I was wondering if people use crawfish in dammed farm ponds and how things went, the good and bad? Here crawfish do live in rivers and dredge ditches so survival shouldn’t be a problem.

Some species of crayfish will dig into and damage dams. Other species don't create any issues. I would make sure I knew which species I was introducing to a pond with a dam, so that I didn't introduce strong diggers.

Keith

I wondered that.

The most common crayfish around here are rusty crayfish. I have caught and eaten and fished with many thousands of them. They are known for not significantly damaging dams and ponds. They are native here, but are considered invasive in some other places. If they are legal and non invasive in Iowa, they would be a good choice. They out produce many other crayfish species. I filled buckets with them from rock bottomed creeks in my teens and twenties.

The crayfish species that build mounds are the worse ones for dams. They dig deeper.

Keith

I just looked and the rusty are invasive here in Iowa.

northern minn has had rustys for about 50 years now, so they say. released as left over bait from eastern fisherman. the bottom of some lakes must be covered in them. smaller tails than other species, but over sized claws, and good eating. they out produce other species and take over the watershed.

Bob
Here in Mo they've always told me that if conditions in the pond are right you'll have crawdads and if you don't it don't have them the conditions aren't right and it won't do any good to stock them, buuut I've always wondered if the people telling me were full of horse sheet or not??