queensland Brisbane River Mud Crabs

[Ryan McHarg]

Hi guys,

 

I threw a few pots in the Brisbane river chasing mud crabs over the weekend from a few of the access points near Bulimba.  I managed to come up with a few massive Jennies and will be going back to see what sort of Bucks are floating around.  They were in the open water stretches of the river where it is pretty wide, so a fair bit of water flowing in and out.  I figure that they catch prawns and other bits and pieces commercially around there.....

 

What are your thoughts on eating what you catch in that part of the river.  I figure they should be fine but the mrs doesn't seem too keen.  Does this mean more crab for me with the potential downside of 6 nipples or 4 eyes appearing in the future or should I be all good?

 

[Old Scaley]

Personally I don’t keep anything upstream from the Gateway Bridge. No science to back that up, just my own preference. 

[Angus]

In the drought pros were hitting right up to ipswich (kooka park etc).

It is a tough one to answer medically though... 

You are right the prawn trawlers work right up there and prawns eat $h!t to say the least. 

Plus i know people who eat squire from mud island but would not from the port... in my option same fish at some point... 

Anwyay... 

People eat a lot of the artificial colours and preservatives in food everyday amd don't question it... 

[kmcrosby78]

3 hours ago, Old Scaley said:

Personally I don’t keep anything upstream from the Gateway Bridge. No science to back that up, just my own preference. 

Cruel irony then that you don't catch much to keep and eat downstream of the Gateway Bridge .......... (oh, that was harsh!!).  Pot calling the kettle black ........  

Sorry @Ryan McHarg - back to you. Yes it's a tough one and very hard to know. I personally would but then again I'll eat just about anything ..... .

[Drop Bear]

I read a paper years and years ago that said all heavy metals that crabs eat end up in the shell, mustard and gills of the crab, not in the meat. 

In good water I use the mustard in my chili crab but would not in polluted waters. 

I don't want to give you any advice as I don't really know but I have eaten crabs from areas like where you are fishing and will again. In these places I boil the crabs and clean out all the mustard. 

I hope you get a stack!  I love hearing people catching a feed in the Brisbane River. 

[Ryan McHarg]

I dropped 2 pots in different spots in the main channel of the river around a bit of structure and some trees to tie them off to.  I left them overnight and grabbed them the next morning.  I wanted to try the areas that had a lot more flow of water as I know the current runs pretty hard through that section of the river.  I ended up with 2 massive Jennies using atlantic salmon frames as bait, as well as a legal sized bream that I put back.

I reckon I might try one of the Bucks if I get a healthy looking one, as long as it comes from the "high flow" parts of the river.  Good call on not using the mustard out of the Brisbane ones though.

[Drop Bear]

3 minutes ago, Ryan McHarg said:

I reckon I might try one of the Bucks if I get a healthy looking one,

No mate you shouldn't eat it... Just drop it to me in Wynnum instead haha