An article in the August 2005 issue of "California Fly Fisher Magazine" discussed fishing on the Truckee River with a crayfish (Pacifastacus leniusculus) imitation. Crayfish are found in great abundance in our local lakes and streams, such as the Truckee. They can be found in quiet stream pools, or in lakes down to 30 feet.

Crayfish or crawfish are closely related to the lobster. It is a crustacean. More than half of the more than 500 species occur in North America.

Crayfish reproduce sexually. The female crayfish mate during the fall, but actually fertilize their eggs in spring. Females protect their eggs under their tails. The eggs are attached to their swimmerets in a large ball-like formation resembling a raspberry. That's why they are referred to as being 'in berry' while carrying egg masses. She usually has 10 to 800 eggs, which hatch in 2 to 20 weeks, depending on the water temperature. The babies generally stay near their mothers until their second molt.

Crayfish grow by shedding, which is called molting. After crayfish molt, their shell is soft. Then they hide under rocks until their shell hardens. It takes six hours for a crayfish to molt. But it takes a couple weeks for a crayfish shell to harden. Crayfish can die from molting. Crayfish molt throughout their whole life.

The easiest way to tell the difference between male and female crayfish is to look at their swimmerets. The male's first two pairs of swimmerets are hard, and are used to transfer sperm. The females are all soft. The crayfish usually lives for two years, however, they sometimes can live up to 4 years.

When a crayfish loses a limb they will regenerate. Regenerating is when a crayfish grows back a body part. When crayfish fight they will probably lose a limb. They can only regenerate after they molt. It takes a long time to regenerate.

Typical size of crayfish is up to 6 inches. They have a firm rounded shell over top and sides of head and thorax. The abdomen has six separate jointed segments. The first pair of legs are large, with stout pincers for grasping prey. They have four pairs of walking legs that are reddish brown.

Anglers have long known that these creatures have been one of the favorite food items for both bass and trout. Crayfish imitations typically produce large fish. The article in California Fly Fisher by local angler and guide Tim Haddon, and an additional one on how to tie his crayfish imitation by Reno Fly Shop/Truckee River Outfitter's, Andy Burk, are two great reasons to pick-up a copy of this locally produced magazine and read more about the little utilized crayfish by fly fishing anglers. In my opinion, it is the best publication on fly fishing California waters.