queensland Windy Wet And Weedy But Worth It

[Drop Bear]

Last Sunday we left 2 pots out east of Green island with the plan to pick them up Monday Morning.

The wind was up early so I piked out but went out this morning. 

It was glassy and nice at first but the wind got up to about 15 knots by the time i rounded the red at the north side of Green.

I was in a mates boat when we dropped the pots off. One of them sank because the rope was too short. It was about 16m of water. As it was a huge high tide I hoped that on this low I would be able to see it. As you can see it was a really good low. Nearly didn't get out of Wynnum Creek!!!!!!!  (Not really its plenty deep enough, I just added that for dramatic effect because it's otherwise a pretty lame report haha)

Without a GPS it was really tricky finding the pots in the now really sloppy water but I did a grid pattern for about half an hour and found that I had been looking out way too far east at first.

I found one pot but the other one was still sunk so I did some circles towing a reef anchor on a long rope trying to snag it in the 14m or so of water, but very soon saw it about 1m below the surface. A couple of throws with the reef anchor and I hooked it up and brought it in. Lots of eggy jennys and a few small bucks.

I grabbed the other one and deemed it too rough to sort the crabs where I was to traveled to the north of Green in the lee where I could safely pick out all the jennys and undersized crabs. I ended up getting 4 sandy bucks and one reef crab buck. Probably threw 15 back. Didn't count but there were heaps in there.

Was very weedy and very wet but worth the effort. Sandies for dinner yay. 120mm is pretty small for a sandy. will need my glasses. 

[benno573]

Reef crab...? 

[kmcrosby78]

3 hours ago, benno573 said:

Reef crab...? 

Crab that lives amongst reef - derrrrrrr ........  

Coral crab?

[Drop Bear]

11 hours ago, benno573 said:

Reef crab...? 

Well I don't have a real name soz. and I don't have any raw pickies but this is what it looks like cooked.

They don't have the pattern of the other coral crab in the other thread. 

8 hours ago, kmcrosby78 said:

Crab that lives amongst reef - derrrrrrr ........  

Coral crab?

I have just known them a s a reef crab. dunno where the name came from, probably just a mate said to me that's its name. What I do know is that they make great bait. This is the first one I have cooked so will let you know how they taste soon

[benno573]

Hairy backed swimming crab - sometimes known as an armadillo crab. Purple colour, kind of look like a muddie and a sandie got it on one night...

 

tasty buggers, just wish they grew bigger!

[kmcrosby78]

Is that the type we saw on the yabby flats @benno573?

[Tybo]

I was a bit worried when I saw this Robbie, as a friend told me years ago not to unusual crabs as some are poisonous. However if @benno573 has already taken the plunge and says there delicious, then all good, I'll have to give 'em a go.

So hairy swimmer crab right?

[benno573]

yeah, that's the one.

http://www.qm.qld.gov.au/Find+out+about/Animals+of+Queensland/Crustaceans/Common+marine+crustaceans/Crabs/Hairy+Swimmer+Crab#.WKWQR4rXenM

 

some places say no good to eat as they have a bitter flavour. I disagree - but I clean all my crabs prior to cooking so could be something in the gut that makes it bitter. Different to sand and mud crab but delicious all the same. Still reckon coral crabs taste the best of the lot.

 

 

[benno573]

On 15 February 2017 at 8:05 PM, kmcrosby78 said:

Is that the type we saw on the yabby flats @benno573?

Not exactly. That was a trawl crab or smooth shelled swimming crab.

[Drop Bear]

13 hours ago, benno573 said:

some places say no good to eat as they have a bitter flavour. I disagree

This one, although small, tasted awesome. I didnt clean it first. 

[benno573]

Good to know @Drop Bear.

 

I've just always thought along the lines of you wouldn't cook a fish with the guts in it, so why a crab? I also find them a lot easier to get in the pot when they are in smaller more manageable pieces. 

[Drop Bear]

14 hours ago, benno573 said:

you wouldn't cook a fish with the guts in it

Fair enough. While I know it's not the normal way, I actually have and would again cook a fish (and crabs) gut in and eat it. If you leave it whole and scales on (i kill them with a knife in the spine making as small a hole as possible) then cook them in the coals or over a fire, the gut shrivels up and when you peal back the scales and skin the flesh is great to eat. I just avoid opening the rib/gut area. 

Saying that it HAS to be super fresh and I'm sure there are lots of varieties of fish that would be poor this way. Ludric or diver whiting seem to get a strong weedy flavour when I have left them with gut in for a few hours. Also bream get that grey/green goopy stuff in the gut that is very gross. 

But if I catch a parrot or grassy sweetlip next weekend I would cook it on the coals gut in.