Surf crabs?

[josmo99]

Just wondering if you can get this species of surf crabs in Brisbane. These are some we caught last Xmas on the NSW south coast when they invaded our local beach in plague numbers. I think we must have caught 50 or so good sized ones over that fortnight. They are slightly smaller than blue swimmers. Taste pretty good, meatier than blue swimmers in my humble opinion

[noname]

i have caught them, but not in the numbers your talking, brim the brissy river they were extracted. and released

[tugger]

Sand Crab

Ovalipes australiensis

Systematics: Brachyura Family Portunidae

________________________________________

Distinguishing Characters:

The carapace is up to 100 mm wide, about as long as wide and dark sandy or blue-grey with two distinctive blood-red to mauve grey 'eye' spots near the back. The chelipeds are pale grey or white. There are four teeth cut into the front between the eyes and four down each side. The fourth legs are characteristically flattened and paddle-shaped.

Habitat and Distribution:

Sand crabs are common subtidally on the more sheltered ocean beaches of all states of Australia, except the far north.

General Biology:

Members of the family Portunidae are known as swimming crabs and all have flattened back legs with which they can swim. All are very active and aggressive. The sand crab is particularly agile being able to bury rapidly into the sand by digging backwards when disturbed. Sand crabs are edible and sold in fish shops but the larger swimming crabs mud crab and blue swimmer are more substantial meals. Fisherman find Ovalipes a nuisance by biting their bare feet in shallow waters, and expertly removing bait from their fishing hooks

[josmo99]

Thanks for the info! Now I know what they are. They're pretty much made that beach unfishable, attacking everything thrown into the water, including bits of themselves.

[roobs]

they're really common off the big jetty in Christchurch, NZ as well. they use a star-shaped jag to catch them with bait in the middle but i've seen castable crab nooses that would work well... i think they would be great big fish bait, like say for groper or samsonfish or something big!

[roobs]

they're really common off the big jetty in Christchurch, NZ as well. they use a star-shaped jag to catch them with bait in the middle but i've seen castable crab nooses that would work well... i think they would be great big fish bait, like say for groper or samsonfish or something big!

[josmo99]

roobs wrote:

they're really common off the big jetty in Christchurch, NZ as well. they use a star-shaped jag to catch them with bait in the middle but i've seen castable crab nooses that would work well... i think they would be great big fish bait, like say for groper or samsonfish or something big!

Fishing them whole minus the carapace I guess?

Bream will happily eat pieces of surf crab. I took some to the rocks with me and hooked an assortment of fish, mostly crap wrasse and rock cale, but might work on groper and black drummer. At least crab is tough and can withstand the ravenous hordes of sweep and mado.

[Gad]

josmo99 wrote:

roobs wrote:

they're really common off the big jetty in Christchurch, NZ as well. they use a star-shaped jag to catch them with bait in the middle but i've seen castable crab nooses that would work well... i think they would be great big fish bait, like say for groper or samsonfish or something big!

Fishing them whole minus the carapace I guess?

Bream will happily eat pieces of surf crab. I took some to the rocks with me and hooked an assortment of fish, mostly crap wrasse and rock cale, but might work on groper and black drummer. At least crab is tough and can withstand the ravenous hordes of sweep and mado.

Fella`s be aware Groper is a Protected, No Take fish.

cheers Gad

[josmo99]

Gad wrote:

josmo99 wrote:

roobs wrote:

they're really common off the big jetty in Christchurch, NZ as well. they use a star-shaped jag to catch them with bait in the middle but i've seen castable crab nooses that would work well... i think they would be great big fish bait, like say for groper or samsonfish or something big!

Fishing them whole minus the carapace I guess?

Bream will happily eat pieces of surf crab. I took some to the rocks with me and hooked an assortment of fish, mostly crap wrasse and rock cale, but might work on groper and black drummer. At least crab is tough and can withstand the ravenous hordes of sweep and mado.

Fella`s be aware Groper is a Protected, No Take fish.

cheers Gad

Is this the blue groper? Didn't know you had them here. I was talking about my NSW south coast fishing days. I think estuary cod is protected in NSW but not in QLD... argh, confusing.

[Gad]

josmo99 wrote:

Gad wrote:

josmo99 wrote:

roobs wrote:

they're really common off the big jetty in Christchurch, NZ as well. they use a star-shaped jag to catch them with bait in the middle but i've seen castable crab nooses that would work well... i think they would be great big fish bait, like say for groper or samsonfish or something big!

Fishing them whole minus the carapace I guess?

Bream will happily eat pieces of surf crab. I took some to the rocks with me and hooked an assortment of fish, mostly crap wrasse and rock cale, but might work on groper and black drummer. At least crab is tough and can withstand the ravenous hordes of sweep and mado.

Fella`s be aware Groper is a Protected, No Take fish.

cheers Gad

Is this the blue groper? Didn't know you had them here. I was talking about my NSW south coast fishing days. I think estuary cod is protected in NSW but not in QLD... argh, confusing.

I should have specified QLD Groper

cheers