Crayfishing

[relaxis]

Hi, does anyone know about crayfishing in Durham? Any good methods?

The one I have heard of is using a line with a tin of catfood on the end with holes in it and then lifting them out of the water one by one...

 

[yerbache]

First point - great in principle, but Durham is one of the counties that still has a level of the native crayfish that are extremely rare, so make sure you can tell the difference between the native White-clawed crayfish and the American signal crayfish.

 

[relaxis]

They're pretty easy to tell apart.

 

[Bushwhacker]

To put it bluntly, this sounds like a leading question to find out if anyone is up to illegal activity. Seen posts like this before on hunting forums about other things. Might be better if you introduce yourself first.

 

[yerbache]

They're pretty easy to tell apart.

Yes, they are...forgive the patronising but it's a pretty important detail and a lot of people wouldn't know one from another! I've had success with a torch and spear before now, but any kind of "ripe" meat in an improvised or bought trap can yield loads overnight.

 

[yerbache]

To put it bluntly, this sounds like a leading question to find out if anyone is up to illegal activity. Seen posts like this before on hunting forums about other things. Might be better if you introduce yourself first.

Good point, well put. Harvesting them in this country is illegal without a permit, and moreover it's pretty lethal to the populations of white claws if misidentified. The laws, love them or hate them, are there to prevent amateur enthusiasts from collecting the wrong species.

 

[andyc54]

plus you wont get issued with a liscence from the ea in the northeast because of the healthy levels of native crayfish even more so in the durham area

 

[yerbache]

plus you wont get issued with a liscence from the ea in the northeast because of the healthy levels of native crayfish even more so in the durham area

Another good point and one which also makes me think it was a "leading question". Oxfordshire is not so bad as it's over-run with American signals, but Durham and Cumbria have good populations of the White Claws.

 

[relaxis]

plus you wont get issued with a liscence from the ea in the northeast because of the healthy levels of native crayfish even more so in the durham area

I've spoken to the Environment agency, trapping permits are not given out generally because of the native population of crayfish but if you use a line - like in the method I described - you only need a rod licence and you can buy one from the post office.

I merely wanted to know where some good spots are. I'm not trolling for illegal activity or anything, I just want to have a fun afternoon with my friends by the riverside and take something home for the bbq.

 

[andyc54]

thats interesting never heard of being able to catch them with out a permit and if you can use a rod licence then you would have to use a rod as handlining inshore is ilegal (as i found out after talking about my hobo handline on another thread) or so i would asume if you can find a spot with signal crayfish good luck and let us know how you get on.

and just put an introduction about yourself on the forum and people on here will be much more willing to help its a great forum and you never know may see you at a local meet

 

[_scorpio_]

hand-lining is illegal?? i have done it with the owner of the lake watching me, he didnt say anything other than it was unusual and asked me if i had caught much...
i have also been with/around professional fisherman and a guy from the *something to do with fish laws/regulations* doing a survey of a blue-green algae outbreak in a lake, nobody mentioned it. i was even helping him by showing him the fish i caught with my hand-line...
is there any reason why it is illegal? i am the only person i know of who does it at any of the places i fish, so its unlikely to be very strictly policed if nobody really does it, which i suppose could be the reason nobody knows its illegal?

 

[andyc54]

i did n't either but googled it and another forum had a lawyer/law specialist who said they are and it says so in law plus look at my other forum post and see the response i got lol

http://www.bushcraftuk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=70197&highlight=hobo+hand+line

your very lucky as i got a lovely one off ebay and have n't had chance to use it

 

[andyc54]

this link is interesting aswell

http://www.britishblades.com/forums/showthread.php?97567-hobo-handlines-info-please