water quality and crayfish

mishman · 07-22-2011, 03:05 PM

As anyone else noticed the die off of freshwater crayfish in the lake. Ten years ago it was easy to find crayfish under suitable rocks. I could find ten in ten minutes with a snorkel and mask in two feet of water. I used to hunt for them as a game with our kids. We'd always return them unharmed. Now, I can't find a crayfish if my life depended on it. I have seen an occasional dead one, bleached white on the bottom but no living crayfish. Anyone else noticed this. Any theories on why? Water temperature?

riverat · 07-22-2011, 07:11 PM

Maybe lots of Bass and too much catch and release

brk-lnt · 07-22-2011, 08:23 PM

Perhaps not all the local lobster rolls are really being made from lobster

Happy Gourmand · 07-23-2011, 07:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by brk-lnt

Perhaps not all the local lobster rolls are really being made from lobster

But it takes so many!!

brk-lnt · 07-23-2011, 08:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Phantom Gourmand

But it takes so many!!

Exactly, that's why they all disappeared.

topwater · 07-23-2011, 08:46 AM

Could be all the fertilizer leaking into the lake from all those wonderful green lawns from the lake shore owners...

Could be from all the spraying for milfoil thoughout the lake...

Could be just the water quality of winnie is going down the tubes...

Could be, just sayin, Could be some people really don't know the difference between Lobster Roll and a Cray Fish Roll.

Could be YOU are the reason, Could be that you caught and killed everyone of them in the area you were catching them in 10 years ago. Now there is no stock to breed and re-produce. Its not because there is to many bass. So now we know, it is YOU, because of what happened 10 years ago. Go figure there were reprecussion of events that happened 10 years ago...

SAMIAM · 07-23-2011, 09:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by brk-lnt

Perhaps not all the local lobster rolls are really being made from lobster

Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

Barney Bear · 07-23-2011, 09:34 AM

Years ago we used to see lots of crayfish [we called them crawtads in Indiana] around our breakwaters on East Bear Island. I have not seen any in several years. We also see fewer minnows in the same area. Perhaps our resident mink is the reason.

Jonas Pilot · 07-23-2011, 09:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by topwater

Could be all the fertilizer leaking into the lake from all those wonderful green lawns from the lake shore owners...

Could be from all the spraying for milfoil thoughout the lake...

Could be just the water quality of "Winnie".

I agree.
These are major contributors to any lake's problems.

songkrai · 07-23-2011, 11:31 AM

As a kid there used to be a bait shop in Meredith somewhere near where Cumberland Farms is today opposite the Ford Dealership - somewhere nearby.

We used to have cages just for the catching of crawfish and would sell them to the bait shop. Every year. There really was a large supply back then. This is quite a long time ago so I don't want any comments to the effect that I/we caught them all and there are no more for that reason.

It may be certain areas that have "lost" them. My neighbor's son caught some just the other day. So they are still in some places.

The bait shop is long gone. People used to do a tad more fishing in those days. Now it is jet ski's and fast power boats. With a few sailing vessels. And few fishing for a hobby. Yes, there are fishing derby's every year.

topwater · 07-23-2011, 12:05 PM

Song, Yes there is Fishing Derby's every year, however I don't believe crayfish are used in any of them. In Derbys(Tournaments) salmon are caught on smelt or fly's, maybe worms. Bass Tournaments do not allow the use of Live bait, they are strictly artificial lures. But you are correct for the recreational fisherman/woman crawfish and helcrimites(sp) are the choosen baits for bass, its like ringing a dinner bell.

ApS · 07-25-2011, 02:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mishman

I have seen an occasional dead one, bleached white on the bottom but no living crayfish.

Some of those "bodies" are cast-off crayfish exoskeletons—shed normally by healthy and growing crayfish.

Quote:

Originally Posted by mishman

Any theories on why?

I used to find one about every six minutes—now, after five minutes—my back goes out, and I don't find any!

07-22-2011, 03:05 PM	#1
mishman Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Posts: 179 Thanks: 59 Thanked 96 Times in 43 Posts	water quality and crayfish As anyone else noticed the die off of freshwater crayfish in the lake. Ten years ago it was easy to find crayfish under suitable rocks. I could find ten in ten minutes with a snorkel and mask in two feet of water. I used to hunt for them as a game with our kids. We'd always return them unharmed. Now, I can't find a crayfish if my life depended on it. I have seen an occasional dead one, bleached white on the bottom but no living crayfish. Anyone else noticed this. Any theories on why? Water temperature?

07-22-2011, 07:11 PM	#2
riverat Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Alton, NH Posts: 722 Thanks: 337 Thanked 280 Times in 123 Posts	Maybe lots of Bass and too much catch and release __________________ Waking up in the morning is the greatest, everything after that is a bonus

07-22-2011, 08:23 PM	#3
brk-lnt Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: South Down Shores Posts: 1,947 Thanks: 545 Thanked 570 Times in 335 Posts	Perhaps not all the local lobster rolls are really being made from lobster __________________ [insert witty phrase here]

07-23-2011, 09:34 AM	#8
Barney Bear Senior Member Join Date: May 2004 Posts: 961 Thanks: 488 Thanked 274 Times in 175 Posts	Crayfish Years ago we used to see lots of crayfish [we called them crawtads in Indiana] around our breakwaters on East Bear Island. I have not seen any in several years. We also see fewer minnows in the same area. Perhaps our resident mink is the reason.

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07-23-2011, 08:46 AM	#6
topwater Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Posts: 302 Thanks: 85 Thanked 116 Times in 48 Posts	Could be all the fertilizer leaking into the lake from all those wonderful green lawns from the lake shore owners... Could be from all the spraying for milfoil thoughout the lake... Could be just the water quality of winnie is going down the tubes... Could be, just sayin, Could be some people really don't know the difference between Lobster Roll and a Cray Fish Roll. Could be YOU are the reason, Could be that you caught and killed everyone of them in the area you were catching them in 10 years ago. Now there is no stock to breed and re-produce. Its not because there is to many bass. So now we know, it is YOU, because of what happened 10 years ago. Go figure there were reprecussion of events that happened 10 years ago...

07-23-2011, 11:31 AM	#10
songkrai Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Posts: 742 Thanks: 35 Thanked 149 Times in 101 Posts	As a kid there used to be a bait shop in Meredith somewhere near where Cumberland Farms is today opposite the Ford Dealership - somewhere nearby. We used to have cages just for the catching of crawfish and would sell them to the bait shop. Every year. There really was a large supply back then. This is quite a long time ago so I don't want any comments to the effect that I/we caught them all and there are no more for that reason. It may be certain areas that have "lost" them. My neighbor's son caught some just the other day. So they are still in some places. The bait shop is long gone. People used to do a tad more fishing in those days. Now it is jet ski's and fast power boats. With a few sailing vessels. And few fishing for a hobby. Yes, there are fishing derby's every year.

07-23-2011, 12:05 PM	#11
topwater Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Posts: 302 Thanks: 85 Thanked 116 Times in 48 Posts	Song, Yes there is Fishing Derby's every year, however I don't believe crayfish are used in any of them. In Derbys(Tournaments) salmon are caught on smelt or fly's, maybe worms. Bass Tournaments do not allow the use of Live bait, they are strictly artificial lures. But you are correct for the recreational fisherman/woman crawfish and helcrimites(sp) are the choosen baits for bass, its like ringing a dinner bell.