Crabbing success possible in winter?

[cjreeves8]

A mate just blessed me with 12 crab pots enough for a crew of 3. I hear months with an R are best, but what can be expected in the middle of a freezing winter (SEQ based)?

Catches down 25%? 50%? 100%? Or just similar catches, but smaller? I'm figuring if we're fising in one spot for an hour or more, might as well put 2 or 3 in, but just want to know if it would be a complete waste of time until september.

Thanks in advance for your advance!

[trueblue]

Re: Crabbing success possible in winter?

I haven't scored well in winter yet myself, but my research and advice from the experts is that the sandies will still be around in good numbers in winter - but in the deeper water (14- 25m).

Where I have had trouble so far is that in the deeper water my pots are being dragged by the current. I'm going to have to upgrade pots to the crab'n gear type that is larger and much heavier before I try again.

Get on to Craigie - he has lots of good advice about winter crabbing.

Cheers

[kingtin]

Re: Crabbing success possible in winter?

My catch rates on muddies at the Pine and Pin don't drop off. The only difference that I see is that some of the crabs aren't as full.

kev

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[choppa]

Re: Crabbing success possible in winter?

no 2 son and i try and get the boat wet every sunday,,,, and for the past 4-5 trips we've encountered sandies each time,,,, whilst most are slightly under size and returned the majority of legals are full and predominately bucks,,,, in fact we haven't snared a jenny in ages,,,,

the top end of ningi creek is still returning a few muddies,, but these are a bit far apart,,,,

just wish there was more fish around

choppa

[cjreeves8]

Re: Crabbing success possible in winter?

Thanks guys,
sounds like it's still worth a drop. Had a great taylor run at the pin last weekend, so would be good to combine that with some muddies on the same trip. I'll give that a shot. Unfortunately rope is i think only 10-12m (not sure yet, got to measure tehm), so deep sandies is out for a bit.

The taylor seem to go mad around 6-7pm atm. So, is it better crabbing before dark or after? Hopefully before cause then we could crab from lunch until the taylor run and then head off at 7:30

[cjreeves8]

Re: Crabbing success possible in winter?

Ahhh I remember where Ningi creek is! Yeh that's a great location, cause I think I can get my Magna down that ramp (900kg boat with front wheel drive isn't ideal). So if it's still good crabbing there, that's great. Ta

[kingtin]

Re: Crabbing success possible in winter?

Mate, if you're going for sandies down there, we had 12 pots along the bank between Crusoe and Kalinga a few weeks back and didn't score a crab. Did all right on the muddies though and day or night didn't seem to matter. Make sure you put your pots close in, out of the main run, or the tide will take 'em. The vast majority of "stolen" pots down there are simply lost to the current, in my experience.

kev

[Foxy4]

Re: Crabbing success possible in winter?

I am yet to find a Crab that can read and write So I don't know where the month with R in it comes into play?? Pro crabbers still seem to be out there all year round

[tunaticer]

Re: Crabbing success possible in winter?

Head out into Deception Bay and find 5m of water and place your pots there. The pros work the area in mid winter for mud crabs and get outstanding results in pots set overnight. Overnight pots are more likely to get raided tho.

Jack.

[samson]

Re: Crabbing success possible in winter?

Just check fisheries laws i think there might be a ten pot boat limit even if you have more than three people on board just like the mud crab boat limit which i think is 30 if you've got more than three blokes on board.

[kingtin]

Re: Crabbing success possible in winter?

Just check fisheries laws i think there might be a ten pot boat limit even if you have more than three people on board just like the mud crab boat limit which i think is 30 if you've got more than three blokes on board.

Nope. 4 pots per person in Qld.

kev