Pond Boss Forums MANAGING AN EXISTING POND Corrective stocking Crawfish for LMB Forage?

I did a search, but only found scanty information on adding Crawfish/Mud Bugs for forage. Could be because I think the Yankees call them Crayfish?

Any way, any thoughts on what might need to be done to get a population of Crawfish established in about a 20 acre Southeast Texas lake?

Are they worth adding to provide additional forage for the LMB and Catfish?

BigMac:

I tried an open (all categories, all dates, all members) search for "crawdad" or "crayfish." This pulled up 32 threads, about a quarter of looked from the titles like they SHOULD be pretty good prospects for info. But on quick inspection, they did seem fairly scanty.

Damn Yankees. They won't search for "mud bugs."

For reasons that I'm not too sure of, I've always felt that if you build it, they will come. Crayfish, that is.

Put out a bunch of flat rocks in water 1' deep near the shores of your pond (I mean lake, at 20 acres).

Wait a week and then go see if you have crayfish or not.

Here is more info on raising crawfish than one could want. Look at the SRAC fact sheets for how to raise and life history, food etc.

http://srac.tamu.edu/index.cfm?catid=9

While you look at this I will find the info on crawfish as bass forage.

http://www.sepond.com/Craw.html

Sunil, are you talking about crawdads? Speak English, boy.

I've stocked them 3 or 4 times in small ponds but they all died. I have always gotten them from the local grocery store, put them on ice, and made a fast trip. When they have thawed out they were feisty and went into the water. When I've returned, it looked like they had committed suicide by coon. They had all left the water and gone up on the bank to meet their fate. I made some calls to crawdad raisers in Louisiana and the consensus was that they had been in the store too long. I guess the answer is to get them shipped directly from the farm and get them in the water ASAP. The price was a bunch higher than at the store. I probably won't mess with them again. However, in Houston, you might be able to make a fast trip and get them.

I've also heard that "in the store too long" quote. For some reason, they seem to live their will to live.

Thanks for the URL. Looks like I have some reading to do. I look forward to receiving the URL for using them as Bass forage. I do know I have caught some humongous Flathead, by putting Crawfish on trot or jug lines.

I have seen a mound or two, so the "build it and they will come" statement applies. If they are good Bass and Catfish forage, then I would very much like to see if I can increase their numbers. Even if it only serves to get the Bass to eat my Crawfish lures.

fat-fingers, should read "lose their will to live".

Add to the above links :

POND BOSS
Stocking crawfish for forage. MAY-JUNE 1993

I think it is really the issue prior to this.

http://www.pondboss.com/library.pdf

Here's my experience with crawfish. First, up north, they call them 'crabs.' Don't ask me why. Crawfish are great forage, but can't survive long term without perfect habitat and plentiful food. You can stock them over and over, but without those key items, crawfish won't survive long enough to establish. Look at crawfish/crayfish/mudbugs/crabs as a supplemental forage fish, or even as a minor seasonal player in a diverse food chain. By the way, in a pond rich with bass and bluegill, expect crawfish to hide in tight areas, such as riprap rocks, heavy brush or timber. They eat decaying vegetation, flesh if they can get it, and burrow into heavy clay soils to reproduce. While they are nice nuggets which bass readily inhale, don't expect them to be a major player in any bass pond.

That's kind of what I figured. In the Black Gumbo Clay of southeast Texas and Louisiana they seem to be prevalent, but where this lake is a bit further North, near Lake Livinston, there is much more sand.

I recently added over 80 Xmas tress for fish cover. It was a lot of work, but I was happily surprised at how fast the smaller fish began using it for cover.

I guess I should consider the Crawfish to be supplemental forage that I drop into a brush pile, every Spring season, for a quick protein boost before the Bass begin to spawn. Over time, surviving Crawfish may start a small colony, which would be an added benefit.

Thanks to all and now we have a good thread to search on, with all the common names for the little lobsters.

I stocked them almost 2 years ago and they have done pretty well. In the spring I will see them crossing the road and in the grass along the banks. After stocking them I could cheat fish by using a crawfish lure and would have great luck. I picked up several hundred from a farm in LA for a lot less then I could get them locally.

Good luck.

Texas715,
About where did you stock them?
Was that Crawfish farm, not too far into Louisiana? I am now looking for a farm, where I can go to pick up a 100 to 200 hundred pounds of them.

Does any one else know of a source closer to Houston and/or Beaumont? How do you transport them for several hours and keep them alive?

bigmac,

The Fiesta stores in Houston carry them in 100 pound bags in season.

Cool! Can I just put them in the trunk of the car and transport them, for about 1.5 hours, to the big pond/lake or do I need ice chests, with water in them, etc.?

We sell them in GA. easy to transport. Just keep them cool. Best to staock before April. You might place a bag of ice in the trunk then place trash bag between them and crawfish and wrap them all in tarp. Most important is to not let them catch wind if in back of truck. They come in bags of 35-50 lbs.

In spring '05, I put about 10,000 crawdads into my 6-7 acre pond. There is a lot of habitat for them in my pond. You can flip any rock and find some.

I would say that maybe every 50th fish caught will have two pinchers and some antennae sticking out of his gullet. What does this observation mean? Beats me, but I thought I would mention it. I'm not saying that a lot of fish are not eating crawdads in my pond, just that you don't always see evidence of it.

There is an entire section in this link on transporting live crawfish pg. 5-6 .

http://srac.tamu.edu/tmppdfs/8989590-SRAC2402.pdf

Add this to your considerations.

Abstract.—We attempted to control a population of papershell crayfish (Orconectes immunis) in an 11-hectare fish-rearing impoundment in Jackson County, Wisconsin, by using traps and by stocking largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides). Crayfish were harvested with traps during the summer of 1985, and the pond was stocked with 386 largemouth bass (mean weight, 1.1 kg) in spring 1986. The pond was drained in the fall of 1985 and 1986, and crayfish burrow counts were made to estimate the population. In 1985, we trapped more than 18,000 crayfish, of which 72% were adult males. Trapping had minor effect on the young-of-the-year crayfish. In 1986, the crayfish population was reduced by 98%, predation by largemouth bass being the probable major cause of the reduction.

Greg,

Correction...most important is to not forget they are in your trunk.

Did that once with bait shrimp...might as well buy a new car.

Woo-hoo! Fiesta says the season starts the end of February and the prices come way down from the current $4.99 a pound. They told me I have to call or come into the store to order them.

I found a farm that will ship to me or I can pick the Crawfish up at the airport. I think Fiesta migth be cheaper, when the season starts.
http://www.klcrawfishfarms.com/#Place

man how much cheaper??? That is crazy price. I get them from LA the day they are taken out of rice field. I of course make money but still sell them for $2.50/lb but I hear my price is going up, but $5.00 man I wish I could get that. I would think it is worth drive to La if paying that much.

Yes, but for $4.99 a pound these Crawfish also perform acupuncture treatments and sing "Take me to the river".

I'm sure shipping costs have gone way up, since last year. For this time of the year, that $4.99 a pound is normal in Houston. Last year, in season, I bought them for $2.99 a pound.

I wish I could go pick them up at the farm, but I have not come across that resource, yet. hint, hint to forum members...

bigmac wrote: "Yes, but for $4.99 a pound these Crawfish also perform acupuncture treatments and sing "Take me to the river"."

It's always nice when you can get dual usage out of your pond residents.

There are some crawfish fields between Winnie and Beaumont, or maybe between Houston and Winnie. I go that way often. i will get the ph number if i can remember next time.

Bigmac

How far you willing to drive?
I harvested these crawdads (northern variety) from neighbors irrigation pond.

[img]http://www.redsplash.com/ims/pic.php?u=2728E8VpV&i=28847[/img]

Cost: one 12 pack......err, make that an 11 pack.

Ed

Edward,
Well, sounds good and the price is definitely right. I'm just afraid those tender, baby Crawfish wouldn't make it down here with our Texas summers and Wyoming is bit far for me to drive.