Fire Craws in Northwoods Lakes

I finally found a real fire craw in the wild. Up north, they are not so common. This is why “fire craw” and anything in red craw should be in your year-round lure and color selection more often.

I spend a more than normal amount of time on the water. And once in a while, I make cool discoveries.

This July, I hosted my 8-year-old nephew. We beached the boat for a swim and he found this critter scurrying along in a foot of water.

I was first very worried this could be the invasive and highly destructive Louisiana Red Swamp Craw.

After quick photos and releasing it, I sent it over to a biologist buddy for a species ID.
 
This is a White River Crayfish. Origin in southern Great Lake drainages to the Gulf of Mexico. There is a population of them in Wisconsin, though super rare find for up here.
 
https://dnr.wi.gov/…/CRAYFISH-OF-WISCONSIN-GUIDE.pdf
 
Below is word from biologist buddy:

“Looked it up and while ID is difficult without one in hand it appears to be a White River crayfish. They are found mostly in southeastern Wisconsin. There is an old record of one in the Flambeau Chain. The red swamp crayfish is the exotic that you are thinking of and it looks very much like the latter. Thanks again for sending this to me and I have passed the information on to the local biologist.”

These are good critters, and native. Though finding them in the wild is uncommon and on the rarer side.

Adult white river crayfish are usually a dark burgundy red but can range in color from pinkish tan to brownish olive with a black “V-shaped” stripe on the abdomen. The carapace is rough and granular and is separated in the middle by a narrow space called the areola.

In closing, better start fishing more red baits.…… even if your bait looks like a sign to smallmouths.

This species reaches about 6-13 cm (2.5-5 in) in length. Z-Man Chatterbaits match perfectly.

If you need to stock up on fire craw and this pattern in particular, check out the goods from our friends at Z-Man Fishing, Bizz Baits, and 3G Smallmouth Solutions.