autumm/winter crays question ?

ok something iv noticed over the years is how few blokes chase the autumm & winter crays
and it has always been a curiosity of mine why that might be so

for myself i have potted for crays in the autumm/winter right up to the end of june going back to the very early 80s when i discovered how the local pros did it in close along the shallow reefs around here with good results as the crays pick up again in numbers and pot well in the autumm winter swells and dirty water .

most blokes seem to only pot for crays in the nov/dec , and given the amount of crays that are in close then on the whites it makes sense ,

but the autumm winter is well worth the effort , so is it people dont know , its too cold or days are shorter etc ??

given recs have not historically taken our full 5%of the catch why dont blokes hunt them when there in close at this time with less interference and just as good a results ?

hezzy

____________________________________________________________________________

OFW 11

evil flourishes when good men do nothing

 


little johnny's picture

Posts: 5363

Date Joined: 04/12/11

99% of people don't realise

Mon, 2016-02-22 12:45

 Second run of whites. Late jan early February. Last week was diving 200 meters offshore . Getting our limits no probs. now there out on inside edge of 5 and just over. Next run will be all reds coming in. Time your on about is them coming in all big reds towards end of amature season. Always more Crays end of year. I think most go for whites because they are so much cleaner. To be honest I think they taste sweeter

Posts: 48

Date Joined: 20/06/12

Exmouth offshore in close

Mon, 2016-02-22 13:00

Hi all,

 

Followed a great post last week of Ruby's out wide in Exmouth

I am taking my 2 lads aged 8 + 10 to Exmouth for school holidays with our 4.5 m boat in tow

Just wondering about safety of getting out on the west side and what are my chances of getting them a fish in close

We wont be heading out into the 200 m mark, I wish but would love to get them onto a few fish in close

Would love to troll as the boys tend not to get sea sick doing this so hopefully can get them a Mackie before the sharks hit

What if any are their chances of a reef fish or two not far from the ramp

Are the leads easy to follow on the way out from Tantabiddi?

 

Appreciate any forthcoming Help

 

Please dont hesitate to Pm me with any pointers

Nothing better than getting your kids onto some quality Fish

Also any advice on Landbased as well as I am sure thay will only get out in the boat once or twice and we have 10 nights up there

 

Cheers Guys

 

Posts: 48

Date Joined: 20/06/12

Sorry New Post 

Mon, 2016-02-22 13:01

Sorry New Post

 

sea-kem's picture

Posts: 15021

Date Joined: 30/11/09

 G'day tennis coach, did I

Mon, 2016-02-22 14:23

 G'day tennis coach, did I meet you at Gnaraloo last year? 

____________________________________________________________________________

Love the West!

ranmar850's picture

Posts: 2702

Date Joined: 12/08/12

Whites are certainly sweeter

Mon, 2016-02-22 13:01

 But I think a lot of it revolves around daylight hours. For blokes that like to pull before work, it's just too dark. And Whites are easy to catch, once you realise what particular sand patch to drop them in.There are always pots out up here, just not as many. I wouldn't be surprised if the knowledgeable are bagging out here at the moment--or were before the moon--and will after it goes off. Mine are going back in , in a couple of weeks, then out before Easter, know a couple of blokes who are keen, we'll take turn around with the boats. 

Paul_86's picture

Posts: 1449

Date Joined: 27/03/09

 For me it's a couple of

Mon, 2016-02-22 14:20

 For me it's a couple of things. Main reason is because during November/December the sun is up a bit earlier so I've got just enough time to do it before I need to be at work, litterally pulling the pots out of the water at 4:31am to be at work in the CBD for a 7:00am start. Also the whites are an easy target, drop the pot on the sand on the Seward side of a reef and Bobs your uncle. The reds need a bit more precision in pot placement which equals more time on the water. Another factor is usually in the next few months the swell picks up which makes things a little more difficult. Also I'm a keen surfer so instead of pulling pots I'd be out surfing instead. 

But all that said, I'm thinking about sticking them out for a few weeks a bit later on to see how they go, but I'll just have to go out and pull them after work during the week. I'll be using some old crappy all jarrah pots tho so if they go missing I won't be too shitty.

little johnny's picture

Posts: 5363

Date Joined: 04/12/11

good point

Mon, 2016-02-22 15:41

 Light at 4.30

sandbar's picture

Posts: 704

Date Joined: 25/10/09

good read

Mon, 2016-02-22 15:58

 My 1st season cray fishing and i had no idea about crays through  autumn/winter until reading this. The reds I caught were pickled and wow were they tasty. Loved em. All thanks to the fellow fishwreckers who at the start of the season posted some really good info and idea's. Keep it coming.

 

Cheers to all and i shall be out there longer.

Bodie's picture

Posts: 3758

Date Joined: 05/11/07

 Johnny is spot on. Reds are

Mon, 2016-02-22 16:06

 Johnny is spot on.

 

Reds are on after this moon, most amature cray fisherman dont really follow the reds, Pro's are all over it.

I agree with the other comments, doesnt get light until 6.30-7pm, makes it difficult for most. Numbers in the reds are not the same as the whites, so getting out to check your pots on a daily basis isnt as important, and with fewer people doing it, less likely chances of your pots being pulled.

 

Down side....swell.. $%$ing swell, Reds = pot on the reef, swell = pots get stuck at times!

Will likely put my pots back in, probably in the next couple weeks.

sandbar's picture

Posts: 704

Date Joined: 25/10/09

Can i ask a few questions...

Mon, 2016-02-22 16:14

 As is mentioned, put the pots near the reef.

Q1: How far is too far from the reef. 15mtrs?

Q2: If you found some bombies would you be inclined to put pots near them? I am probably going to give this a shot.

Q3: Pot comes up with weed all around and inside pot and no bait in. Who ate it, crays or occies.  And at this spot i caught them when whites were "walking" but recently obviously the crays have gone. 

 

 

little johnny's picture

Posts: 5363

Date Joined: 04/12/11

Stop stealing pots

Mon, 2016-02-22 23:18

 :):) and they will be answered. Lol . Been 2 pots on collie ledge( insude) since start of season. November.    Still there??? Haven't been touched . 300 mm growth on ropes. Got me ??? 

sandbar's picture

Posts: 704

Date Joined: 25/10/09

If they have been there that long

Tue, 2016-02-23 08:07

 maybe take note of the number and notify fisheries. They could of drifted and rested there. Ol mates kicking and screaming  cause he reckons they been pinched.