Nicky Posted January 3, 2005 Report Share Posted January 3, 2005 Has anyone got any tips on traps, times of the year etc. I,ve made a couple of normal traps but to no avail. Are there any really good rivers for crayfish in Leicester? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tody27 Posted January 3, 2005 Report Share Posted January 3, 2005 Nicky, Not sure about trapping, but using a sea fishing hook baited with a few earthworms works well. If you try this, make sure you dont use a fishing rod, as the eels can swim backwards and back into their holes, where they can cause a vacuum. I find a thick broom pole and a lenth of sea fishing line or nylon string works well- even if it does sound fairly primitive Any way, if you try this method I wish you luck, its is highly effectie and great fun. Hope this helps, Tody Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rkidcj Posted January 3, 2005 Report Share Posted January 3, 2005 Hi Nicky, Ive looked into catching crayfish previously as Rutland water has a problem with them. There are a few american sites on the web which show you how to make traps, they basically seem to work on the same principles as the crab/lobster traps. ie the crayfish crawls into a funnel into the trap for a tasty morsel but is unable to get out. Its not much but I hope it helps. Cheers Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grenville Posted January 3, 2005 Report Share Posted January 3, 2005 To catch mature freshwater eels, get a sack - hessian preferably. Put some rocks, some straw and some animal remains (e.g. road kill, guts etc) into it; tie up the top, make a number of slits with a knife in the body of the sack, submerge it in a river and secure it so that it doesn't get washed away and leave it for a day or so. The slack water rather than fast water tends to be more effective. The eels swim in through the holes to eat the animal remains; When you hoy it out of the water they aren't quick enough to escape. The best time to catch eels is in the autumn, when they migrate. They are ******* to kill - cut their heads off to be sure they are actually dead - but they will still writhe around for hours afterwards. Some people say that if you bash them very hard on the tail with a rock you can stop this - something to do with a nerve cluster being situated there - but as far as I can tell this makes not a jot of difference. Don't handle them if you have a recent cut or graze on your hands as their slime and blood getting in such wounds can get very nasty. Hot-smoked eels are delicious, as they are just simply fried in a pan. Steer clear of eating the skin - apparently some people can react pretty badly to it (a bit like some people with nuts). If you catch a lot go for the small ones as they are more tender - the big ones can be as tough as old boots. I found this site a while ago when I was thinking about getting a proper eel trap but I never actually got round to either buying one or even seeing one used. http://www.tramail.com/indexgb.html With crayfish, make sure its the American ones and not the indigenous British ones you catch. The American ones were reared for eating but some escaped and they have thrived in the wild in the UK. They have become a real pest and (morally speaking - but you'd better check what the legal situation is before you actually do anything) should be destroyed on sight because they are puting the native ones under severe threat (a bit like the tree rat versus squirrell nutkin situation). I would imagine that the native ones are protected though I admit I know nothing about what is legal and what is not legal in this area so I repeat you had better check. Crayfish are delicious cooked and then eaten chilled - with mayonnaise. Good luck! Grenville Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lurcherboy Posted January 3, 2005 Report Share Posted January 3, 2005 Has anyone got any tips on traps, times of the year etc. I,ve made a couple of normal traps but to no avail. Are there any really good rivers for crayfish in Leicester? Check out Jimdfish as he has done some crayfish thingys. LB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hammergun Posted January 3, 2005 Report Share Posted January 3, 2005 Native crayfish are a protected species. American crayfish are a pest species. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pike Posted January 5, 2005 Report Share Posted January 5, 2005 can't reply in full at moment but try www.trap-man.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
millo2 Posted January 5, 2005 Report Share Posted January 5, 2005 There's currently a trap on ebay, cant find it now though but i saw it last night Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pike Posted January 5, 2005 Report Share Posted January 5, 2005 That's better boss is out of the office. To remove crayfish LEGALLY you will need to complete an F2 form from the EA and have permission from the land owner. The EA will then send you a set of discs to display on your nets/traps. The best traps I have seen are small lobster pots and can be bought from bridport nets - alternatley the metal ones on trapman are good if you cannot have youre traps on show for whatever reason P Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dodger Posted January 6, 2005 Report Share Posted January 6, 2005 There is a bit of an anomoly with crayfish. It is illegal to trap them without a licence BUT if you catch one whilst fishing it is illegal to throw it back. This is because it is illegal to release non native species into the wild. The same is true of grey squirrels. It is illegal to release them back into the wild. Any that are taken to animal hospitals with injuries cannot be released without breaking the law. If you get the chance ask the RSPCA what they do with any that are taken to them. On the crayfish front, there are loads in a local canal. What a mate used to do was to lay his landing net in the margins and drop a cube of luncheon meat into it. You will see the light meat under the water. When you cant see it a reggie will be noshing it. Lift net , remove reggie and repeat process. He apparently took 43 one day like this a couple of years ago. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
taxidermy dave Posted January 6, 2005 Report Share Posted January 6, 2005 out of the canal?did you eat them straight away or put them in fresh water for a while, cos i can imagine they would taste pretty foul if your canal is anything like the one near me! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ernyha Posted January 6, 2005 Report Share Posted January 6, 2005 The same is true of grey squirrels. It is illegal to release them back into the wild. Any that are taken to animal hospitals with injuries cannot be released without breaking the law. It is illegal to release any vermin back into the wild, especially the foxes that Rolfe Harris does openly in his Animal Hospital programme. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dodger Posted January 6, 2005 Report Share Posted January 6, 2005 out of the canal?did you eat them straight away or put them in fresh water for a while, cos i can imagine they would taste pretty foul if your canal is anything like the one near me! If I remember correctly he said they were ok. Plenty of salt in the water he boiled them up in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dodger Posted January 6, 2005 Report Share Posted January 6, 2005 It is illegal to release any vermin back into the wild, especially the foxes that Rolf Harris openly does in his Animal Hospital programme. I'm not sure that is strictly true. If it were I expect the RSPCA would not be too keen to be seen breaking the law on prime time tv. Grey squirrels as an introduced species do come under this ruling though. I dont know what others are affected. I will find out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
taxidermy dave Posted January 6, 2005 Report Share Posted January 6, 2005 sounds lovely!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dodger Posted January 6, 2005 Report Share Posted January 6, 2005 Here it is: http://www.defra.gov.uk/wildlife-countrysi...mal.htm#release <<Please note that it is an offence under section 14 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (as amended) to release or allow to escape into the wild grey squirrels, mink and coypu without a licence (click here for details).>> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
taxidermy dave Posted January 6, 2005 Report Share Posted January 6, 2005 What the hells a coypu sounds like something a carp does!So what happens when an anti gets caught realising mink from farms?Does it get done or does it just plead animal cruelty and get off with it???Because ive never heard of any one getting done for it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ernyha Posted January 6, 2005 Report Share Posted January 6, 2005 Dodger that list appears to only include non-native species but if I am wrong when I include any vermin including foxes then I apologise in advance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dodger Posted January 6, 2005 Report Share Posted January 6, 2005 What the hells a coypu sounds like something a carp does!So what happens when an anti gets caught realising mink from farms?Does it get done or does it just plead animal cruelty and get of with it???Because ive never heard of any one getting done for it. COYPU South American water rodent Myocastor coypus, about 60 cm/2 ft long and weighing up to 9 kg/20 lb. It has a scaly, ratlike tail, webbed hind feet, a blunt-muzzled head, and large orange incisors. The fur (‘nutria’) is reddish brown. It feeds on vegetation, and lives in burrows in rivers and lake banks. Taken to Europe and then to North America to be farmed for their fur, many escaped or were released. In Britain, coypus escaped from fur farms and became established on the Norfolk Broads where their adult numbers reached 5,000. They destroyed crops and local vegetation, and undermined banks and dykes. After a ten-year campaign they were eradicated in 1989 at a cost of over £2 million. In 1993 escaped coypu in Louisiana, USA, were causing serious damage to coastal marshland. The above passage is from the online Tiscali encyclopedia. There were other minor populations in the country and if I remember correctly the last one recorded in this country was found in the Reading area having been run over. As for antis releasing Mink - Yes they are breaking the law but I dont expect they have to answer in court for that any more than they do for the criminal damage breaking into the farms in the first place. :< Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dodger Posted January 6, 2005 Report Share Posted January 6, 2005 Dodger that list appears to only include non-native species but if I am wrong when I include any vermin including foxes then I apologise in advance. Nothing to apologise for ernyha. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
taxidermy dave Posted January 6, 2005 Report Share Posted January 6, 2005 Just see a picture of a coypu,they are bloody ugly things, its like a cross between a wild boar and a rat (in the face anyway the rest just looks like a big rat) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dodger Posted January 6, 2005 Report Share Posted January 6, 2005 Just see a picture of a coypu,they are bloody ugly things, its like a cross between a wild boar and a rat (in the face anyway the rest just looks like a big rat) Sounds more like my missus Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deako Posted January 6, 2005 Report Share Posted January 6, 2005 Ern is correct, it is illegal to introduce non native species (and 'kin foxes/vermin) into the wild. DEFRA will confirm this (especially if you claim to be a barrister seeking a legal definition ...but I never said that of course...) The BBC will disagree with the above... but that place is full of lefty ####ers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicky Posted January 6, 2005 Author Report Share Posted January 6, 2005 Cool as, ta for the info. I think stir fried eel with fox sauce and crayfish pudding would be ideal ( Iv'e got the mother-in-law coming round for tea.) Anyone know how to make cyanide ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimdfish Posted January 6, 2005 Report Share Posted January 6, 2005 Nicky One of the most effective traps i have used is as follows, get yourself one of those blue barrels with two handles and the tight fitting black lids. they usually have a metal clamp to attach the lid to the base. I have found it is quite important to use these as the crays find it dark and shelter in there even if the trap is unbaited. Next drill lots and lots of 1/2 inch holes through the barrel to allow waterflow. you will need more holes than you think. cut a hole in the lid ( to the rim) and fashion a funnel out of chicken wire. you are now nearly to trap crays. wrap any bait up, i prefer mackerel i have left out for at least one day, too fresh and they dont bother as much, and wrap it up in chicken wire, place in barrel along with brick or weight to keep it on bottom. on one of the handles tie an old coke or beercan through the tab and when in the water this acts as a float marker. if you can get in the water to place the trap. Bits of rope tied to the bank can cause nosy **** to pick it up and nick your catch. let the water start flowing through the trap ( told you loads of holes will come in handy0 and leave for at least 24 hours if you want big returns. Jim P.S the barrels can be found on most building sites or industrial estaes etc. It is most important that the bait be wrapped in chicken wire or they will devour the bait quickly when you need it to last 24 hours Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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