I prefer papershells because they are least likely to dig or burrow into the pond banks. I use papershells primarily for YP-SMB-Walleye ponds.
Lots of rock riprap habitat reduces the chances of burrowing by most pond dwelling crayfish. My crayfish pond has riprap lining on 3 shorelines. Broken concrete of all sizes down to 3-6 ft deep offers good habitat for crayfish. This crayfish habitat is also utilized as cover and feeding areas by many small fish. The more habitat you create the more crayfish it will support per linear yard.
If the main predator is LMB then I would use a larger specie of crayfish such as northern crayfish aka virile crayfish (Orconectes virilis). Larger species of crayfish will better be able to defend against predation and maintain their breeding population compared to small varieties of crayfish. For Southern ponds consider the red swamp crayfish or white river crayfish who get large enough for human consumption. I would only add the aggressive rusty crayfish (Orconectes rusticus) into a pond if the specie already exists in your state.
http://iz.carnegiemnh.org/crayfish/country_pages/species_by_state.htmAll the above mentioned crayfish are capable pond dwellers and are not the species that climb out of the pond and build holes with 'chimneys'. Crayfish chimneys out of the pond are usually built by other crayfish species.
