NorCal Kayak Anglers

General => CA Regulations => Topic started by: Hojoman on February 22, 2018, 03:20:08 PM

Title: OK to Transport Crayfish?
Post by: Hojoman on February 22, 2018, 03:20:08 PM
February 22, 2018

Question: Can crayfish be caught in one lake and transported to another lake? Can they be frozen and used for bait later? (Raleigh)

Answer: Yes, for the most part, provided the crayfish were legally caught.
Crayfish are a freshwater crustacean, and legally acquired and possessed crustaceans can be used for bait in almost all inland waters in California (CCR Title 14, section 4.00).

There are regulations governing the method of take. Crayfish may be taken only by hand, hook and line, dip net or with traps not over three feet in greatest dimension. Any other species taken need to be returned to the water immediately. Traps need not be closely attended. Crayfish can be caught year-round, and there is no bag limit on them. (CCR Title 14, section 5.35).

There are special protections in place to safeguard the Shasta crayfish, California’s only native crayfish and an endangered species that lives in the northeastern part of the state. There are restrictions on catching crayfish and using them for bait on parts of the Fall River, Pit River and Hat Creek, for example (CCR Title 14, sections 4.30(c) and 5.35).

There are also special laws and rules in place throughout the state to prevent the spread of Quagga and Zebra mussel infestations. The use of crayfish caught in contaminated water for bait may not be prohibited, but it is illegal to move adult or larval Quagga and Zebra mussels from infested waters.
Title: Re: OK to Transport Crayfish?
Post by: Hydrospider on February 22, 2018, 03:31:13 PM
Thanks for posting this H-man. 
Recently, Ive been trapping, documenting, and releasing mudbugs on the Lower Owens.
Title: Re: OK to Transport Crayfish?
Post by: Dale L on February 22, 2018, 08:43:46 PM
I'm surprised I expected a No to the first question but a yes to the second. I asked a warden once if I could catch shore crabs at the coast then use them for sturgeon bait in the bay, he checked the regs and said yes if they are dead.   I thought the only live caught bait you could use would have to come from the body of water where you were fishing, IE no transporting any type of live bait caught in a body of water to another body of water.

Interesting color on that bug.
Title: Re: OK to Transport Crayfish?
Post by: Hydrospider on February 23, 2018, 10:34:23 AM
Interesting color on that bug.

Yes, it is. And a little challenging to match.

Live crawdads are also a no for fishing the Owens.
Title: Re: OK to Transport Crayfish?
Post by: CptSloppywood on February 23, 2018, 07:23:57 PM
Interesting color on that bug.

Yes, it is. And a little challenging to match.

Live crawdads are also a no for fishing the Owens.
Pretty cool, I never thought about a " match the hatch" situation with crayfish. Makes a lot of sense when you think about it.  I would say second from the right looks the most similar to me.
Title: Re: OK to Transport Crayfish?
Post by: Hydrospider on February 24, 2018, 07:59:36 AM
Thanks for your input Csw, but I am sort of hoping for an "all of the above" kind of success.
When asking local anglers here, Ive gotten assorted answers on what color the Lower O mudbugs are.
Ive heard red, green, orange, and white, but all that I have caught have been this caramel brown.

 I believe "match the hatch" is applicable in all of the baits Ill be using here.
Title: Re: OK to Transport Crayfish?
Post by: NowhereMan on February 24, 2018, 08:49:26 AM
Thanks for your input Csw, but I am sort of hoping for an "all of the above" kind of success.
When asking local anglers here, Ive gotten assorted answers on what color the Lower O mudbugs are.
Ive heard red, green, orange, and white, but all that I have caught have been this caramel brown.

 I believe "match the hatch" is applicable in all of the baits Ill be using here.

Going to extremes. I like that...
Title: Re: OK to Transport Crayfish?
Post by: Hydrospider on February 25, 2018, 09:33:55 AM
Doesn't seem extreme. Just putting in the necessary work.
Yesterday the trap had one with bright red claws but the body was the same brown coloration.

Next on the list was the rough sculpin, but Ive learned that they are protected here and I'll only be able to document them when I start snorkeling.
Title: Re: OK to Transport Crayfish?
Post by: NowhereMan on February 25, 2018, 03:02:22 PM
Doesn't seem extreme. Just putting in the necessary work.
Yesterday the trap had one with bright red claws but the body was the same brown coloration.

Next on the list was the rough sculpin, but Ive learned that they are protected here and I'll only be able to document them when I start snorkeling.

I was thinking of the mousetrap when I wrote that. Anyways, outstanding work.
Title: Re: OK to Transport Crayfish?
Post by: Hydrospider on February 27, 2018, 09:33:18 AM
I gotcha.
Fishing with live mice isn't allowed on the Owens either.

Left my trap on a creek that runs into the river.
Same patterns.
Title: Re: OK to Transport Crayfish?
Post by: Duckguy on February 27, 2018, 03:48:20 PM
You can see why the Swedes call them “signalkraftor”.