mandurah crabbing
Submitted by randall df223 on Fri, 2016-01-01 18:45
A lovely day out crabbing with the wif. Peaceful and productive and very enjoyable. Thank you Karin. :)
I often wonder how many crabs may be in the peel / harvey estuaries. We did about 7 runs today, equal to about 70 nets pulled. Every net had crabs in it. Sometimes one, some as many as four. We threw back probably more than one hundred.
Got checked by fisheries at the ramp 
, and they told karin they were catching plenty of people with undersized. 
. Keep up the good work fisheries.
____________________________________________________________________________
Fish! HARD!
scottland
Posts: 3038
Date Joined: 10/05/10
Which area
swear to god seen your boat around the birchmont area had trouble with the easterly but scooped 9 (miscount)... You finding them half empty?
i support two teams eagles and whoever is playing the dockers
randall df223
Posts: 6454
Date Joined: 08/08/11
We were near the four poster
We were near the four poster in harvey estuary. Not sure how full they are. They just came off the stove top and are back in the ice slurry.
Fish! HARD!
scottland
Posts: 3038
Date Joined: 10/05/10
Sweet as
sweet as enjoy your feed
i support two teams eagles and whoever is playing the dockers
Anyfishwilldo (not verified)
Posts: 16
Date Joined: 01/01/70
Nice feed there mate... we
Nice feed there mate... we managed our 20 in 2 pulls 5 days ago and out of the 20 only 3 were half full... there are some nice big ones out there atm and it's only going to get better as the next month rolls on
linoc
Posts: 96
Date Joined: 21/11/15
Bugga! I was out there on
Bugga! I was out there on Tuesday & got 2 worth keep'n, must be drop'n them in the sweet spot
Anyfishwilldo (not verified)
Posts: 16
Date Joined: 01/01/70
Not sure what everyone else
Not sure what everyone else uses for bait but I use lamb neck chops. Is a little more expensive than other baits but I love how easy they are to use, just stick the bait clip through the hole and your done. Works out to be $1 per net but if you get a quick feed they can be reused next time you go out. 1.8m of water seems to be the go atm and over the years I have found an in coming tide does make a difference.
randall df223
Posts: 6454
Date Joined: 08/08/11
We used spleen today and its
We used spleen today and its probably the best weve used. $4 a packet at bluewater morley and we used 1 and a half packets in 10 nets.
We were looking for the deep water. Deepest we could find was 1.4m and the tide was coming in.
Fish! HARD!
Broome lad
Posts: 191
Date Joined: 16/11/15
Looks
Like I'm going to have to dust of the crab nets and give it a go they look mighty fine . Well done
meglodon
Posts: 5981
Date Joined: 17/06/10
Still a lot of under size, but
If you are prepared to put in a bit of time you can now get a feed of size crabs, not XOS but size and most are quite full of meat.
If they feel soft gently put them back even if they are size, reason being they will count as part of your bag and when you get them home and cook them up you will be disappointed with the amount of meat in them.
On the subject of bait, blowies, the kids love catching them when they know what they are going to be used for, no cost (yah there free) and there is plenty of them. A cut across the back of them to expose the flesh put the bait clip through the eyes, and the crabs love em.
little johnny
Posts: 5360
Date Joined: 04/12/11
Good feed
Love crabs . Chicken necks works pretty good also.:):)
linoc
Posts: 96
Date Joined: 21/11/15
I eat allot of chicken legs
I eat allot of chicken legs so been using them (with whatevers left on them) in a pouch pinned under the base.
I like that blowie idea, if we all did that maybe it'd have a sight impact on their numbers. Imagine what species we "might" have out there if blowies/trumpeters wern't eating everything in sight.
Remember a few years ago a Dawesville kayaker reported seeing them attacking/eating the legs of baby crabs (soft shell), left to a slow death.
Dale
Posts: 7930
Date Joined: 13/09/05
Mulies are by far the best bait for crabs. Save them when you go fishing or just go buy half a kilo. Make up wallets out of gutter guard and pin them into the base of your net. If the crabs are about, they will fall over them selves getting to the bait. But you need to keep on the move, when you've checked your last net, you need to go back to the first one and start again. If the crabs are about, you only need to do 2 or 3 runs.
"Just because you are a Character, Doesn't mean you have Character."
Mr Wolf
linoc
Posts: 96
Date Joined: 21/11/15
gutter guard
What a Wally I am, got a roll of that in the shed yet paid $4.50ea for them at BCF
I find the ropes on the nets a bit thin, tangles easy, do you guys replace them with something better?
Also, is there a good way to store nets on the boat rather than being loose under foot?
Ashen
Posts: 1042
Date Joined: 22/03/13
Tie down straps
You can use tie down straps (the ones with hooks at the ends) and strap them along your gunnel inside the boat. Utilize the cleats, bollards and/or handrails as securing points.
A fish in the hand is worth 10 in the water!
Dale
Posts: 7930
Date Joined: 13/09/05
I have a large crate that the fruit and vegetable people use, 10 nets sit in there nicely and a bin for the floats.
"Just because you are a Character, Doesn't mean you have Character."
Mr Wolf
Ashen
Posts: 1042
Date Joined: 22/03/13
Fish heads
I tend to use fish heads. Your local seafood shop usually give them away or sell them very cheap!
They last a long time (vs blowies). Leave them out overnight or in the sun for a few hours. Brings out the stench (attractant).
Well done on the haul, Randall
A fish in the hand is worth 10 in the water!