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10-10-2014, 01:46 PM
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Join Date: Oct 2014
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I Need Your Help! Have You Seen This Crayfish?
Hey guys!
I need your help! I am student at the University of Lethbridge and our Environmental Science class in trying to determine the distribution of a small crayfish, Orconectes virilis, throughout Alberta for a term project.
Orconectes virilis would look quite similar to a small lobster but can be easily identified by their bright blue chelipeds (pincers). These crayfish can grow up to 12 cm long and are most active at night! I have attached a picture at the bottom of this post for easy reference 
If you believe you have seen one of these (or even just their blue pincer exoskeletons) in your favorite fishing spot, I would love it if you could comment and answer a few quick questions such as the approximate date and location of your sighting!
Thanks in advance!
Erin W.
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10-10-2014, 01:51 PM
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Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Whitecourt
Posts: 7,024
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Can't see the picture, only see blue box with a question mark. Is this a special Cray fish or the everyday crayfish that are all over the place
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10-10-2014, 02:00 PM
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Join Date: Feb 2012
Posts: 849
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Morinville Pond on the west side of HWY 2 has lots or Crayfish.
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10-10-2014, 03:07 PM
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Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: S.W. Alberta, in the country :-)
Posts: 631
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I suspect those would be good eating!
I'll have to look for them next time I'm down by the river. Used to eat lots of crayfish on the coast and in the southern US.
Do you need samples if found?
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Golden years my a**, more like rusty years
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10-10-2014, 03:16 PM
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Join Date: Sep 2012
Posts: 2,974
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I've seen them in the N. Sask. River and Cardiff Pond.
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10-10-2014, 03:17 PM
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Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Southern Alberta
Posts: 1,777
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Nicholas Sheran pond - everywhere and just down the road.
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10-10-2014, 03:31 PM
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Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Sibbald Flats
Posts: 1,093
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Quote:
Originally Posted by leeaspell
Can't see the picture, only see blue box with a question mark. Is this a special Cray fish or the everyday crayfish that are all over the place
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x 2
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10-10-2014, 04:05 PM
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Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Calgary
Posts: 9,599
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we used to play with them lots in ontario.
Havent seen any here, but then I havent looked for them
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10-10-2014, 04:07 PM
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Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Calgary Perchdance
Posts: 18,876
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Back when I did biology type stuff we caught them in the Battle River Drainage. I also believe they were in the Beaver River Drainage and this was back 20 years ago now that I was on that project.
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10-10-2014, 04:49 PM
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Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Iron River
Posts: 5,158
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Sundancefisher
Back when I did biology type stuff we caught them in the Battle River Drainage. I also believe they were in the Beaver River Drainage and this was back 20 years ago now that I was on that project.
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They are only naturally occurring in the Beaver river drainage.
Anywhere else in AB they are introduced.
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10-10-2014, 04:55 PM
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Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Look behind you :)
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Seen them in the Beaumont Pond, Carson Lake, and the NSR.....any common denominators??!! No don't think they are supposed to be in any of those places.
You can easily catch them any of those three places.
LC
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10-10-2014, 05:09 PM
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Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Sibbald Flats
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Newel and travers are loaded with them
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10-10-2014, 05:13 PM
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Join Date: Aug 2011
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Sorry guys, the ones in Cardiff, lacombe and morinville are rusty crayfish. not the species Erin is talking about. I've caught many in those places, they are tasty little buggers, though very tedious to prepare.
See attached pic, from Cardiff. No blue pincers. Never seen that on any of em.
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10-10-2014, 05:44 PM
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Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: Calgary
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I've seen blue crayfish at surveyors lake in BC, but none in Alberta.
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10-10-2014, 06:25 PM
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Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: North Central AB
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I heard there's lots in McLeod Lake (Carson-Pegasus Provincial Park)by Whitecourt but not sure if they are the same kind.
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10-10-2014, 06:51 PM
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Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: airdrie
Posts: 5,211
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nose creek in airdrie
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10-10-2014, 06:55 PM
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Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: central Alberta
Posts: 12,628
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Erin... as a student you might find other students studying crayfish at the U of A biology/zoology dept..I notice U students down at the NS river regularly. The Museum of Zoology at the U of A could give good direction for resources.
http://www.biology.museums.ualberta....OfZoology.aspx
I have seen blue clawed crayfish remnants at the north saskatchewan river over the past 5 years.
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This country was started by voyagers whose young lives were swept away by the currents of the rivers for ten cents a day... just for the vanity of the European's beaver hats. ~ Red Bullets
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It is when you walk alone in nature that you discover your strengths and weaknesses. ~ Red Bullets
Last edited by Red Bullets; 10-10-2014 at 07:08 PM.
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10-10-2014, 08:00 PM
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Banned
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Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Copperhead Road, Morinville
Posts: 19,290
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 3blade
Sorry guys, the ones in Cardiff, lacombe and morinville are rusty crayfish.
No blue pincers. Never seen that on any of em.
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x2 For the ones in Morinville anyway.
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10-10-2014, 10:18 PM
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Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Brooks
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crayfish
Never used to see any here in Alberta, but as a kid, I had seen them in Saskatchewan.
Now, over the last twenty years or so, I have seen them in basically every watershed in the County of Newell.
The irrigation canals got shut off this week. Lots of the locals will be turning rocks to have some major feeds of the invasive species. So many now, that only the bigger blue-clawed adults are harvested. Taking them out of the irrigation system by the bucket full!
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10-10-2014, 10:38 PM
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Join Date: Feb 2009
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see them in the SSR and the Oldman around the forks during the summer. some get quite big. blue claws and the older ones more a shade of green
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uihi...gmk8VLpcIjBl6A
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Last edited by WayneChristie; 10-10-2014 at 10:51 PM.
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10-10-2014, 10:49 PM
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Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Sherwood Forest
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 3blade
Sorry guys, the ones in Cardiff, lacombe and morinville are rusty crayfish. not the species Erin is talking about. I've caught many in those places, they are tasty little buggers, though very tedious to prepare.
See attached pic, from Cardiff. No blue pincers. Never seen that on any of em.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by oldgutpile
Never used to see any here in Alberta, but as a kid, I had seen them in Saskatchewan.
Now, over the last twenty years or so, I have seen them in basically every watershed in the County of Newell.
The irrigation canals got shut off this week. Lots of the locals will be turning rocks to have some major feeds of the invasive species. So many now, that only the bigger blue-clawed adults are harvested. Taking them out of the irrigation system by the bucket full!
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You guys need to post on the "recipe thread".
I've eaten these In Saskatchewan but I never prepped or cooked them.
I also haven't seen them in Alberta.
I'm suddenly hungry.
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10-11-2014, 11:07 AM
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Join Date: Jun 2007
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I think I've seen the blue pincers in Island lake when I used to spearfish there. This is the one with bass up by Smoky lake. It's been a few years though.
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10-11-2014, 03:56 PM
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Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: Calgary
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Quote:
Originally Posted by recce43
nose creek in airdrie
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X2
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10-12-2014, 01:11 PM
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Join Date: May 2008
Location: Calgary
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Hilarious thread.
Guy from a university posts a request to find and (i assume) study this cray fish, and the forum members start sharing recipes and cooking tips.
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10-12-2014, 01:21 PM
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Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Whitecourt
Posts: 5,818
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Quote:
Originally Posted by oyster_777
Hilarious thread.
Guy from a university posts a request to find and (i assume) study this cray fish, and the forum members start sharing recipes and cooking tips.
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Ya gotta have something to do with them after ya study them dontcha?
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10-12-2014, 09:11 PM
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Join Date: Oct 2011
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Chin reservoir go to chin park just off hwy 36 and you will see lots of them at the boat launch and dock area.
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10-12-2014, 10:29 PM
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Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: West Edmonton
Posts: 5,174
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Quote:
Originally Posted by WayneChristie
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Lol Wayne, great music choice.
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10-12-2014, 11:14 PM
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Join Date: May 2007
Location: Lloydminster
Posts: 2,223
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 3blade
Sorry guys, the ones in Cardiff, lacombe and morinville are rusty crayfish. not the species Erin is talking about. I've caught many in those places, they are tasty little buggers, though very tedious to prepare.
See attached pic, from Cardiff. No blue pincers. Never seen that on any of em.
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These are the same as the ones that I have seen at Carson-Pegasus by Whitecourt. Quite fun to catch them though.
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10-13-2014, 12:25 PM
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Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Edmonton
Posts: 6,470
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Arn't those the ones that most stores try to pass off as lobster tails ?
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Gonna get me a 16" perch.
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10-13-2014, 02:04 PM
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Banned
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Join Date: Feb 2009
Posts: 12,078
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Erin:
Why don't you talk to lady at the U of A who recently did her PhD. on crayfish distribution in Alberta.
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