Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations Stocking Crawfish??

We just lined our dam in my neighborhood lake with riprap (about 600'). I'm thinking that it will be great habitat for crawfish. There is very little rock in the lake now, but where there is some we can find a few crawfish. If we were to add crawfish along the riprap, would they establish a sustainable population? Would this be worthwhile? I'd hate to spend the money on them, and they are a one time meal for the bass. If it would just be for short term, I'd rather eat them myself

Lake info: 100 acres, bass heavy, working to reduce bass numbers, and increase forage. Bass are about 85%rw. Forage is bluegill, and threadfins.

Thanks

The crayfish should establish some sort of population among the new riprap shoreline because there is a current crayfish population in the lake. How much of a population will depend on food source and amount of predation. Before adding the crayfish I would allow algae/periphyton to grow on the riprap so there is a food source for the crayfish when they are stocked.

Thanks for this input Bill. You just made up my mind about stocking crayfish now or waiting until next year. My rip rap and concrete slab piles are all relatively new. I will wait until next year to stock crayfish to get the forage for them well established first.

How would you like having THIS monster Craw in your pond?!?!?! No Condello effects on the pic and being held in a grown man's hand. Sent to me by a friend/client/forum member telling me it is a native, non-burrowing, prolific, fall spawning craw that just showed up in a new forage pond and he's been feeding them since he found them. He also says they are wonderful, dipped in melted butter!

is that one of this giant ones they discovered in TN rivers?

lets get some info on them. what species is it?

he has been feed them "them" as in he has a pond full of them?

more info please...

Would like to see more info on that crustacean !!!!

http://www.michigan-sportsman.com/forum/threads/bottlebrush-crayfish.478884/

Love it when "new" animals are discovered and recognized by science. Even better when the discovery is made in populated, well traversed regions.

thats what I thought they were....

So he has a forage pond and they are reproducnig for him, Thats awesome. wonder if they would be a good pond addition.

These remind me of the old Japanese horror films of the 60's. Like Godzilla and another movie of the large army ants fought by the military, all of which were caused by nuclear radiation contamination. Any Nuclear Plants close by there in Tenn?
Here in Louisiana, crawfish are one of the desired foods for us. We have a Mud bug festival every year here in Shreveport. I am thinking it might be worth a trip to Tennessee for some crawfish trapping. Both for forage pond and for a booth at the festival

Tracy

I have no more real information on the craw pictured other than they were first seen in fall, laden with eggs. No predators since it is a forage pond, and they have become quite prolific in the pond. As for the "feed", he uses Aquamax for his fish, so I can only assume that is what the craws get.

I have no clue on the species, but will ask if he'll chime in on this thread.

Everything tastes good dipped in melted butter....

Sometimes I like to take unmelted butter and dip it in melted butter.

You guys must be trying to butter someone up.

Every once in a while Eric makes me bust out laughing.

They really WOULD be quite a sensation at the Mudbug Festival, Tracy!

Frankly, I'd love to get my hands on some as well to put in my forage pond. Maybe we could each try our luck in growing them for the table and for the bass! They are so big that I suspect even large bass could grow rather quickly eating them, as the caloric reward is much greater than the caloric cost to hunt them down.

Anyway, let me know if you have plans to trap some. I'd be glad to kick in some money towards the effort.

Thanks for the info, we may see if we start seeing them in the riprap and decide how to go from there. I'd like to spend money on a forage that is self sustaining, and not a buffet.

Drizzle that butter over a perfectly barbecued rib eye with melted pepper jack cheese and a few mushrooms on top.....

Frank, if we researched the mudbugs a little more as to exactly where we might be able to trap some up there in Tenn, I might be interested in a joint venture trip. I am not to concerned about the financial assistance but more interested in being a trip where we made the trip together. I might need some assistance in the labor of trapping. if we took the vet, and figured out how to transport them back( the vet has a small trunk) We could make a trip in the vet pretty fast. Top end speed is 189mph.

Tracy

Sounds like it could be a fun trip, Tracy! I'd dearly love to catch and stock some 8 to 12 inch crawfish. We'll need to make sure they survive trip back to Shreveport, so guess we'd need to do some research with folks who transport crawfish. I suspect that fish food would be helpful once they're stocked, too, at least in my still filling (and fishless) pond.

You can PM me on this for further plans. I'd like to draft my son, too, so he can enjoy grabbing a foot long crawfish with giant claws.

It sure would suck if the crawfish turned out to have some negative influence in a pond setting, though. From what I've read, these two species of giant crawfish exist in a limited area....are they protected in any way? What are the long-term ramifications of moving and establishing them into other areas? Will they co-exist with native species of crawfish? Do they compete for resources commonly utilized by other species? What happens when they grow too large to provide forage for all but a couple giant LMB? Gizzard shad with pincers?

Frank, I think it may be time to do further research on these extra-large sized mud bugs. Thinking outloud here, I once transported 80 lbs of our local mudbugs for a family boil which was taking place in SE Okla. about a 3 hr drive from here. I transported them in large coolers and upon arrival they had died. I figured I had suffocated them. So yes u r right we need to figure out how to transport them after they r in our possession. I have one very large cooler 3'x3' used to transport elk meat from a hunt. And I was thinking about the wild life and fishery laws about the craws. Louisiana people ship craws all over the USA so I don't think it would be a problem but need to look see, as we don't need to spend any time in the courts or their jails I think it might be fun to have a booth at the mud bug festival serving them up. Would be the talk of the festival Ha, would be fun.

Sparkie, I agree, lots of things to consider. I already have large native craws in my pond. I am not sure of the species I have but they are running in the 7" size, maybe larger. They r big crawfish. I figure they will be utilized by the CBLMB in just a few more months because my lmb are now in the 12" size and we r looking optimistically @ a 3# per yr growth rate on these fish. And like gizzard shad, where they are added to lmb ponds here for feeding our trophy lmb that grow in Texas ponds. So, could the crawfish be utilized to grow these Overton's CBLMB trophy's. If we can get them here and get them into a forage pond, we might be able to answer some of the questions u and I ask. I think It would be something that might be worth looking into. Can u imagine using these large crawfish as bait, on a hook and fishing pole, fishing for these lmb that have grown to 15+ lbs here in Texas ponds? I think Frank and I have some things to discuss as we look into such things. Since our ponds are about 20 miles apart from each other, we might be able to benefit from all of this.

Tracy

Frank PM sent but having problems with this site today will not stay connected. let me know if no pm shows up

Tracy

Don't cover with water, and don't let them get hot.

A guy that I know that used to transport Craws from Mi. to In had 4" tall Styrofoam trays. The craws went in the trays with about 1/2" of water. The trays were stacked on top of each other.

On the TV shows that I've seen, the craws are transported in sacks with some ice thrown on top.

Before stocking them try to do some homework as to what they eat and how much they eat. Find out how to eradicate them. They could be a problem based on ones goals.

We have had good luck shipping them in grass clippings only and some ice packs in a cooler. No need for any water at all.

Cheers Don.