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Posts: 622
Location: Seymour, WI | Hello, I fished Plum lake this past wk end which is now infested with Rusty Crawfish. Virtually all of the cabbage weeds are gone from this lake now except a few areas in very shallow water. I did manage to catch one small musky 30" and raise one other mid 30's fish. Both on crank baits over deeper water approx 20-25 feet near other structure.
I talked to a DNR creel survey person who indicated Plum has an excellent walleye Pop right now as well a very good musky pop. He said the rusty's have gotton so bad that they have impacted the panfish population. The panfish pop in Plum is at an all time low due to Rusty's eating eggs and plants.
How do you approach lakes like this? I'll be fishing Plum again in Oct but I know many of the classic Vilas Co musky lakes have this same problem.
Are there any predators of the Rusty? What lures and presentations do you use due to the lake of weeds?
Grass |
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Posts: 2091
Location: Stevens Point, WI | I fish a few lakes that were really cleaned out by the rusty crayfish, try fishing natural structure like breaks, rocks, bars, points, humps. The fish are still there though they relate to what is a available to them, it makes fishing a little easier in some ways.
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Posts: 32958
Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | All one can do is find coontail or other types of low weeds the rustys don't eat, or fish any available cover including rocks, docks, and wood. The fish will be shallow in the morning and late evening in the very shalow red cabbage if conditions are right, otherwise, try suspendos, they are there. The red rusty is a stream crawfish, and has few natural enemies once introduced into a lake. They were introduced by perch anglers who used the tails for bait, and dumped in the unused bait. They about ruined the patterns I fished on Pelican for over 20 years. The population does cycle some. Plum is a PRIMO trophy Smallmouth bass lake, too. |
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Posts: 7123
Location: Northwest Chicago Burbs | Don't the footballs eat the rusties? |
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Posts: 1769
Location: Algonquin, ILL | One of my favorite Vilas Co. lakes has a rusty problem as well the weed beds used to be real nice and thick with a well defined weed line down to 16 feet now you would be hard pressed to find a decent weed bed as a result the Muskie fishing has gotten poorer in both size and quantity however the Smallmouth have just exploded two years ago my son got a fat 6 pounder and I dont know how many 3-4 pounders lots of fun when taking a break but it's not a Muskie
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Location: Pewaukee, WI | supertrapsdudeandripthemhard! |
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Posts: 20281
Location: oswego, il | Over the fourth of july weekend I fished a few lakes near mercer and every time we got in shallow water, I seen at least one crayfish per square foot. They were on every rock and stone. Too many for fish to eat them all.
Too bad we can't train them to eat millfoil. |
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Posts: 32958
Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | The little buggers are tasty, though. If one traps a ton, and gets some crawfish boil, they are EXCELLENT!! Boil them until they turn bright orange, and pop the tail. Yummy! |
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| How right you crawfish tails! 
Edited by Sponge 4/30/2007 7:00 AM
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| I have caught Walleye's, Smallies and even Jumbo perch on Woman Lake in Longville,MN that have been feasting on the Rusty Crawfish. They are pretty much everywhere in the main portion of that lake.
I have also observed the Loons chowing on a few. |
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Posts: 32958
Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | Most of the red rustys that fall prey to larger fish are juvenile. The adults actually can stand off with a Smallmouth and get the bass to back off. Pike eat a few, but unfortunately not enough to make any difference.This pest also breeds prolifically, beyond the ability of gamefish to control the population. They take over the native crawfish population, too. I have seen video of Rustys dragging down a crappie that got too close to the bottom. All in all, a nasty critter. There are a few enterprising individuals who have developed successful businesses trapping and exporting Rustys overseas. Crab traps grace the rock bars all over Northern Wisconsin waters as a result. |
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Posts: 355
Location: Wausau, Wisconsin | I am a rusty crawfish predator, they taste great! Serious! Fish Plum with your eyes closed, that will help. The footballs eat rustys too, hmm, I wonder why their so big???? |
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| There was a commercial harvestor on Woman Lake for a while, I forget the number of pounds he has harvested in a summer, but I think it was over 25,000 pounds...
Apparently they are having trouble finding a market for them - and people keep messing with their traps - so I think they have stopped harvesting.
All I know is the commercial harvest has done nothing to the overall population. I have even caught them icefishing when I set my jig-stick down, they clamp on the minnow and don't let go....
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Rusty Crawfish