Mate if you dive then forget the pots and buy yourself a cray loop. You will have more success and fun.

looking at both. Problem is that I have to hire gear for dives and I live so close to Hillarys that it feels like a waste to not have a pot in the water when I can check it so easily.....

Only really effective way to fish pots is if you're able to pull them regularly, like 4 or 5 times a week, and even that's no guarantee that they or the crays won't get stolen. As a diver the crays will be available whenever you feel like going after them and you don't have to worry about other people doing the wrong thing.

your question though the pots are not excessively heavy and can be easily lifted with a bit of muscle.

cheers

not sure about were you are fishing but last year at this time of the year we were pulling pots with up to 30 size crays at a time and I can tell you they are heavy but do able with 2 people. set your pots out in the sand about 2 or so meters from some proven ground use plenty of bait and check regularly and you should get a good feed. once the whites are finished pull them and put back in around the start of some rough weather as the reds dont seem to wont to walk when the water is clear.

Good luck

Oracle of not having my own kit.  There is a place in welshpool that apparently hires bcd, reg, tank for 40$. Maybe a bit far south for you though.

If you ever want to catch up for a dive send me a PM.  I only got out with the loop once last year and scared a few away, so I would like to have another crack.

Bryan

Best place for gear hire is Mike from Mindive in Joondalup. He used to hire all the gear for a week for two days hire, ie $100.

get some plastic pots?? they are lighter :)

I know a few people are going to say "Dont get as many crays in plastics" :) i will prove them wrong this year!! as i have plastics out now.

Think Ryan at oceanside has a picture somewhere that i sent him with crays in plasic pots :)

actoually found them :)

shit bodie you will only need to pull that pot once a week to feed the whole family, great pic

i only pull them once a week :P

Little quieter this year, but only pulled them once.

Out again Sat morning, which should produce some number i think!

To make pulling pots easier is to get a bit of poly pipe with a large enough diameter to fit over the gunwhale of your boat once when split down one side. The rope glides over the poly compared to the sharper angle of the unprotected edge and allows you to stand central in the boat untill the pot comes out of the water.

pull your pots once a week all your gonna do is feed the local Occys You really need to get out at least every 2-3days to get good catches.

so whats the general rule with rope? drop in 20 meters of water, allow 25 meters fo rope? Too much adn the pot is under. Too much and your one of those annoying ropes that lays for 10 meters across the water surface.

i'd suggest. At least 1.5 x the depth to allow for current/wind. A bit like anchoring.

yeah 25m, i have about 35-40m rope.

i go shorter, but then again i pot pretty shallow too, on larger lumps.

I find too much rope and you snag upw ay too often.

Im pretty bad tho, i drop the pots int he sand and usually pull them into the reef edge with the boat :)