Quick crab in the river

[tradie]

Decided with the recent flood to hit the river to see if there were any crabs. Had some old mullet frame bait left over in the deep freezer to get rid of so thought id cash it in for a crab or two. Set out Saturday arvo at around 5pm and had the 4 pots down by sunset. Left the pots to soak over night and back at the ramp this morning at 430am to head down the river. Each pot had around 6 odd crabs inside but alot of females and undersized bucks. Threw two bucks back as they were only just legal. Ended up keeping 6 good sized bucks. Dropped 4 off to the parents and the mrs is going to make up a pasta sauce for the other two:)

Nice conditions this morning still alot of debris in the river tho

[Seiran]

Nice one. Although I haven't dropped any pots myself I've noticed since the flood that the crabs have been getting very active.

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Think I'll drop some pots next weekend.

[crazywalrus]

hey i love the 2nd pic. Nice muddies.

[Do$tylz]

nice one Adam

Hey - how often do you get funny looks with rods sticking out of your car as well?

[tradie]

nice one Adam

Hey - how often do you get funny looks with rods sticking out of your car as well?

Hey Henry, if your referring to my last car the s2000 ive sold that and now drive a Ford Ranger. But I totally know what you mean top down and 2 or 3 fishing rods in the car certainly got some weird looks, even worse when I went land based crabbing!!!

Here is a pic from a week trip up at caloudra. Yak on roof 4 crab pots in front seat and fishing rods and surf rod sticking out the window. Got some looks for sure but hey you gotta do what you gotta do to go fishing before I bought the boat!

[benno573]

ha ha ha that's solid gold! can you top that one henry???

Just out of interest, how do you find leaving your pots in overnight with the sharefarmer pricks and even worse the thieving prcks? I've never really been game to try this since i bought good pots....

[tradie]

ha ha ha that's solid gold! can you top that one henry???

Just out of interest, how do you find leaving your pots in overnight with the sharefarmer pricks and even worse the thieving prcks? I've never really been game to try this since i bought good pots....

Hey Benno, mate its just the risk you take for max result! As usual there are a few things you can do to reduce the risk of sharefarmers! If im crabbing during the day ill stick within eye sight of my pots and go for a fish. I may try a few spots within eye sight of my pots but if the fishing is no good ill check my pots and move them up or down the river to a new fishing spot again within eye sight. This way ive never really had a problem during the day. End of last year I watched a boat head over to my floats he then slowed down and once he stopped at one of my floats I headed over, once I reached my pots I asked what he was doing and he said your float is caught up in my prop! To which I replied really all this river and your get caught up in my crab pots 6 meters out from the bank:) He set himself free and took off back down the river. So really key is watch them like a hawk!! When I leave my pots in over night ill head out at around 4-5pm set the pots down and have a fish, check them before I come in right on sunset. Then its the old saying early bird gets the worm or crab:D Ill be back at the river at 430am head down to my crabbing spot. Sometimes its too dark to spot them but ill sit and wait for the sun rise while fishing, also lets the pots get the morning soak. Once its light ill check them and bring them in for the day. If im going to crab that night ill head out again 4 or 5pm and repeat. Its the way I crab and it seems to work for me. If im crabbing during the night Ill clip on these reflectors ive made to my floats which light up under my spot light makes it a hell of alot easier. My pots are $50 each so yea big risk when I crab with a mate and leave 8 out, I understand the pros have many more but $400 worth of pots in the river is a risk for sure!

Also at night I usually switch to milk bottles as they are hard to even spot in the day let alone at night. I set them down really close to the bank and well out of the way of general boating traffic!!!

My pots are $50 each so yea big risk when I crab with a mate and leave 8 out, I understand the pros have many more but $400 worth of pots in the river is a risk for sure! Its hard to think these sharefarmers exist as nearly everyone will wave to you on the water with their left hand and then only a few will be pinching your crabs or pots with their right.

Hope that helps mate!

[benno573]

yeah, understand what you are saying there... be a little more stealthy thank you might normally be... I usually anchor within site or very close to my pots during the day time, as you say at $50 (i got a bulk buy discount so $42 but still...) for a pot it's not a small risk to take.

I work about 2 minutes from the port of bris boat ramp and have often though about dropping the pots in after work, having a bit of a fish and picking them up the next morning before work. I can see that this would probably not work and an earlier start would need to be in order to hopefully ensure they are still there with their full catch in them.

thanks for the response. :cheer:

[tradie]

yeah, understand what you are saying there... be a little more stealthy thank you might normally be... I usually anchor within site or very close to my pots during the day time, as you say at $50 (i got a bulk buy discount so $42 but still...) for a pot it's not a small risk to take.

I work about 2 minutes from the port of bris boat ramp and have often though about dropping the pots in after work, having a bit of a fish and picking them up the next morning before work. I can see that this would probably not work and an earlier start would need to be in order to hopefully ensure they are still there with their full catch in them.

thanks for the response. :cheer:

And then you would also have to have your boat at work, as long as you have somewhere secure to park it. That would be living the dream tho..... Having a crab before and after work:D

[benno573]

The parking is not an issue actually. Have taken the boat to work for a fish after work several times when the tides are right and the weather is good, either in the river or occassionally duck out to mud. Great way to unwind!

I wonder if anyone makes ninja crab pots... :silly: although if they did, how would you know where you'd put them... it's a vicious circle...

[Old Scaley]

Nice crabs! Good to see a few in the river again. Anyone else have a problem with where some people set their pots? I have seen heaps in the river in areas where boats are constantly travelling. Maybe they have been moved by the current, but even seen them in the main channel on some occasions (must have long ropes). Pretty hard to see if there is a bit of chop on the surface and you are in a tiller steer boat and not looking for them. Maybe some of the pots people think have been stolen have just met up with a prop?

[kmcrosby78]

Yeah Old Scaley I definitely think many 'stolen' pots are the result of the ropes being chopped by props. In saying that there are also undoubtedly many that are actually stolen.

Tradie - great idea about using reflectors at night. Might give that a go next time I'm dropping the pots in at night.

[tradie]

Yeah Old Scaley I definitely think many 'stolen' pots are the result of the ropes being chopped by props. In saying that there are also undoubtedly many that are actually stolen.

Tradie - great idea about using reflectors at night. Might give that a go next time I'm dropping the pots in at night.

Thanks mate I just cut up 100mm square bits out of milk bottles and used some stick on reflective material and then had a mates business laminate them for me and use a bit of wire to attach them to my floats at night if im crabbing during the night, once that spot light hits the water they show up like stars really helpful.

And Old Scaley your right I reckon alot of pots in the river are just ran over by mistake and set free. I have a good 15m of line on each of my pots and usually crabbing in about 8 to 12m of water so usually just bunch some and tie it off good to have the extra there tho in case.

While crabbing on the weekend one of my floats did actually get caught on a decent size log floating down the river which had dragged the pot some 20odd meters from where I dropped it, where as all my other pots stayed put.