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West Virginia crayfish


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#1 Guest_davidjh2_*

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Posted 03 July 2013 - 10:45 PM

While on a road trip on Memorial Day weekend I gave into temptation and stopped by a roadside stream (that even after checking maps I can't find the name of) to see if I could catch a crayfish or 2. I got lucky and found a pregnant female Allegheny crayfish or Orconectes obscurus. Just in case anyone is wondering a mountain stream in West Virginia in May is very very cold. Luckily the water wasn't even knee deep because I could stay in it that long even at shin depth. I found what was probably a Cambarus bartoni as well but released that one. I now have a bunch of baby crayfish running around in my 10 gallon tank. Here is the mother, I'm 100% sure that it's an Orconnectes and about 98% sure it's obscurus.


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Edited by davidjh2, 03 July 2013 - 10:45 PM.


#2 mattknepley

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Posted 04 July 2013 - 04:11 PM

Neat body shape on that cray, don't that I've ever seen one with that flat a body. Where abouts in WV did you collect her? I spent two great years there, and got to see a large portion of the state. If you're still curious about the stream's name, give me a county and road and I might be able to find it.
Matt Knepley
"No thanks, a third of a gopher would merely arouse my appetite..."

#3 Guest_davidjh2_*

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Posted 05 July 2013 - 07:08 AM

As far I can tell it was somewhere around the town of new Creek on rte 50 just south of where rte 972 ends and rte 50 starts in Mineral County. Actually I think the name of the stream is New Creek, it shows it on Google Maps now, for some reason it wasn't showing it last time I looked. It's pretty cool using the zoom feature on Google Maps I think I found the exact spot I parked at. Have you ever been to Blackwater Falls State Park? That's we went that day. I almost went collecting there.

#4 mattknepley

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Posted 07 July 2013 - 09:08 PM

That sounds about right. I think the ridge that runs through there is called New Creek Mtn. There are several other smaller "streams" right in that area too. Unfortunately, when I went to get my trusty DeLorme I found it had been brutalized by one of the cats. No Mineral County for us... :angry:
Matt Knepley
"No thanks, a third of a gopher would merely arouse my appetite..."




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