According to my research, Rustys grow larger than many native species and are more aggressive - not only outcompeting native crayfish but are less vulnerable to predation due to size and general badass attitude.

Several large bows up North have incurred complete vegetation denudation despite fisheries including apex predators like WE, YP, SMB, NP and Muskies. Somehow those fish didn't manage their populations, which is surprising. My guess is it's a combination of their larger size, aggressive defensive behavior, and maybe high fecundity that makes their impact so severe. To answer your question - in a pond environment I feel Rustys could easily manage or denude vegetation of all kinds, depending on population density and species/density of predators present. My papershell population controlled FA, Chara, American and Sago pondweed in a 1/2 acre pond without predation risk on adults. I was pretty amazed at their efficiency. Water also was fairly turbid compared to my other ponds with visibility around 24-30" due to their bottom foraging habits stirring up clay/silt. When we drained and seined the pond this Fall, we removed 8 5 Gallon buckets of adult crays - and I originally stocked 50 only 12 months prior. Again, I was surprised at their success.

Many men go fishing all of their lives without knowing that it is not fish they are after. ~ Henry David Thoreau

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