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Crayfish tactics

P

Pete Webb

Active Member
Can anyone tell me what I should do when I get crayfish activity in a swim? Should I move swim as having crayfish in a swim means no fish? Or do you just sit it out and hope a fish will muscle it out of the way and take your bait?
What do you reckon the best anti crayfish bait is?

Bloody things are driving me mad :mad:

Cheers

Pete
 
Yes, sit it out. A good swim is a good swim, crayfish or not.

When the fish arrive, if they are big ones the crayfish will likely leg it or else get eaten.

The best crayfish bait is a hard one.

If they are still whittling your bait down then try some of this.

I'm sure some of the guys who fish the Lea will have more advice.
 
Thanks for that.funnily enough I've just got back from the lea and got pestered out of sight by the bloody things. Often reeling in to find no hook bait. I was using 2 10mm boilies. Haven't fished the Lea for about 6 years so was a bit shocked today by the level of crayfish activity.

Pete
 
Yes its really bad down there especially fishers green, impossible to be able to keep a bait in the water any length of time, rubber pellets or boilies may be the answer.
 
Yes, it's much worse than when I used to fish the Lea a few years back. The reason I asked the question was that on the way back to the car I got chatting with another angler who had just landed one. He said that when he cast in he thought it was wierd that there was no crayfish activity in the swim and then his rod hooped round. I think this was the first fish he'd had for quite some time and he said on all other occasions he's had the tap tap tap of crayfish.
This got me to thinking, do you rove about untill you get a swim with no crayfish taps and concentrate on that area?
Also, if you have crayfish bites and they suddenly stop does this mean there are fish in the area?

Pete
 
They are a bloody nightmare. On the thamesmy mates and i use large baits and loose feed with smaller ones. Crays will pick up easier smaller baits and then move onto your larger bait, that is now the time to put some more bait in. Trouble with crays is that they completly cover your hook and bait. The other trick you can try is hemp that has been left to ferment. After watching crays in the margins of pits they seem to avoid it possibly because it reduces the oxygen level of water! Carp love the stuff. Only problem is will it work in running water.
 
Last year on the river i fish they were a pain - this year they do not yet seem to have shown (high water/ very fast flow) but i am hearing the chub and perch are much bigger. I have been boiling my baits much longer and using larger ones - but then today i did not have a bite!!
 
My local is alive with them my mate bought a crayfish net and netted a few but took one cooked it and had it with sweet chilly dip......... LOVELY :D regarding your post the barbel dont seem to be bothered also just reflect on the stubby tailed barbel and how they get the tails like that ;)
Regards
 
I'm back on the Lea Wednesday, giving it another go. What should i do? I'm thinking of using some hardened boilie hookbaits, a bit larger than ones I'd normally use too! Is the general consensus just to put up with the blighters in any given swim, or to try and get a swim where you're not bothered by them? What about trying to use baits that are not fishy or meaty?
 
Pete, there is nothing they will not eat. Some people say they aren't too keen on baits with garlic but not found this myself. The only thing to do is use artificials, which they will still attack but stay on, or otherwise use mesh or the clear heat shrinking tube that electricians use. They generally do scarper when there are a few fish in the swim though...
 
10 pellets superglued to a hair is a tactic I use. Even with constant cray attention this will last at least an hour- which should hopefully give a fish time to find your hookbait. The plus to this is that a barbel will take the 10 pellets or whatever is left of it after cray attention.
 
Hi Pete,
Check out CC Moore hard hook bait boilie mixes they do work to slow down them whittling down the hookbait,bumbell stops are a real no no,use the korum u shaped ones otherwise them have them off.Like others say they soon move away when barbel are on the feed,this way you have about an hour and a half before re casting.try another PVA bag on and its a good way to introduct a little fed as you go,good luck.
 
Top tip: Anchor a couple of cods' heads a few feet away from your intended fishing area. The crays will go for this in preference to your pellets. If cods' heads are unavailable, take a piece of good quality sponge and soak it in cod liver oil, this will keep the crays occupied for quite some time. You can refresh the oil in the sponge from time to time. Often, when pulling the sponge in, for oil renewal, a number of crays will have their claws stuck in the sponge. Do not be tempted to return the crays to the water as it is an offence. An added advantage is that the cod liver oil will act as an attractant to any fish in the area and will draw them into your chosen swim.

If you don't like this approach bait up an area some distance from your swim with a substantial load of pellets etc. Then wait for an hour or so to allow the crays to migrate to this area leaving you in peace to fish your hookbait in your swim. When a barbel enters your swim it will have only the chance of your hookbait, result, fish on the bank.
 
No easy answer I'm afraid, but glugging your bait with Marie Rose sauce seems to get them worried ;)
 
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For the time being, Mark, the sponge/cod liver oil is an effective method. The Fishery Research Organisation is looking for a means of natural Signal Cray control. There are two current lines of research - the introduction of a fungus which attacks the retinal nervous system of the cray which causes blindness with the result that the cray can no longer see its food supply. Unfortunately, this fungus has been shown to harm otters and mink and hence this line of research is unlikely to proceed to the field trial stage.The second method is a freshwater tolerant Grouper which feeds almost exclusively on crustaceans. These fish are capable of clearing swathes of river in double quick time.
 
I read somewhere that freshwater grouper must be kept on a lead at all times and owners should ensure a muzzle is worn when/if they are out of the water.
 
I think Cane Toads were introduced in to Australia for pest control and since have become a pest themselves. Nature will find a balance takes time, patience and some big Perch and Chub lol


Brian
 
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