Hooking Muds Crabs

[DaCrabMan]

Something interesting...

In QLD we can't hook a crab from a hole, so can only use pots.

In WA we can't use pots, so have to hook.

QLD crabs get hammered but we can catch the bag limit in one pot.

WA crabs hardly get touched (in comparison) but each one should be hooked.

Any thoughts?

[justjack]

the big diffence in this is what affects the cycle of breeding crabs more, hooking was banned in qld because its destroys the crabs hole you also are hooking while injuring and alot of the time killing female, undersize and newly shelled males, male crabs dont just live in a hole for a chillout they are there primarly to make a safe place to breed with a female, when a female and male breed the female needs to moult now for a male muddie to protect the girl in the week long period its much easier to protect her in a fortress, males also require the holes to moult themselfs even though a muddie is one hell of an angry animal after moulting for the next 3 days that pitbull turns into a 17yr old labradore. Hooking disturbs this whole process of breeding and moulting adding to uneeded deaths and destruction, now look at the pot side of things you can place a pot outside a hole but never get a crab this is because its the crabs decision to focus on shagging, a pot also doesnt kill unwanted crabs it gives you the choice to take your needed crabs and release the rest without harm, the crabs you catch in pots arent focussed on breeding or moulting there are focussed on getting fat. is there a reason in WA pots arent allowed? i've never looked into it but it seems a little silly

[DaCrabMan]

thanks justjack - we never thought of it that way.

We're allowed to scoop sandies off the bottom with landing nets (they are prolific) and we can use dillies off the boat (not allowed to use a float), but no "traps"
We hooked 12 crabs yesterday afternoon, with one female and one undersize (obviously we let both go). We're pretty careful when we find them, as we want the claws ect to still be attached and want the crab to stay alive as long as possible.
But i can see how this method could destroy the crab.

We're also allowed to dig them up in WA - go figure.

[justjack]

hooking can be selective if you know what your doing as it sounds you do, i use my hands down holes and can tell if its a legal male so on and so forth but i think the general weekend warrior that doesnt have a real clue destroyed that. on the other hand digging out the holes is just crazy absolutely stupid i've been catching crabs here out of the same holes for up to 7 years, i cant believe that CRAZY

[devocean]

The biggest problem is black market jennys in QLD. With NT and NSW allowing take home jenny crabs poor the powers that be didnt really think about the black market this has created. By the way I don't support hooking but if you are mad enough to walk into the mangroves get eaten alove by sandys then go right ahead. Id rather check my pots with a cold beverage in hand

[URAGANGI]

Jack well said couldn't put it any better myself...YEP.....YEP!
cheer's,
Viper.

[ThePinkPanther]

Geez, DaCrabMan, assuming your Avatar is representative of your fishing mate, ummmmm, why would you waste time going fishing?


[DaCrabMan]

Yeah, I wish.
I'm getting a bit of flack about 'Kate' from some readers. She will have to go.

[justjack]

jelous viewers hahaha your carries rods, does she have any friends that tie muddies?

[Drifty75]

IMO, hooking done right doesn't destroy the hole. A couple of turns of the tide and you wouldn't know someone had hooked a crab out of it.. It's the people who dig the tops out that wreck crab holes.

My grandfather, father and myself have all hooked muddies, the same holes, repeatedly... (with success) Along with uncles and any other idiot who dared brave the Cribby Mozzie.. (these buggers will almost carry you off!!)

[DaCrabMan]

We dont dig them up, but i've heard of guys that do.

We've pulled a few crabs out of the same holes, but they dont seem to be as big as the first.

One of them crushed the intake to my bilge pump yesterday as he was trying to escape over the transom. He tasted super sweet last night.

[timddo]

Once you have hooked a crab you can actually rebuild the hole to make it nice and attractive.

[tunaticer]

I don't bother with the holes, I wade the areas that flood behind the line of mangroves where it floods to the salt couch edges. Just wade around with a landing net and scoop them up, day or night when the tide is two hours before full. Once it turns the crabs evaporate it seems. Amongst the mangroves has a fair supply too, but much harder to find them in.