help from the the fisheries, please

[rosco1974]

..sick of the shit pro crabbers v amature crabbers in regards to pots gettin raided /stolen.looking forward to the chat when i call them ..one sidded info i recon, its time we need to stamp out all the thieving whats going on lately. really pissis me off,its sad when your loosing pots nearly every trip out .have just edited to make it more kiddie friendly..

[rosco1974]

prob went too far with that post but damn it...we need to stand up

[TheRealAndy]

Better write to the LNP. There is bugger all fisheries officers and without funding they cant employ more.

[Feral]

You on the Turps Rosco? ;)
Not making a lot of sense there? :o

[tunaticer]

Involve the coppers Rosco, get it on their books before you hit the fisheries guys up.

[manta man]

Hey Rosco i'm just wondering who"s 22 pots in 1 week went missing are they all yours. Anyway i notice you seem to think some pro crabbers are the culprits, from previous posts as well. I have to ask have you actually seen them in action? If that being correct i must say when i put mine out this week, i 'll be watching with my new beaut binoculars location is a secret). But there will be Mutiny on the high seas if i catch Anybody tampering with my pots. F..k the LNP MAYBE THE "WEASEL CAN DO " can supply the fisheries with some of those lovely new $600 chairs, and strategically place them around the bay for a bit more comfort LOL. I"ve said it before and well i"ll say it again don"t be caught by yours truly.

[rosco1974]

mate i have seen a pro lift pots what wasn't theres....cannot do to much without video footage...not all my pots but between myself and 5 mates..gets exspensive at 50 bucks a pot..prob better off going and buying a feed of crabs

[gruntahunta]

I must be very very lucky or make sure my pots are heavy enough not to float away in the bigger tides or currents by having a brick in them.

I have not "lost" a pot and have been crabbing for 40 years. Only one that went missing was when I sunk it and couldn't remember the exact location, prob still there. Sorry if I seem cynical about pots getting stolen but my experience is what I go by and have never had one stolen. I don't believe it doesn't happen but I am sure most go missing because of bad placement (middle of channels, rope not long enough, clear coloured floats, no weight and etc).

I have recently spoken to 10 mates who crab heaps as well and they have not lost pots either. Remember there are drama queens around who like to get attention by saying they get their pots pinched, emptied.... I am very very cynical about this topic. Well I guess experience counts the most, be assured I will post when I lose a pot, or if I lose one.

[johncar]

Well it depends on location no doubt, my brother in law lost all his pots a while back, some months went by and thought they might have given up, borrowed my pots, they all went too. He is experienced and just puts them up little creeks and inlets, so no chance of them drifting away and not all umteen of them is really not likely.
Not saying pro's did but they have the most to gain or lose by reco's crabbing what many believe to be their personal fishing grounds. No doubt other low life lazy so and so's also bludge off other's hard efforts.

I am sure that with a register of where this is mostly happening the offenders can be flushed out.

[WalrusLike]

Grunts that's interesting info... thanks for sharing.

Can I ask.... what region of what state are you in?


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[Captain Seaweed]

I bought 8 new pots 2 months ago...I now have 3. All stolen in the logan. Pots were set in 3m of water, pots are large heavy bastards and also large styro ball float. I use strong rope and good knots. Has got me stuffed how they disappear.

[gruntahunta]

Grunts that's interesting info... thanks for sharing.

Can I ask.... what region of what state are you in?


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Hi Walrus...I have crabbed mostly in the Caboolture river when younger, then The Bribie Passage(mostly near Donnybrook ), then the Pine River and now the Maroochy River and its tributaries. HMMM....all on the NORTH side of the RIVER ..LOL...says it all I suppose

[Nicko_Cairns]

time to get a gear2go camera guys and set it on the photo every 5 seconds setting, attach it to a tree, you'd only be able to do that during the day though.

[Captain Seaweed]

I have a plan in place, just need to get away from the violent ideas I keep coming up with! Camera sounds good, safe and legal. Or do I need to put a sign up saying"your under video surveillance"?

[kingcray]

are you guys throwing your pots in near the banks? I know a lot of the traps that go missing up hayes inlet are pinched by land based theives.
Keep your traps away from the sandbar. Ive heard stories lately of them being caught in the act using grappling hooks to retrieve the floats

[marto78]

I have never had any pots stolen, which is not surprising if you saw an my pots (old oil bottles for floats and they are rusty bcf specials) you wouldn't bother. But that doesn't stop the low lifes from checking them.
I always seem to be just that little bit too late when I go to check them and will either pass a boat on their way back or if in the bay will see someone in the distance taking off at full noise away from them.

I now couldn't really be assed in going crabbing for someone else to reap the rewards and I have learnt not to zip tie your pots closed unless you never want to use it again. I've had them checked and slashed on xmas day at Nudgee a few years back, I saw a whole family checking them in the distance up north once but they saw us first and we didn't realise what they were doing until we star ed checking them.

[gruntahunta]

I bought 8 new pots 2 months ago...I now have 3. All stolen in the logan. Pots were set in 3m of water, pots are large heavy bastards and also large styro ball float. I use strong rope and good knots. Has got me stuffed how they disappear.



Hi Capt...not suggesting how to suck eggs...but the last two months has seen records floods, large tides which translates to higher than normal water levels and much faster currents and water flow, a perfect recipe for pot floating. Using large floats adds to this risk, anything bigger than the minimum size and rest assured ur pots can be lifted off the bottom and float, even with bricks in them. When I say I haven't lost pots does not mean I haven't had to go and look for them, means they have floated and I have found them, sometimes a km down the river...it happens.

[Fallen angel]

I have a plan in place, just need to get away from the violent ideas I keep coming up with! Camera sounds good, safe and legal. Or do I need to put a sign up saying"your under video surveillance"?

Hi Captain
you will need to have clearly marked crab pots though and when i say clearly you will have to be able to read the name on the pot when you look at the video footage (if not it is a waste of time). The camera trick does work no one in the hinchinbrook area is game to touch anyones pots now due to cameras, but it takes a lot effort.

[Corry]

Swann do a beaut little camera that comes with a waterproof case, there's versions that you can get that are voice/noise activated, or movemeent activated. We use em in our pub for security, and there's no reason that they couldn't be used for this type of thing. They are USB charged, and last around 5 hours (recording time) so would sit all day and you wouldn't have to sift through hours of footage, they're reasonably priced too. You can also get some pretty cheap one's off ebay that we use for our 4B comps, there's so much available these days, you can get footage of anything.
One thing I'm not sue is how you go with the privacy laws, we have signs up saying that our premises are under video surveillance, and our solicitor has told us that if we are personally talking to someone, you need to let them know that they are being recorded, or could be recorded, I'm guessing that this is the reason why when you are talking to any business on the phone nowadays you are told that this call could be recorded for "training" purposes.

Cheers
Corry

[WalrusLike]

Thanks Grunta.

Some cameras might be good... It might reveal that Grunta is right and the water is taking them. Or not. In any case it would be useful.

Grunta's theory does explain why I sometimes see pots right in the middle of channels at risk of tangling props.


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[PixieAU]

How about a label on the float saying "you are currently being video recorded and the information will be forwarded to fisheries"

[marto78]

How about a label on the float saying "you are currently being video recorded and the information will be forwarded to fisheries"

I think just that label would deter a lot of thieves.

[Schulzy]

If you have pots with polly struts/ pipes in grave your name on all the posts makes it not worth while for them to steal

[gruntahunta]

Hi Marto....I think old oil bottles are frowned upon now because of the risk of leaking oil into the river systems....I reckon I used to have about 30 of them laying around with my name on them as some time...back before the greens made us aware of our bad methods...I do agree with them about this tho....not everyone would clean/rinse the leftover oil out...I know I didn't

[marto78]

All my bottles are washed out and emptied down the drain before being used as crab pot floats so theres no fear of them leaking any oil into our water ways ::)

If you don't recycle they're on your case and then if you do they're still not happy...

[robsue]

marty
i think you will find the bottles you are using are illegal, if they are the same size as my 5 litre cleaning bottles, they are not at least 150mm in any direction, mine are just under 130mm or 5" wide in the old scale

[rosco1974]

its gettin to a stage where gettng a feed of crabs is prob cheaper to go to the shops and buy a few...happins every year about this time just b4 the 2nd and better flush of crabs....gone of the days where u could crab within 1km of manly harbour and your pots would be safe..this is where it gets me more than half the pots in this area which where pinched,all 1mtr round heavy pots 10mm rings,leaded rope and 6 inch floats with 9mtrs of rope in a 2mtr deep area,not a very tidal area so no way would the buggers drift away....deffinatly lifted,,,i used to recon if they got sharefarmed you where lucky if the pots still there but at the moment there takin the pots as well....will give the fisheries a ring tomorow and have a chat and see what comes of that.surely they must know what is going on just outside the harbour in regards to pots gettin stollen,

[tunaticer]

Just out of curiosity, how many people have lost the old chicken wire pots we all used to use??
Seems almost every pot these days is a trawler mesh pot.

[rosco1974]

loose a few wire pots in the creeks still,,,

update,
rang the fisheries this arvo had bout a 15 minute chat bout this raging crabpot theft around the manly- close bay islands(green and st hellena).apparently there has been numerous complaints made recently in this area and as a result the fisheries are stepping up the pressence in the area..i asked if they had the resources to do this and was told they had more than enough to increase it....i was also told that recently last week or so that a known semi pro crabber was caught in this area checking pots and sharefarming the crabs as well as pots....they have confiscated his boat and are awaiting it to go to court....so i guess with that info i hope they do step up there presence around the hot spots but i guess only time will tell..will be out there again on the weekend hopefully i see a patrol boat cruisin around but i wont be holding my breath..
cheers rosco

[marto78]

marty
i think you will find the bottles you are using are illegal, if they are the same size as my 5 litre cleaning bottles, they are not at least 150mm in any direction, mine are just under 130mm or 5" wide in the old scale

I never thought to check that but you are right of course, I just measured my floats and they are 20cmx10cmx25cm so only legal in two directions. Although being nearly 3 times the size of the 150mm floats I am still likely to get pinged for them if I ever run into a picky fisheries officer (like that would ever happen seeing a fisheries officer on the water not likely)

I might have to tape two bottles together, I do have quite a few lying around seeing as how I have an 90 etec with over 500hrs on it :P

[Axl]

loose a few wire pots in the creeks still,,,

update,
rang the fisheries this arvo had bout a 15 minute chat bout this raging crabpot theft around the manly- close bay islands(green and st hellena).apparently there has been numerous complaints made recently in this area and as a result the fisheries are stepping up the pressence in the area..i asked if they had the resources to do this and was told they had more than enough to increase it....i was also told that recently last week or so that a known semi pro crabber was caught in this area checking pots and sharefarming the crabs as well as pots....they have confiscated his boat and are awaiting it to go to court....so i guess with that info i hope they do step up there presence around the hot spots but i guess only time will tell..will be out there again on the weekend hopefully i see a patrol boat cruisin around but i wont be holding my breath..
cheers rosco

Good on you rosco1974 if you need any help let me know mate, I havent lost any this year (touch wood) but in saying that I havent been out since before xmas. I am on my way home today so I might see you down at the ramp or out there in the comming weeks. If you need some assistance Ill gladly help out.

[rosco1974]

biggest thing is if ya see anything that looks sus hile out crabbing grab the boat details andrego numbers and report it to the fisheries

[robsue]

marto, some people even use 2 litre milk bottles as floats........ im sure the wrong size floats also account for "stolen pots"
i have seen at times plenty of pots at the marine park office next to the manly boat ramp, dont know why they have been confiscated, but can only guess wrong floats or incorrect markings or in a green zone area, i dont know what they are legally allowed to confiscate......anyone out there who can answer this?
and i will admit in the past i also used 5 litre containers as a float till it was drawn to my attention they were illegal and i could lose my gear, BUT no it wasnt from authorities, just a fisho drawing it to my attention, which i thanked him for...........

cheers rob

[marto78]

I know milk bottles can not be used as they are not strong enough and can collapse when pulled under water.

Sorry for hijacking your thread Rosco.

[MICHAELG]

Rosco- good to hear they at least acknowledged issue and somebody has been caught. I have not been out since before xmas and frankly at the same point as you - is it worth it?. My last 2 trips were raided in brissie river but atleast got the pots back. I have never lost a pot but have had them slashed and there is no lower act

Michael

[Seahorse]

Hey Rosco,
Its just those southside people mate.lol
No thieves up here at woody point. All honest people up here.lol
But i can just imagine how it would piss u off. I haven't read all the threads, but mate a real tough one to combat other than just sit there, which just cant be done if u want do bit fishing.
If possable we just may have to look out for each others pots if we are in similar area.

[rosco1974]

yeah greg is a hard one....the fisheries place microchipped crabs in pro pots when the after an amature maybe they should do the same to a few amature pots and just see if they turn up in a pro's catch for the day...maybe they already do this but iknow this is how they have caught a few amatures in the past for raiding pro pots

[kingcray]

Hey Rosco,
No thieves up here at woody point. All honest people up here.lol
If possable we just may have to look out for each others pots if we are in similar area.

Greg, no pot thieves just 'spot' thieves hey.. ::) .. our crabbing area at woody seems pretty safe, hayes inlet on the other hand is getting nasty. Been a few brawls down there of late !

p.s rosco did you get along to the footy at dolphin oval on the weekend

[Si]

Greg, no pot thieves just 'spot' thieves hey.. ::) .. our crabbing area at woody seems pretty safe, hayes inlet on the other hand is getting nasty. Been a few brawls down there of late !

p.s rosco did you get along to the footy at dolphin oval on the weekend

brawls! god, that's the last thing you want to see or do when trying to relax and go fishing.

[Makka Nick]

loose a few wire pots in the creeks still,,,

update,
rang the fisheries this arvo had bout a 15 minute chat bout this raging crabpot theft around the manly- close bay islands(green and st hellena).apparently there has been numerous complaints made recently in this area and as a result the fisheries are stepping up the pressence in the area..i asked if they had the resources to do this and was told they had more than enough to increase it....i was also told that recently last week or so that a known semi pro crabber was caught in this area checking pots and sharefarming the crabs as well as pots....they have confiscated his boat and are awaiting it to go to court....so i guess with that info i hope they do step up there presence around the hot spots but i guess only time will tell..will be out there again on the weekend hopefully i see a patrol boat cruisin around but i wont be holding my breath..
cheers rosco

I have PERSONALLY seen what looks like a pro crabber (ally centre console approx 6m long, with Verado outboard), checking pots along the Wello & Green Island drop offs before dawn with no lights, nav or otherwise. Looked very suss to me & reported to Water Police who pulled up alongside us to do safety checks etc. Even though the boat in question was in sight at the time, they showed no interest whatsoever.

[rosco1974]

makka mick
,maybe forward this info onto the fisheries and next time grab there details... pm them to me and i will call it through to the fisheries ...when i spoke to the fisheries they said forward as much details as possible to them for them to investergate the matter further and persue it.cheers for the info..
cheers rosco

[burleygu]

I do the wrong thing and sink my pots all the time! Its what I have to resort to. And I have not lost one in the last 2 years. I tried to run floats on my pots one time last year and I had planned to fish through the night and check them every 3-4 hours. As soon as it went dark I caught somebody lifting my pots had the pot in there boat when I reached them. I politely said what the F!uK do you think your doing! " Oh sorry mate we thought it was ours" I said why the hell do you have it in your boat theres names on the floats for a reason. Turns out the guys who checked my pots where the same guys I was having a chat to at the ramp and they seem'd like nice blokes apparently not. I have a little fun plan in order it involves putting a heap of pots in watching them few cold bevies and some 5''mortars. If only I knew where to get some! ;)

[Captain Seaweed]

Tim count me in!!! How about a 5" holesaw?

[netmaker]

one thing you blokes using bottles should be aware of is prop strikes. fishos travelling in the dark who hit your floats will sink them. this is why polystyrene floats are always better than those that rely on a "balloon" principle. it can also explain some missing pots. they may well still be there with a sliced bottle sitting next to them on the bottom. i have seen bottles half full of water on the bay a few times.