mating crays

[Low_Budget_Hooker]

Back in April, we were putting the boat in and I noticed 10-15 crays all up in the skinny , skinny water.  I tossed on a jig matching size and rusty color and absolutely slammed them in a shallow, 3ft deep, 5 acre cove.

 After reading up that when the crays gather ike that, they are mating.  Anyone ever catch during a noticable cray orgy?

[Guest the_mud_man]

Yea the crabs!

[Bass_junky]

Crawdads typically come out of hibernation when the water temp's reach 50 deg.f.  When the water (approx temp) reaches 52 the males turn a bright red around the edges and display themselves on top of rocks (and click) to attract females.  Bass pick up on this and crawdads are the easiest meals when ambushed due to their slow movement.

Most people overlook this.  I have mentioned before in a string, set out a crawdad trap and check it after a few hours to determine their color.

[Shadow]

what happens when they are blue?

[fishnranger6494]

hey shadow i caught one a few years ago that was bright blue i was wondering how that happens also

[Low_Budget_Hooker]

I know that in the wild, there are blue lobsters.  THey are very rare and there was one was caught off Cape Cod a few months ago and it was actually on the news.  They said it is a naturally occurring phenomenon where there is a lack of pigmentation.  They are the oceans version of the human albino.

 However, don't be fooled, the blue crays you see in the pet stores are injected with dye to achieve this color.  THey aren't naturally blue but wild crays can be found with "hints" of blue.  I read somewhere that they change color as their environment , or life cycle, changes.  Perhaps they get blueish at night?