Cray pots April/Mai
Submitted by crayster on Mon, 2016-12-05 22:52
Hi all
On our WA roadtrip, we are planning to buy a cray pot and drop it into the water anytime we have overnight sea access. We do not have a boat, so our scope to place the pot is limited. Heard about crayfish moving deeper into the sea in autumn - sounds bad for us - but I don't know if that's everywhere the case.
Starting on 13 April in Fremantle, we first take the Southern Loop via Margaret River - Denmark - Albany and back to Perth, then from 23 April on heading North via Jurien Bay-Kalbarri-Shark Bay-Gnaraloo to Exmouth.
Given those locations at that time of the year (and given suitable bait), is there a good chance to catch some crayfish or are we better off saving the money?
Thanks
Sebastian
Madmerv
Posts: 672
Date Joined: 24/01/15
Crays from shore
Not sure how you plan on getting the pot to an area deep enough to get crays. Off cliffs, large rocks or swim it out.
If i were you, and i have done a few of these road trips, i would invest the money in a mask and cray noose. A quick swim around will let you know if there are even any crays in the area, you get wet/road trip shower, and it is a lot more fun. 20min in the water and you will have enough crays for the night and if you are really keen take a gidgey along for the odd edible fish.
If you are stuck on the pot idea then go a collapsable one.
Sometimes when the water is quiet, you can hear the fish laughing at you !
D_d_001
Posts: 1522
Date Joined: 09/03/13
not sure about the south but
not sure about the south but we have done very well in Kalbarri around April May. Granted we have a boat but set pots very close to shore that time of year. (yes the whites walk out deeper but still many resident reds around the reefs) there are some very good areas off the rocks around that area in which you will get plenty.
Collapsible or plastic may be the go as wood pots don't tend to catch as well when dry and first put in.
Definitely do it !!! :)
crayster
Posts: 10
Date Joined: 05/12/16
Thanks guys. Probably we'll
Thanks guys.
Probably we'll catch more with additional dives, there you have a point Madmerv. But I don't want to give up the idea of potting. Can't wait to pull out my first pot of the water, checking who munched my bait.
Collapsible cray pots: are those cheap ones with braided lines good enough or should I reach deeper into my pocket and buy the ones with hard plastics?
And about the diving equipment: crayfish hook or crayfish nose?
crayster
Posts: 10
Date Joined: 05/12/16
And one more thing.. since we
And one more thing.. since we hear lots of horror stories here in Europe about sharks, but it is difficult to distinguish, what is just fairy tales and what is adequate warnings. So, how strong should we worry about shark attacks while diving for crays?
lachieH
Posts: 1126
Date Joined: 02/03/13
There are plenty of sharks i
There are plenty of sharks i went fishing for west australian salmon (completely different to european freshwater salmon) and counted 10 big bronze whaler sharks in 3 hours about 200m off the beach. They do chase salmon schools around but there is always a danger. A lot of people go diving for them but u certainly wouldnt get me going for a swim in deeper waters where the crays are.
Fishing the swan for bream, it's just an obsession
lachieH
Posts: 1126
Date Joined: 02/03/13
You will get sharks down
You will get sharks down south because your dates are definitely in the salmon run
Fishing the swan for bream, it's just an obsession
Madmerv
Posts: 672
Date Joined: 24/01/15
Sharks off the coast
Well i can see Lachie is trying to put his own fears into you there so i will put some perspective in.
I'm 49. I started snorkling off the Perth coast at 11. I got my dive ticket at 18 for scuba diving but continued free diving whenever i was near the coast and didnt have a tank around. I have snorkled from Albany to Shark Bay and unless i was after Abalone i had a spear or cray noose for every dive. Apart from carpet sharks (harmless) i have only seen 3 sharks in all that time. 1 hammerhead, 1 bronze whaler and 1 un identified. That to me makes diving off the coast a pretty safe thing to do.
To put it into perspective, i have seen 3 head on car crashes in that time with 1 death and some other pretty serious injuries as well as stacks of other less serious car accidents. Less time in the water for sure but you are on a road trip. Pick what you really want to be worried about.
Also do a bit of research on sharks and see what they eat. The 3 main ones to worry about are GW, Tiger and Bull. All 3 have triangle shaped teeth for taking a bite out of a large meal. Most sharks that you will see including the Bronze whaler have needle type teeth for holding their prey and positioning it for swallowing. They will not go for anything that they can not swallow. All the teeth face backwards so if they latch onto something to big they have a hard time letting it go.
Now after saying that there are more sharks about now than in the past, because they are targeted less now, so take some precautions. Sunset/sunrise, the best fishing times, are feeding times for all fish/sharks. Murky water is good ambush conditions for sharks. Like Lachie said when there is a large school of fish around, sharks will follow.
Just re-read your post and see you are going north also so i will qualify what i said. I have scuba dived the north coast, so in a bit deeper water, and once you go past Kalbarri or so there is a shit load of sharks out there. Always dive in pairs up there and have 1 guy hunting and 1 on look out. Stick together and be very wary if all the fish seem to dissapear at the same time.
Most of all is dont let your fear prevent you from having the time of your life.
Sometimes when the water is quiet, you can hear the fish laughing at you !
Rob H
Posts: 5806
Date Joined: 18/01/12
.
Doubt we will ever see these guys in the water or on the road if their mothers read your post
Give a man a mask, and he'll show you his true face...
The older you get the more you realize that no one has a f++king clue what they're doing.
Everyone's just winging it.
crayster
Posts: 10
Date Joined: 05/12/16
Just wanted a rough idea of
Just wanted a rough idea of what we are dealing with and I defnitely got one. Thanks guys for that