Rusty crayfish

[Dave101]

I am looking into harvesting rusty crayfish in NE MN. Does anyone know where to find them? 

[Cliff Wagenbach]

Vermilion's East end is full of them! They are where ever you want to look!

Better check first if you want to commercial harvest them! I think that there may even be a limit on how many you can posses for personal use. ???

Cliff

[Dave101]

Thanks, I read that crayfish in Vermillion have high levels of mercury and other toxins. Have you heard of this?

[Cliff Wagenbach]

No I have not.

Cliff

[FishinCT]

I have read that mercury levels are a reason there is no commercial harvest on vermilion. But it was probably the same thing you read as I have not found a second source of that. There is commercial harvest of rustys on other Minnesota lakes so there must be a reason it's not done here. 

 

For or what it's worth, the DNR has suggestions on how much fish to eat because of mercury.

[Dave101]

Thanks, I'll check other lakes. 

[Luttes]

I often run into rusty crayfish when I'm in the boundary waters.  I tried to dig up some solid info on them but are they safe to eat? same as southern crayfish i wonder?  Suck the heads and everything?  It'd be a nice side for a pan full of fish in the BWCA. 

[Cliff Wagenbach]

Very tasty!

Need about a 100 for a good snack for one person!

Cliff

 

[Pzswenj]

I've tried to look for the source of this supposed information that the crayfish in Vermilion are high in mercury and same as the others - found nothing but stories like this on forums, etc...  In fact, I've typically found posts from someone on different forums, same name with that story.  In those cases, they state they talked to "someone" at the DNR in Tower who gave them that information...  roughly dating back to 2002-2005 time frame.

 

I'd like to think if this were actually true, there would be some data for the public to see to support it...

 

In the meantime, we catch em and boil them up every year.  Good eating when done right!  We figure we eat them once or twice a year, shouldn't be an issue...

[Dave101]

Thanks guys, all good information. How bout Pelican or Crane? If I learn anything at all I will be sure to share. I mite try Trout lake near Coleraine and Pokegama.

[SupraFishin]

Actually, I believe that the mercury in the water has to do with the taconite mining:

 

http://files.dnr.state.mn.us/lands_minerals/mercuryandmining.pdf

[BRULEDRIFTER]

Most of the mercury pollution in our lakes is from rain.  That's why lakes deep in the back country also have consumption advisories. 

Edited February 24, 2017 by BRULEDRIFTER

[delcecchi]

Mercury is emitted from coal burning power plants and can travel a long ways.  Sulfate or maybe it is sulfide is from mining.