queensland Keeping Crabs for Christmas

[Drop Bear]

Hey amazing AFO brain trust.

I am keen to catch some crabs around Brisbane next week to take to Melbs for Christmas lunch. 

Does anyone know how long is ok to keep them tied up in a fish bin with a wet hessian sack over them? 

Would it be better if I boiled them and kept them in the fridge? I am worried they wont last if I cook them on Monday next week and we don't eat them until the 25th... that is about 10 days. 

Any tips or tricks welcome. 

[Drop Bear]

What about freezing them? 

[benno573]

You can freeze them cooked or uncooked. They won’t last cooked in a fridge for 10 days. They won’t last alive and tied up for 10 days either - they still need to eat.

[jon]

Yeah I agree with Benno they start to deteriorate after days without food. I would keep alive for maybe two or three days tops then cook and freeze. It may be a lot of work and you’ll loose the aesthetics but in my opinion I’d cook shell all the meats and cryovac the meat and freeze. Only problem with this method is that you’ll end up eating half of your catch while you pick out the meat

[Drop Bear]

1 hour ago, jon said:

Only problem with this method is that you’ll end up eating half of your catch while you pick out the meat

Jon you don't know me well enough... I would probably eat the lot haha. 

[Kat]

I find it amazing that you are so certain you are gonna catch some!  Is it really that easy?  I have been thinking about giving it a go - my brother-in-law and sis love crab so they would probably buy me the pots so they can eat the rewards.  I have been seeing so many people putting out pots it feels like I am missing out.

[Drop Bear]

1 minute ago, Kat said:

I find it amazing that you are so certain you are gonna catch some!  Is it really that easy?  I have been thinking about giving it a go - my brother-in-law and sis love crab so they would probably buy me the pots so they can eat the rewards.  I have been seeing so many people putting out pots it feels like I am missing out.

Its not a guarantee but they are pretty consistent. I have a few sneaky spots that not many know about that do pretty well. After the rain we are expected to get next week there should be some around and if I work hard at it I would be surprised if I don't get a few. 

[Kat]

Just now, Drop Bear said:

Its not a guarantee but they are pretty consistent. I have a few sneaky spots that not many know about that do pretty well. After the rain we are expected to get next week there should be some around and if I work hard at it I would be surprised if I don't get a few. 

Yummmmmmmm!  Haven't had crab for ages.  I could put out pots where I fish then I have further excuses to go fishing.  Seen a few decent crabs right at my feet and I am more adventurous than most so some spots would be sneaky (hard to get to).

[Drop Bear]

1 minute ago, Kat said:

Yummmmmmmm!  Haven't had crab for ages.  I could put out pots where I fish then I have further excuses to go fishing.  Seen a few decent crabs right at my feet and I am more adventurous than most so some spots would be sneaky (hard to get to).

Yep they will be there. Don't dismiss the obvious spots too. Not many people take the effort to put pots out. 

Even if you only fish for an hour it doesn't hurt to have them out. 

5 mins can be enough some days. 

[Kat]

Wow.  I thought you had to leave them at least overnight.  Now I am getting really excited! 

[Drop Bear]

4 minutes ago, Kat said:

Wow.  I thought you had to leave them at least overnight.  Now I am getting really excited! 

Sometimes if you leave them too long they can find a way out. 

2 hours is really good. 

[jon]

20 hours ago, Kat said:

Wow.  I thought you had to leave them at least overnight.  Now I am getting really excited! 

Just be careful as leaving pots unattended often ends up in them being stolen or checked for you. It’s actually pretty bad in certain areas. Also learn to know what a pro crabbers float looks like as, if you put you pots anywhere near his string ( a line of crabs pots in a row) you can almost guarantee they won’t be there when you return or at a minimum there will be a big slice through your pots rendering them useless.  Don’t let this deter you though fresh crab is great just pick your areas well. Good luck!

[snap1946]

On 11/12/2020 at 9:49 AM, Drop Bear said:

Hey amazing AFO brain trust.

I am keen to catch some crabs around Brisbane next week to take to Melbs for Christmas lunch. 

Does anyone know how long is ok to keep them tied up in a fish bin with a wet hessian sack over them? 

Would it be better if I boiled them and kept them in the fridge? I am worried they wont last if I cook them on Monday next week and we don't eat them until the 25th... that is about 10 days. 

Any tips or tricks welcome. 

can you still do that with the white spot laws

 

[snap1946]

13 minutes ago, snap1946 said:

can you still do that with the white spot laws
sorry these are exempt

The exemption applies to:

• spanner crabs
• three-spotted crabs
• blue swimmer crabs
• mud crabs
• red champagne lobsters
• slipper lobsters
• tropical rocklobsters
• red claws
• bugs.

 

 

[kmcrosby78]

Good luck Robbie, hope you nail a few. They should well and truly be flushed out by now - hoping to get some pots out myself  

[Drop Bear]

11 hours ago, snap1946 said:

can you still do that with the white spot laws

Great question. I don't know. I better find out thanks. I had forgotten about that. 

[Drop Bear]

11 hours ago, snap1946 said:

can you still do that with the white spot laws

 

Phew, Crabs are exempt. I appreciate your question though and glad I checked. 

"Exemption for crabs, lobsters and bugs Crabs, lobsters and bugs are exempt from the movement restrictions and can be taken out of the restricted area. As these animals are caught and sold for the sole purpose of being eaten, the risk of them being returned to natural waterways and spreading the white spot virus is negligible. The exemption applies to spanner crabs, three spotted crabs, blue swimmer crabs, mud crabs, red champagne lobsters, slipper lobsters, tropical rocklobsters, redclaws and bugs"

From here

https://www.daf.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0011/1255637/white-spot-guide.pdf

[Drop Bear]

10 hours ago, kmcrosby78 said:

Good luck Robbie, hope you nail a few. They should well and truly be flushed out by now - hoping to get some pots out myself  

I have a stack of meetings but will try and get out today. 

[kmcrosby78]

53 minutes ago, Drop Bear said:

I have a stack of meetings but will try and get out today. 

I'm hoping to try tomorrow - either POB area or otherwise Tingalpa Creek (probably leaning that way). Good chance to clear out my bait freezer a bit .......  

[AUS-BNE-FISHO]

Good luck KM and Robbie - crabbing is something I’d like to get into more as I get a bit older. 

Cheers Hamish 

[Old Scaley]

5 hours ago, AUS-BNE-FISHO said:

Good luck KM and Robbie - crabbing is something I’d like to get into more as I get a bit older. 

Cheers Hamish 

Did you get any up at Gladstone Hamish? Are you back home yet?

[AUS-BNE-FISHO]

5 minutes ago, Old Scaley said:

Did you get any up at Gladstone Hamish? Are you back home yet?

Hey Steve 

Nope, it was rather disappointing. One small Jenny for about a six hour soak. 
 

I’m back home and reports will be up tomorrow. I was just having a big rest day today. 
 

Cheers Hamish 

[Do$tylz]

Hey @Drop Bear How'd you go with your crabbing plans this week? Any good?

[Drop Bear]

1 hour ago, Do$tylz said:

Hey @Drop Bear How'd you go with your crabbing plans this week? Any good?

No they were really shy. I only got 2 jennys and 1 under... 

[Do$tylz]

20 minutes ago, Drop Bear said:

No they were really shy. I only got 2 jennys and 1 under... 

oh boooooo! that sucks.

Might be cheaper to buy from the right places.

[kmcrosby78]

1 hour ago, Drop Bear said:

No they were really shy. I only got 2 jennys and 1 under... 

You did better than us mate, we set a world record with 14 pots for not a single crab. Out in the channel that leads to the canals t Thorneside (aquatic paradise?) and some in the beginning of Tingalpa creeks channel. Did get one small shark so kept that for a couple of feeds . 
 

So now I am not sure if we should have gone into the creek more or out into the channel between green and king islands - anyone have any intel or theories? 

[AUS-BNE-FISHO]

I think with the rain they would’ve been washed out around the mouths of places which looks like those spots tried, but I’m no expert!

[Old Scaley]

43 minutes ago, kmcrosby78 said:

So now I am not sure if we should have gone into the creek more or out into the channel between green and king islands - anyone have any intel or theories? 

My best suggestion would be to avoid using live sharks for bait . These results are not filling me with confidence for a crabbing trip tomorrow with @benno573. There should be heaps around so fingers crossed.