SHAREFARMERS......no respect for royalty

[bondy99]

Another way (if you got the money, and if they are small enough) is to invest in a submersible buoy / float. Operates by remote control , radio signals can penetrate the water column , but you need to use your GPS for navigational fix as the unit is detected and starts to emerge when vessel is within range (contact the inventor for more info). That's one way to avoid pots being stolen and would be perfectly legal.

[Horse]

Another way (if you got the money, and if they are small enough) is to invest in a submersible buoy / float. Operates by remote control , radio signals can penetrate the water column , but you need to use your GPS for navigational fix as the unit is detected and starts to emerge when vessel is within range (contact the inventor for more info). That's one way to avoid pots being stolen and would be perfectly legal.

Bondy, while the sort of equipment you are talking about is used extensively in the commercial sector for fish traps etc. it is not legal for recreational crabbing in Queensland

When not attached to a fixed object (for example tied to a tree above the high water mark), all crab apparatus must have a light coloured surface float attached. The float must not be less than 15 cm in any dimension and must be marked clearly with the owner's name.
When tied to a fixed object, a tag must also be attached to part of the rope that is above the high water mark. The tag must be marked clearly with the owner's name.

[gruntahunta]

You guys are missing the point here. And is there is no high horse. I AGREE anyone who touches any one else's pots are arsehooles and deserve to be dealt with, by the Law. BUT, some of you blokes think it is OK to break the law, by sinking your pots or threatening to bash the arsehooles ( which I don't totally disagree with).

I know you shouldn't have to do this but one method is to stay with your pots, perfectly legal, you keep your pots, they can't float away or get cut by props, no one will raid them. Just because something is inconvenient does not mean it is alright to break the rules to suit your own requirements. There is always a solution within the law/ rules if you really want to find one.

The problem with sinking pots is that marine life get in them and a lot of times the owners can't find them, also it leaves the door open for unscrupulous crabbers to ignore the maximum 4 pot rule......does anyone here use more than 4 pots when they break the rules and sink them?...Hmmmm interesting question, it depends how much importance one places on obeying the rules I guess, and some have already indicated they disregard the rules to suit their needs. Ok that's it for me from this forum. Have fun peoples and watch ur pots. I have not lost a pot to theft for over 20 years and I use floats.

[Dignity]

Grunts, the law also allows only the maximum pots permissible to be carried on the boat so it is illegal to carry spares. On previous discussions though you have said that you've been raided. I suggest that all have a safe and merry Christmas, even the sharefarmers (only if they leave our pots alone)

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[rosco1974]

didn't see a crab this morning out of 8 pot...lucky I went out yesterday arvo and got a feed for xmas day for myself..had the rest of my families crabs sorted..a few more this morning would of been good though...my pots are now out the water...

[gruntahunta]

Thats true Dignity...but I am sure the crooks have worked that out. 8 sunk and left in water, 4 with floats brought back each time. Thats 8 pots but only 4 ever seen. I know a bloke who sunk his pots up near Dunethan Rock & went back to get them the next day, could only find 3 and swore black & blue that the other one was stolen...LOLOLOL...u gotta laugh at some of the ego's on here.

Oh...I did say that I have not had any STOLEN..I am sure I have been raided like everyone else, but I don't blame not having legal bucks in my pots as being raided everytime as some do. I recall one comment that went along the lines of *they only took the bucks and left the undersized and females in there*, I consider that as ridiculous as the*Most of the thieves are in the little boats* comment.

[Dignity]

No worries Pete, have a merry Christmas

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[marto78]

Crabbed around Mud this arvo for 10 keepers the only other boat out in the slop was a 30+ foot cruiser anchored up on the southern side out of the wind. Crabs werent full and no share farmers attempting to raid my pots

[phantomphisher]

Just on the topic of pots getting lost through completely random circumstances, I had one lost in the rous which i then found on the way back a good 2km from where it was set with a turtle that got caught up (lightly, thank god) around the rope and had carried it right up into one of the channels. Turtle was freed without any harm, needless to say, but it does open your eyes to the fact that there are many different things that could happen to a pot.

Cheers, PP

[tunaticer]

Does anyone handline for crabs these days?
We used to do it regularly whilst drift fishing for flatties and often would match what the pots would catch. It also works well when anchored too.

Simply a 1/2oz sinker right down to the knot that holds a fish head or frame or whatever, then get a tangle of line about the size of a volleyball and tie it above the bait and let it slide down onto the bait. 1/2 of your crabs will snag themselves in the tangles, the rest would hold on enough to be scooped with the landing net. Big heavy timber handcasters with 50lb line are the go.

Surefire way to beat the share farmers.

[Horse]

I think a lot of stolen pots have either been run over by other boats or simply dragged away by the current. Last year in a creek up Stanage way we had worked our pots in one of the bigger creeks. We found that the Crabs were working the deeper water away from the steep banks so were on float rather than tied to Mangroves. On our 4th trip into the Creek I could only find 3 of my pots. On the way home my deckie noticed something almost underwater outside the creek mouth. It was one of my floats with pot attached. We worked down current and found 4 of the five "missing" pots. One had travelled nearly 2 NM from were it was dropped. Now these were heavy pots with 12m of rope in a 6m deep creek.
Stanage has huge tides but lighter pots on short ropes would do the same thing down in these waters.

[tunaticer]

Yeah higher currents are a pain with pots. In waters deeper than 10m with current I use 3mm venetian blind cord to minimise the water drag on the rope which lifts the pot from the bottom to set it adrift. Downside of thit is you need to use pigskin gloves to haul them up.

[netmaker]

Does anyone handline for crabs these days?
We used to do it regularly whilst drift fishing for flatties and often would match what the pots would catch. It also works well when anchored too.

Simply a 1/2oz sinker right down to the knot that holds a fish head or frame or whatever, then get a tangle of line about the size of a volleyball and tie it above the bait and let it slide down onto the bait. 1/2 of your crabs will snag themselves in the tangles, the rest would hold on enough to be scooped with the landing net. Big heavy timber handcasters with 50lb line are the go.

Surefire way to beat the share farmers.

good point. i haven't done that for a few seasons now but i remember the last time i managed 12 on the line and 18 in the pots before lunch. i was anchored and chasing snapper but the crabs were cleaning up the baits so i gave up on the snaps and caught crabs. haven't tried the tangled line thing tho and i like it.
do you use heavy or light line for your tangle? i imagine light line would be pia to untangle but does it catch better than heavy?

[Horse]

We used to put a bait inside a pair of stocking. Now all you fishos will have an excuse for the pair of fishnets you keep hidden on board

[tropicrows]

Slightly of topic, but I use to catch lobsters from the rocks using bait in stockings with a rod and reel. Merry Xmas to all

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