Found this online. Helpful pictures of crayfish both native and non-native found in Michigan. If you read the forums you can see a dedicated group of folks going to their favorite rivers or lakes and working hard to trap rusty crayfish and then eating them. They have removed hundreds of pounds and given the native crayfish a new chance on life.
They claim crayfish are eating sturgeon eggs. They also find in the chain of lakes area in antrim county that there are big areas of loss of weeds and just sand beds left due to heavy rusty crayfish infestation
also some recent posts where they no longer worry about big fines if they are caught in possession of the rusties. Strange that the lakes are full of them but it is a big problem to be seen with them in your possession. Probably just trying to keep them from spreading in bait buckets etc to other lakes. But in November 2014 the Mich DNR changed the law that you are allowed to have them in your possession if you are transporting them home to EAT them.
I guess they said if you are seen with rusties and with a fishing pole you might still be in trouble.
There are dedicated trapping crews trying to keep the numbers down and then enjoying good eating thereafter!
I wonder how fast rusties could help take care of vegetation in a smaller lake or pond or if it would be noticeable?
I assume the problem with the rusties is that after a certain size they are too big to be eaten by walleye or other larger predators? Or maybe just too prolific in their egg production?
Great forum here at this link here:
Crayfish ID Rest of the forum index here
