anyway, water buffalo did work out quite nicely as did sheep, cattle and jungle fowl in their time.
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Very much so, Waggy. A few months ago there was a priceless programme on BBC Radio 4 about the "Ostrich Boom", largely peopled by small farmer-chancers, ex-Military Men (retired middle-ranking officers) and Stock Exchange-stung ex-High Street Bank Managers looking to make a fast buck. This greedy "Bubble" nonsense - fur, feather, fowl, shell, fish - goes in cycles, always leaving the rest of us to pick up the environmental pieces as well as scratching our heads and asking "How were those a'holes allowed to get away with it?".
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S-Kippy
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Well...having spent an hour or so trawling the net looking for what has been tried to stop these things I'm now more depressed than ever. They are eminently poisonable but sadly that which does for signal crays does for everything else too. Trapping has negligible effect as its far too localised. There is still research going on but it seems that the considered view is that these things cannot be eradicated...all research/trials etc seem to be geared towards finding a way of protecting the native white-clawed cray. Once these things get into a river system then the game is up and the bloody things can walk miles over dry land too.
It seems there is no answer but however ineffective it might be I shall enjoy stomping every damned one I catch into a pulp.
It seems there is no answer but however ineffective it might be I shall enjoy stomping every damned one I catch into a pulp.
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beerweasel
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Your right S-kippy but did you see all the recipes ?
If we can take the Herring to the verge of extinction, why not Crays ?
If we can take the Herring to the verge of extinction, why not Crays ?
S-Kippy
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Weasel my man....we could all dine on crays every day for the rest of our lives and you would still not be able to put a bait in the water. I honestly dread to think how many you could get on some rivers with a trap.
I have the dubious pleasure of being one of the first anglers to report signals in the Kennet...the population is now conservatively put at "millions". That was many years ago and to my eternal regret I thought it was "cute" and put the damned thing back !
I have the dubious pleasure of being one of the first anglers to report signals in the Kennet...the population is now conservatively put at "millions". That was many years ago and to my eternal regret I thought it was "cute" and put the damned thing back !
xenon
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"CUTE" !! the bloody things look hideous to my mind-like something out of a science fiction horror film.
uscarper
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we have alot here but its not really a problem, i wonder why they are such a problem there? we do have some animals here that eat them such as raccoon, mink, otters, alot of fish eat them, and some wading birds eat them to.some people trap them here to,for food and bait. one bait dealer would give 2 cents a peice for them, he had large trays which looked like a table with 6 inch sides on it. he would fill with water and place the crays in it. he would feed them carp and wait for them to shed their shell. then he would sell to baitshop for 3 dollars a dozen, baitshop would sell them for10 dollars a dozen. he would give me all the dead ones for bait in return i would take him any fish i didnt want to feed the others.
might sound daft, but you need a licence to kill signal crayfish...dont get caught!!
Bob Hornegold
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Has anyone tried Armamesh and found it to work?
I've heard it actually doesn't, but am willing to keep an open mind if someone has tried it and had it withstand their attentions? It may be that a positive experience is based on a session or sessions where the crays weren't that active or in great numbers.
Or maybe I'll try it myself and report back?
Si,
I have tried Armamesh and Large Shrink Tube, with No Success what so ever !!
Rubber Boilies and Pellets seem to be the only answer, the ones you can place a split shot on the hait to stop the crays eating the hair off
These things will destroy many fisheries in the end I reckon ?
I did hear that the Mitten Crabs are up to Enfield now and theres a bit of a Battle between the Crays and the Mittens.
Sounds a bit like a Turf War of the 60s, between the Crays and the Richardsons ?
Bob
I knew someone had told me it was rubbish, couldn't remember who.
It's difficult to know how the future lies. Mankind has a good record at finding ways to wipe species out. On the other hand, examples like the Cane Toad problem in Australia suggests more gloom.
Like S-Kippy, I did some more research last night. I'd noticed over the last few seasons how the weed growth in the Lea had alsmot disappeared on some gravel sections which used to be quite lush and provide holding cover for the bigger fish.
Now I wonder if it's the crayfish. This is particularly in the slightly deeper glides which are too deep for the geese and swans to crop.