In article , david
wrote:


Slightly OT but there is a good deal of excellent freshwater fishing in
your
area - and one exciting (for a youngster) freshwater quarry is the signal
crayfish. Like a mini lobster it will swarm over a bit of rotten meat in
a
dropnet after dark. The Kennet & Avon canal around Reading is swarming
with
them. They were protected (by a quirk of law - the native crayfish is
still
protected but there are none left near you.) until this year, you get a
licence (free I think, but you must carry it) from the Post Office. Drop
crayfish into fast boiling water, cook for 5 minutes, drain and serve with
dill sauce.

Nothing in dill sauce is OT Derek! I might go and try that.

Does one leave the net for hours whilst in the pub, or minutes?

At this time of year, two minutes. In really cold weather, 15.

It is another method that works far better after dark. You need a heavy rim
(wire or small bicycle wheel rim) so the net sits hard on the bottom and the
crayfish climb over it rather than crawling underneath. Three strings from
the rim to a cork (keeps them floating out of the way) and then a single
string to the bank. Another string across the middle with the -smelly- bait
tied in the centre. Wait quietly and listen to the night, then when ready
pull the net in a single smooth movement - jerks let the catch escape.

Have a large bucket ready for the catch.

Cheerio,

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