Pond Boss Forums STOCKING A NEW POND Creating the food chain Paper Shell Crawfish

Does anyone know a good source for paper shell crawfish near Ohio?
Thanks

Smith creek fish farm will ship them to anywhere

That way you know you are not getting an unwanted species of crawfish

I have bought Paper shells from Smith creek once, and I would again. All arrived in good shape.

I contacted SmithCreek last month about papershells too. Seem like nice folks. I was a tad bit worried in the heat with shipping to Texas and how soon I could get out to my property during the week to throw them in the pond...so I did not place an order.

http://www.smithcreekfishfarm.com/productdetails2.cfm?ID=18

But don't wait to long. When I bought mine, I think it was September. They told me it was the end of their season on catching them.

very true fish n chips....i waited too long
last year as well and they said "call back in june".

Whatever you do, don't use 2 day shipping. Get them shipped next day. They won't last 2 days in the bags.

Good information here on an alternative forage base member!

I've read here on this site, and heard from others, that the traditional crawfish burrow holes into dams, etc. and can cause considerable damage.

1 - Is this the case with the papershells?
2 - How often (approx) do the papershells reproduce per year?
3 - In a pond of 1.75 ac that averages 10', how many should I stock of them?

Much appreciated!

'Before you louse it up, THIMK!'

1. Papershells do not create extensive burrows unless water is lowered to shallow drying pools. They will normally create shallow cavities often under rocks - concrete to incubate eggs.
2. Crayfish particularly northern crayfish have one brood per year usually early-mid spring.
3. How many to stock will depend on existing fish base, size of fish, species of fish, amount of cover.

A local guy stocked 4000 papershells last fall in a 0.5 ac pond with existing minnows, shiners with 10"-13" SMB and perch. Few if any papershells remain after this spring. They need quite a bit of good habitat to survive predation.