Questions Re: Crabs and Bait Fish

[cmc]

Hi Everyone

I am still learning all about fishing since getting a 3.8m tinnie with electric and 15HP motor last Nov...

Anyway, what I would like to have feedback on is:

1. Last March I really got into mud crabbing, up the end of Nerang river. After catching a few legal males and cooking them, I come to the conclusion that i do not get or enjoy the meat from the actual body of the crab. So, is it legal to break one claw of a legal male and throw the crab back?

Plus, as the limit is now 3 crabs(?), would I be able to have 3 claws in my posession.

Pros I see are: I do not kill the crab and I read that they throw there claws anyway and grow back a bigger claw... Hence, sustainable crabing.

Cons i see are: It does not indicate if it was not from a legal male or female.

2. Regarding bait fishing - mostly cast netting. I do my casting near Coomera bridge bootramp and along with puddy and bigger mullet and whitebait, I also catch small bream. Are these small bream or another species (there about 7 cms). ? Anyway, are there any limits or rules when it comes to bait fish and small whiting I heard people use for live bait.

thx in advance

[bugman]

David,

You are not allowed to rip the claws of crabs and throw the crabs back - very illegal and worthy of a nasty fine.

Check here for recreational fishing rules for Queensland if you're unsure:

http://www.dpi.qld.gov.au/fishweb/

Bugman

[cmc]

Thx Bugman....

I had a feeling due to fact you can not identify the sex, anyway its a pity the whole animal has to be killed.

Thx mate for the head up and the link.

David

[jaybee]

cmc how are you cooking the crabs, fresh or salt water, ideally if you can take some salt water home with you is the way to go or use some butchers salt in fresh, i like to do crabs in black bean , yummooo
cheers

[cmc]

Hi Jaybee - yeah I am cooking them in salt water - just the meat in the body is not as nice and a messy job - plus the smell of cooking the body stinks the house up - my girl has banned me from cooking inside again he he

[mackmauler]

cmc, clean the crabs before you cook them and add a teaspoon of brown sugar to the water, dont add sugar if they are caught in near ocean water, they taste much sweater anyway.

[Jewmaster]

The problem i see with removing the claw is it impacts on the ability of the crab to feed and defend itself.

[jaybee]

cmc i can agreee with the smell but thems the breaks ;D and love the claws, but, as for the body being messy, maybe you arent cooking them long enough or there maybe something wrong within the area you are catching them :-X don't know can't ever recall a muddie having messy or mushy ??? flesh in the body, most of the crabs i have cooked the meat is nice firm and comes out in little chunks.
cheers.

[cmc]

Great tips - thx everyone... Got 3 new pots ready to roll for tomorrow - lets hope there still there in the arvo.

I used to live near Tullebudgera Creek (Palm Beach, Gold Coast) and must have lost about 10 traps in 3 months - and just gave up there...

[AnthonyC]

What about NSW regulations? I understand that it is legal to keep female crabs...and what would happen if you caught and kept a female crab and were pulled over with your boat on the trailer in QLD? This could well be the case in my situation where I live on the Gold Coast, however fish and crab quite often in the Tweed (with a licence of course).

Anthony

[jaybee]

This was discussed a few months ago siggi so i sent a e-mail off and recieved a reply but unfortunatly i lost it. But in essence if you are caught with a female crab or undersize fish (nsw has smaller size and larger bag limits) you will be fined. According to the Government there is no way you can prove you caught the fish in nsw waters, however the law still stands in QLD it is illegal to have female crabs in your possession period
hope this helps
cheers.

[cmc]

Hi Anthony

Not sure mate. Thought that NSW was the same - no females... I have a NSW licence and does this mean females can be taken ?

As for coming back in to QLD, surely you wouldn't be stopped while driving your car...

I live in Coomera, what about you mate ?

David

[imported_admin]

Doesn't matter where they are caught. The law says that you can not have female crabs in your possesion in Qld.

Same goes for having a cast net in NSW, you can use your cast net in QLD and then fish over the border but don't take the cast net with you. If they want to go the letter of the law they can get you for the intent of use.

[AnthonyC]

Thanks everyone... just what I thought! Best stick with the males then and let the females do their work so the rest of our generations can enjoy it.

BTW cmc, I'm on the southern end of the coast. How is the fishing around Coomera river at the moment? I was up that way a couple of weeks ago and a couple of guys had hooked a good size flatty (over 65cm).

[cmc]

Hi Siggi

Sorry for the delay but I have had a stomach virus for the last 13 days...

Coomera river is usually pretty bad... Near the shoals just north of the boat ramp is good for luring flatties... Got a 70cms there a few months ago... Easy to get puddy mullet near the shoals too...

I use to live at Burleigh, so I have done well tully and currumbin creeks - never doing much good but atleast the water is clear...

David

[Tally]

G'day cmc, mate, the stomach virus wasn't due to the dodgy sounding muddies your way was it? How long do you cook your muddies for? (if you have a messy or mushy crab).
Cheers,
Jay.

[cmc]

Hi Tally

Nah from pizza i think... only a few undersize males is all that have shown up in the crab pots...

haven't cooked a muddie for a while but 15 mins I think... Maybe I cooked the claws fine, but not long enough for the body...

Cheers

David

[jaybee]

20 mins after the water comes back on the boil is about right cmc. That is make sure the water is boiling first.
cheers

[cmc]

sounds good mate, thx