The fishing thread

And the fishmongers wives swore more than the men and drank more ale.

 

With thousands of followers on Instagram this lady is making a name for herself in the fishing world. Add to that she also features in the UK Sun newspaper which might explain why some buy it.

Above, a lobster and I sure have never caught one on a fly rod but sure as heck have caught many Signal Crayfish, a pest which has taken over in the UK and killed off our local Crayfish. Do you guys in the USA eat these things?

In comparison, the native white-clawed crayfish is much smaller (under 12cm), with a brown to olive pitted body. The underside of the claws are usually a dirty-white colour – never red.

The white-clawed crayfish was once a widespread and common species in English and Welsh rivers, but has suffered a decline of 50 – 80% across its European range in the last ten years and is classified as ‘endangered’ on the IUCN red list of threatened species and is at risk of global extinction.

HABITAT
The signal crayfish occurs both in still and slow-flowing freshwater environments, including rivers, streams, lakes, reservoirs and canals. This species is also known to be able to tolerate slightly salty water.
It takes shelter under rocks and boulders, within tree roots or in burrows and cavities within banks. In the winter, adult signal crayfish shelter in burrows and enter a state of torpor. These burrows are formed of many inter-connecting tunnels, and can be up to two metres deep.

REPRODUCTION
The signal crayfish has a relatively high reproductive potential, with the female of this species laying between 200 and 400 eggs in the autumn. The female then carries the eggs around under her tail through the winter until the spring, when the eggs hatch. Once hatched, the young remain attached to the female’s tail until they are released in May or June. Signal crayfish reach sexual maturity at about 2 or 3 years old, and can live for up to 20 years.

DISPERSAL
The signal crayfish is well established in England and Wales, especially in the south-east of England. They are not as prevalent in Scotland but several well-established populations have been recorded.

Signal crayfish are able to disperse up and downstream, cross most natural and artificial barriers and travel over land to reach water bodies nearby. Dispersal distances of over 300m in 2 days, and several hundred metres over land in one night have been recorded. Dispersal has been aided by human transfer and release of individuals, although this is now illegal.

PROBLEMS
ENVIRONMENTAL
Signal crayfish’s extensive burrows can destabilise banks, causing erosion and bank collapse, increasing flood risk and the silt load in the water. Their burrows displace threatened riverside species such as Britain’s water vole (Arvicola amphibius).
The native crayfish is being driven towards extinction through the spread of crayfish plague and competition for resources. Signal crayfish are bigger, grow faster, reproduce more quickly and are more tolerant of a wider range of conditions than the native white-clawed crayfish.
They feed on fish and amphibian eggs, tadpoles, juvenile fish, aquatic invertebrates, detritus and aquatic vegetation and where present reduce populations of native species and affect food webs.

ECONOMIC IMPACT
Signal crayfish burrowing can cause erosion of riverbanks. Burrows can be up to 2m deep, with many inter-connecting tunnels that weaken the bank. This can contribute to problems with flooding, livestock safety and stability of structures built on the banks.
Crayfish also take refuges from salmonid fish and predate fish eggs, which could reduce the value of commercial fisheries.

CRAYFISH PLAGUE (APHANOMYCES ASTACI)
This fungus-like disease is fatal to the endangered white-clawed crayfish. It spreads by waterborne spores which are released from infected crayfish.

The spores of crayfish plague can survive for up to two weeks in damp conditions, but can be killed by drying or disinfecting. The introduction of signal crayfish is usually the source of new outbreaks, however spores may also be carried between waterways on wet fishing equipment, boots and boats.

 

I'm liking the education. Thanks

 

A fishwife, fish-fag[1] or fishlass is a woman who sells fish.[2]

Often the wives and daughters of fishermen, fishwives were notoriously loud and foul-mouthed, as noted in the expression, To swear like a fishwife. One reason for their outspokenness is that their wares were highly perishable and so lost value if not sold quickly.[3] Fishwives in fishing villages such as Cullercoats and Newhaven were noted for their beauty, hardiness and industry and were celebrated by artists and royalty.

In this context, the word wife means woman rather than married woman.[4] This usage stems from Old English wif (woman) and is cognate with the German Weib and the Dutch Wijf, also meaning "woman" (nowadays rarely used and usually in a pejorative sense).

Fishwife - Wikipedia

 

Candy girl posted "Fishwives in fishing villages such as Cullercoats and Newhaven were noted for their beauty, hardiness and industry and were celebrated by artists", looking at your photo each to their own, appreciation of the female form must have changed over the years, in particular the one standing on the left, they must have had reinforced the beds.

 

I am sure she has a beard. lol

 

I'm learning more and more everyday

 

More like 9 months pregnant with twins, two Golden Retrievers, and a small horse. The good news is the Newhaven is the one in Scotland,.

 

Must admit I envy the variety of fishing in the USA, Sun, sea, crystal clear waters and boat, what a life they have. Then the Rivers and game fishing in wild places. So much better than our crowded little island.

 

I go places to fish where people wouldn't dare to go. I prefer no mans land when I go fishing. No one around. Peace and quiet.

She's a big kitty.

 

This is my favorite no-man's land!

 

I would take a picture. I like to keep my spots a secret. Never know whose watching

 

Looks perfect. x

 

Completely agree. But, the only way somebody is going to this spot is if they have a float plane.

 

Nice! I honestly think fish brain ruined fishing. Now just about every ponds, lakes, rivers, and creeks have a lot of pressure.

 

Yeah, and last year with the Canada border closed, the fishing pressure around here was greater than I've ever seen in my life. It was unreal.

 

I opted to fly fish as no one around here really fly fishes. It's great. I'll catch more on the fly rod then someone using a spinning rod in the same spot.

 

don't get all sad. xxx