Northwest Fishing Reports

Some crawfish from Skooteney sorry about the thumbnail.

Crayfish are good eating for sure! Those look like Northern crayfish which are invasive. They should have been eaten or killed.

Go to page 134;

https://wdfw.wa.gov/sites/default/files ... w00957.pdf

AMX I tried link 3 times, each time it went to 2010 - 2011 pamphlet, try this link for current pamphlet.

https://wdfw.wa.gov/sites/default/files ... w02077.pdf

Crayfish rules are covered, including color pictures of each species, on pg 130 of the current pamphlet. Pay close attention to restrictions as quoted below regarding non-native species...

Must be kept in a separate container. Must be dead before being removed from riparian area (immediate vicinity of water body). No daily limit, size, or sex restrictions. No Shellfish/Seaweed license is required. See gear rules page 135.

As to native species...

Min. size 3¼" from tip of rostrum (nose) to tip of tail. Daily limit 10 lbs in shell. All females with eggs or young attached must be immediately returned to the water unharmed. No Shellfish/Seaweed license is required. See gear rules on page 135.

While I do not advocate returning a non-native species to waters from which they were removed, the regulations do not prohibit one from doing so. The regulations also do not require they be killed or eaten. Then again, I see no purpose in practicing "catch and release" for crayfish.

Up, an old bookmark of mine, but the pictures are pretty good. I'll have to get a new bookmark soon. Thanks

Guess Tackledog took great offense to my reply above, sent me and Mike a PM threatening to "out" NWFR and me on "social media" telling them not to come here. Good luck, I don't do social media and couldn't care less.

Rather incredulous Tackledog seems to think I called him/her out, which I did not, but it was perfectly fine for Tackledog to imply in HIS/HER comments on crayfish daveydavey had done something illegal and he had NOT.

Just as I posted above, state regulations say, and I'm quoting verbatim so there's no dispute, "Must be kept in a separate container. Must be dead before being removed from riparian area (immediate vicinity of water body)."

That means you can't commingle native and non-native species in the same container and non-native species crayfish must be dead before removing from the immediate vicinity of water in which they were caught.

The regulations DO NOT say non-native crayfish must be killed, only IF removed from the vicinity of the body of water in which they were caught. If you're going to present a personal opinion as if fact, you should at least own up to it rather than hide behind it. C'est la Vie Tackledog.