Where's The Crawfish?

[Mitch f]

You're going to have a hard time pointing to one cause for a decline or even if there is really a general decline at all.

Nothing scientific of course but I've just noticed a big decline in crawfish sightings in the last 20 years. What shapes your opinion there is no general decline?

[fishinSWMO]

Saw a bunch of craws wading hickory creek friday with Jack.

Even had a few guys catch me one and tried to have me use it

as bait. I had to show them all I had was very small hooks and lures,

they couldn't speak English very well but I could tell they wanted

me to catch a big fish.

Saw some huge mussels along the banks of some ponds last

week, with the water levels so low something had been getting

ahold of them, there were piles of them.

[RSBreth]

My local river (Finley) is chock full of crayfish. I haven't seen an increase or decline in the decade and a half I've lived here.

[mic]

I remember when I was a kid (30 plus years ago) that a local river was just full of huge mussels. I mean like about the 10 or 12 inches wide, but no more. I have seen over the years a steady decline to were there aren't any there anymore. my theory is that chemicals in the water has decimated them on that stretch of river for there is more agriculture in my neck of the woods.

I don't know about that one... I would think that most waters were dirtier 30 years ago versus today due to all the Clean Water Act regulations. Maybe that standard mostly applies to the Ohio river valley and the east.

[grizwilson]

How on earth do they raise all of those crawfish in Louisana? They do not have subustrate, all I see is silt and mud? Just wondering.

[RSBreth]

How on earth do they raise all of those crawfish in Louisana? They do not have subustrate, all I see is silt and mud? Just wondering.

Different species. Silt and mud-loving (mud-burrowing) crawfish - hence the term Cajuns like to call them - "Mudbugs."

[gotmuddy]

crawfish down in the flatlands are a completely different animal. they burrow in mud.

go to NFoW, there is a stupid amount of crawfish in that river.

[Wayne SW/MO]

I agree that the mussel population has declined significantly overall. I'm not sure what the problem is because the only predator I know of is the common carp, and they've been around too long to be the cause.

As for crawfish there is something like 36 or 37 different crawfish in Missouri and most seek out their own environment. I suppose while one species is suffering and giving the impression that they are on the decline, other that aren't as noticeable might be doing fine.

[joeD]

20 years ago was 1991. I was married that year. DOH!

So, what you're saying is, our distant past was the 1990s? (the 1990s! Really?) The 1980's (30 years ago).

Good grief. Who cares about crawfish. What happened to my life.

[fishinwrench]

20 years ago was 1991. I was married that year. DOH!

So, what you're saying is, our distant past was the 1990s? (the 1990s! Really?) The 1980's (30 years ago).

Good grief. Who cares about crawfish. What happened to my life.

Tell me about it