Crayfish Fishing on Vancouver Island

The signal crayfish is one of two crayfish species that have been discovered in BC, and the only crayfish to catch in the waters of Vancouver Island. It's also known as Crawfish, Crawdad, Crawdab, and Mudbug. It's a blue-brown to red-brown crayfish with powerful, smooth claws that grow to a length of 15 (16) cm in males and 12 cm in females. The species' common name is derived from a white to pale blue-green spot at the claw hinge. Many would mistake this crustacean for lobsters which we will elaborate on the differences later on. According to Global Invasive Species Database, The cephalothorax is smooth, with two pairs of post-orbital ridges, the anterior pair with an apical spine, and no spines on the shoulders of the carapace below the cervical groove. The areola between branchiocardiac grooves is visible. The rostrum sides are smooth and more or less parallel till the apex; the acumen is highly pointed with large shoulders; and a simple median carina throughout the whole length. Adult males are huge either lengthwise or in breadth, and weight is normally 60-110g at 50-70mm carapace length.

Crawfish are most active during the warmer months of the year, so April through October is the best time to go crawfish fishing. Crawfish may still be caught in the winter, but don't expect to find as many as in the summer. September has already proved to be crayfish season. According to studies, adult crayfish are most active after dusk and continue to feed heavily until morning, according to studies, but baby crayfish are more likely to be out during the day. They start to emerge around dusk, so if you're interested whether they're in a lake near you, take a walk down the shoreline after dark and shine a flashlight in there for a minute or two to see if you can detect any.

Freshwater lakes, ponds, and streams are all good places to look for crawfish. Crawfish are freshwater crustaceans that live in a variety of bodies of water throughout Canada and the world. Along with canals, reservoirs, springs, and bedrock pools, crayfish make their homes in streams, ponds, and lakes. The majority of crawfish appear to favour quiet or slowly flowing water with lots of rocks and plants for cover.

Crayfish and lobster are two crustacean species that belong to the Decapodal order. They are well-known for their delicious seafood flavor.
✓ Crawfish are substantially smaller than lobsters, ranging in length from 2 to 6 inches. Lobsters are substantially bigger, ranging in size from 8 to 20 inches in length, with some reaching several feet.
✓  Lobsters reside in saltwater in seas and oceans, whereas crayfish habitats are freshwater rivers, lakes, ponds, and streams.
✓ Lobsters are greenish blue or greenish brown, whereas crawfish are dark blue, green, or black. Lobsters, on the other hand, can come in a variety of vivid hues, including albino, red, orange, and blue.
✓ Crayfish and lobsters eat different things, despite the fact that they are both omnivores. Tiny fish, mollusks, snails, clams, certain plants, and other small crustaceans are the principal foods of lobsters. Plants, worms, insects, and dead plants and animals are all eaten by crawfish.
✓ The lifespans of lobsters and crayfish are likewise substantially diverse. Crawfish can live anywhere from one to twenty years, depending on the species. Lobsters, on the other hand, may live for up to 100 years. Some are considerably older, with the oldest lobster ever captured being believed to be 140 years old. Telomerase, an enzyme that repairs DNA, is thought to be the key to their lifespan.

In order to catch crawfish in non-tidal waterways in BC, you must be 16 years old or older and have a valid basic freshwater fishing licence. You'll also need to get the necessary supplemental licences and stamps. If you are under 16 and a BC resident, you may sport fish without a license or stamp as long as you follow the restrictions. Non-tidal/freshwater fishing licecnses can be purchased online through the government of British Columbia's website or in-person from a participating vendor. To know more about fishing and crabbing licences on Vancouver Island, read our complete guide in this regard.