Crayfish season 2016/17
Submitted by merdel12 on Mon, 2016-10-10 06:24
So its getting to that time of the year when facebook and fishwrecked become swamped with pictures and questions about crays. considering the success of last year's thread I thought we'd get another one going. It was my first time last year potting and I learnt alot from other members on this site which really helped me out. So who's going out again this year? Diving? Potting? I've already upgraded and got myself a nice winch and tipper after the struggles of last season, so hopefully it pays off!
.thumbnail.jpg "Jason's first dolly")
Anyfishwilldo (not verified)
Posts: 16
Date Joined: 01/01/70
Pulled my pots today after
Pulled my pots today after throwing them in on Saturday morning. Managed two sized crays! Happy as!! First time I've caught any... using plastic pots out from dawsville, picking up some of hezzys pots once they have been made so can't wait!
Anyfishwilldo (not verified)
Posts: 16
Date Joined: 01/01/70
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Anyfishwilldo (not verified)
Posts: 16
Date Joined: 01/01/70
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dodgy
Posts: 4585
Date Joined: 01/02/10
Got 4 this morning. First
Got 4 this morning. First white for the year too.
Does anyone know where the love of god goes, when the waves turn the minutes to hours?
Doc
Posts: 691
Date Joined: 29/05/16
We are camping up at Myrooda
We are camping up at Myrooda Crossing in the Kimberlies, been here a couple of days and hope to stay a week or 2. Been getting a few Cherabin out of the creek here, but got to watch the freshies.
Dale
Posts: 7930
Date Joined: 13/09/05
Hey there Doc, been a little while, where abouts is Myrooda Crossing? Not heard of that place before.
"Just because you are a Character, Doesn't mean you have Character."
Mr Wolf
Smalldog
Posts: 73
Date Joined: 22/11/12
finally got some
Got 10 in 3 days in pots now back to work for 2 weeks hopefully back into it in 2 weeks
Notorious
Posts: 914
Date Joined: 23/02/12
We freedived for 24
We freedived for 24 yesterday - plenty of reds in shallow (3-5m)
Also saw a couple pots on the FFB full of crays in around 10m - there are crays everywhere right now. All signs point to a massive amount of crays when the whites walk.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/174055815943047/?fref=nf
D-train
Posts: 1
Date Joined: 23/10/16
Crays off Ocean Reef?
First year trying this Crayfish caper using pots out of Ocean Reef.
havent had much luck to date. Tried varying spots and depths between 9-20m for only one keeper.
Has anyone had much success to date.?
big john
Posts: 8766
Date Joined: 20/07/06
Too early
Still real early yet mate, my pots aren't going in for another week.
WA based manufacturer and supplier of premium leadhead jigs, fligs, bucktail jigs, 'bulletproof' soft plastic jig heads and XOS bullet jig heads.
Jigs available online in my web store!
randall df223
Posts: 6454
Date Joined: 08/08/11
We got more than 30 in 4
We got more than 30 in 4 pots last Wednesday but then only 7 in one pot on the weekend. Checking again tomorrow morning.
Fish! HARD!
JacksonL
Posts: 108
Date Joined: 24/06/14
We've had 9 and 2 keepers on
We've had 9 and 2 keepers on our two trips to check. Back out tomorrow for another look.
DTrain
Posts: 486
Date Joined: 10/02/12
Another DTrain?
I got 5 sized ones on Saturday and 2 sized ones this morning off Ocean Reef. I'm in 10-12 meters near reef.
Also the Joondalup Ranger was down there checking tickets at 5:30am this morning. He said he'll be down there checking every morning from now on.
Darren253
Posts: 570
Date Joined: 23/07/16
First Pull
We had 15 come up in one pot this morning & and 9 from the remaining 3 pots. 13 keepers, 4 boarder-line and 7 undersized...
JacksonL
Posts: 108
Date Joined: 24/06/14
We haven't had a single
We haven't had a single undersize, setose or tar spot in our pots off ocean reef. Wonder how long our streak will last.
randall df223
Posts: 6454
Date Joined: 08/08/11
We had a few setose but no
We had a few setose but no u/s or tars yet.
Fish! HARD!
JacksonL
Posts: 108
Date Joined: 24/06/14
Streak ended this morning,
Streak ended this morning, about 15 undersize and a setose. 8 keepers on a 3 night soak.
KingToby
Posts: 49
Date Joined: 26/10/15
Pot Theft
Has anyone had any issues with pot theft yet?
Lost one pot on Sunday out from Warnbro sound either to a dodgy knot (ill have a look when the water clears up) or someone wanted it more than me.
The other one had two keepers in it though so not a total loss.
Untill you have the courage to loose sight of land You will never know the terror of been forever lost at sea.
Bryce Day
Posts: 812
Date Joined: 01/06/15
Came into ramp last Sunday
Came into ramp last Sunday and some bloke was raging he had 4 pots taken out the front of bunno.
Anyfishwilldo (not verified)
Posts: 16
Date Joined: 01/01/70
Spoke to fisheries this
Spoke to fisheries this morning when I came in and quite a few pots have been reported missing/stollen around mandurah.
randall df223
Posts: 6454
Date Joined: 08/08/11
16 keepers from 6 pots this
16 keepers from 6 pots this morning. Threw back at least ten. Mainly 76mm ones. Touched guage but on the inside of it! Few setose females as well. All reds.
Fish! HARD!
Ninety Mile
Posts: 193
Date Joined: 17/01/12
The way fisheries explained
The way fisheries explained it to me was that if the guage touches each side carapus and can support itself standing upwards, then there is no argument. So thats what i use as a general rule now.
randall df223
Posts: 6454
Date Joined: 08/08/11
I just think it is not worth
I just think it is not worth the argument. Plenty out there. Give those ones another year.
Fish! HARD!
Dale
Posts: 7930
Date Joined: 13/09/05
I must have run over a chinaman on the way to the ramp this morning, got the dinghy in the water, but the motor would not play the game, would not start. Dropped it into the yammy dealer in Rocky this afternoon, hope it don't break the bank.
"Just because you are a Character, Doesn't mean you have Character."
Mr Wolf
uncle
Posts: 9507
Date Joined: 10/02/07
Bugger
thats bad news Dale
all aggressive fish love bigjohnsjigs
Dale
Posts: 7930
Date Joined: 13/09/05
Just got it back, motor had sucked up poor fuel or something along the way, total fuel system needed cleaning out and all 3 carbies, made me $350 poorer. Where the crap fuel has come from remains a mystery. Runs like a Swiss watch now with fresh fuel.
"Just because you are a Character, Doesn't mean you have Character."
Mr Wolf
sea-kem
Posts: 15041
Date Joined: 30/11/09
At least it's nothing major,
At least it's nothing major, peace of mind now.
Love the West!
Dale
Posts: 7930
Date Joined: 13/09/05
Yep, that's how I'm seeing it Andy.
"Just because you are a Character, Doesn't mean you have Character."
Mr Wolf
randall df223
Posts: 6454
Date Joined: 08/08/11
Dale i had my carbys pulled
Dale i had my carbys pulled apart and cleaned last week by a guy down your way. Mundijong. $250 for 4 carbys including a new gasket. Running real nice now.
I can pm you his name and number for future reference. Worked in a honda dealership for ten years. Nice guy. Seems to know his stuff.
Fish! HARD!
Dale
Posts: 7930
Date Joined: 13/09/05
I'm really hoping I don't need to get it done again Randall, but I'll keep you in mind.
"Just because you are a Character, Doesn't mean you have Character."
Mr Wolf
hezzy
Posts: 1521
Date Joined: 27/11/09
jeesus dale , sorry to hear
jeesus dale , sorry to hear that mate
you remember i had it serviced the week before you picked it up ? cost me $250 to the local bloke .and it did not get started again until you came to collect it ..it should not have had anything wrong with it ??/
cant see why it should have had any issues wth it
hezzy
OFW 11
evil flourishes when good men do nothing
Dale
Posts: 7930
Date Joined: 13/09/05
Hi Mike, it's a bit of a mystery, I've had it out twice prior to today and all was good, so I'm still scratching my head.
"Just because you are a Character, Doesn't mean you have Character."
Mr Wolf
snappermiles
Posts: 2100
Date Joined: 05/11/10
fuel
do you use the puma on safety bay road?? we had a few bad batches from there so we dont go there anymore
ALL FISHERMEN ARE LIARS EXCEPT YOU AND ME! AND IM NOT SO SURE ABOUT YOU!
merdel12
Posts: 306
Date Joined: 19/07/12
Went for 2 dives today for a
Went for 2 dives today for a big doughnut! Back of garden island in about 14m. Shocking visibility and the surge underneath was even worse :(
I saw 1 cray haha
tiimmbo
Posts: 695
Date Joined: 16/08/09
sent you a PM
sent you a PM
merdel12
Posts: 306
Date Joined: 19/07/12
Hey tim didn't recieve
Hey tim didn't recieve anything mate
tiimmbo
Posts: 695
Date Joined: 16/08/09
will try again, having some
will try again, having some trouble with the PM's lately
merdel12
Posts: 306
Date Joined: 19/07/12
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Darren253
Posts: 570
Date Joined: 23/07/16
18 from 3 pots this morning...
Picked the biggest 16 and left the 4th pot for tomorrows pull. One pot seems to have found a honey hole and produced 33 Crays in 2 pulls.
Two of todays catch were whites...
randall df223
Posts: 6454
Date Joined: 08/08/11
Anyone with the initials NB
Anyone with the initials NB lost a pot ffb area? This is one face book...
Fish! HARD!
Bryce Day
Posts: 812
Date Joined: 01/06/15
Has anyone seen the CRAYBOX
Has anyone seen the CRAYBOX on gumtree? Comes with a 5 year warranty and won't get stolen
. Was thinking of getting one and turning it into a cat trap.
bradz
Posts: 693
Date Joined: 29/10/07
Cant wait
Deployed on Wednesday but cant do the first pull until Sunday morning. I really hope they reds have found a nice comfy corner in my pots and made themselves at home. A 4 day soak is longer than I would have liked, but unless the wind and swell drops for tomorrow morning I will just have to wait.
This may be a dumb question but do crays find it easy to escape from pots? By that I mean am I dreaming to think that some crays may still be in there after 4 days?
Hedged my bets with my placement. 2 are on sand on the edge of the reef and 2 are on some slightly gnarly looking ground (fingers crossed).
I did then the best that I knew how. When I knew better, I did better.
Darren253
Posts: 570
Date Joined: 23/07/16
Crays can't easily escape
Crays can't easily escape from a static pot. The only negative I've found with longer soaks is you can get a greedy octy pay a visit an wipe the whole lot out, just leaking you a load of cray head shells!
Dale
Posts: 7930
Date Joined: 13/09/05
I once saw some footage taken underwater on the south coast showing a cray go in and out of the same pot twice, so either they are just smarter on the south coast, or any of them can do it at will
"Just because you are a Character, Doesn't mean you have Character."
Mr Wolf
sea-kem
Posts: 15041
Date Joined: 30/11/09
They certainly do Dale. I
They certainly do Dale. I learnt that lesson last year, if you get heaps from one pot don't disturb the others as they are quite happy in there undisturbed.
Love the West!
randall df223
Posts: 6454
Date Joined: 08/08/11
We have had a good start to
We have had a good start to the season. This is my second year so admittedly i have a better idea of areas, and we are getting more crays earlier. Last year after a couple of weeks we only had a handful. This year we have 61 keepers to date.
Fish! HARD!
Darren253
Posts: 570
Date Joined: 23/07/16
Same
We're 45 from 3 pulls
uncle
Posts: 9507
Date Joined: 10/02/07
Might be some other
things in there
all aggressive fish love bigjohnsjigs
dodgy
Posts: 4585
Date Joined: 01/02/10
Yeah. Much better start to
Yeah. Much better start to this season than last. Reckon I'm up to probably mid 30's and I've been away half the time.
Does anyone know where the love of god goes, when the waves turn the minutes to hours?
tiimmbo
Posts: 695
Date Joined: 16/08/09
We have 32 from 2 dives
We have 32 from 2 dives
Bryce Day
Posts: 812
Date Joined: 01/06/15
They'll drop off before the
They'll drop off before the whites kick in when they starve themselves. Can't be far away
randall df223
Posts: 6454
Date Joined: 08/08/11
How does the new moon / full
How does the new moon / full moon cycle affect catch rates (outside of the migration)?
Are reds more active on and around the reef in times of less, or more moonlight?
Fish! HARD!
randall df223
Posts: 6454
Date Joined: 08/08/11
If your pots are southwest
If your pots are southwest of ocean reef marina, i came across a rope that had been propped. Not by me !! I have tied my fender to the rope. Has my boat rego written on it. Df223. There were other pots in tbe immediate vicinity with single white floats.
Must have been good karma.
2 licences, first pot 6 crays for 5 keepers. Second pot, 20 crays! All reds.
Kept the biggest males up to a boat / bag limit and threw many females back.
Happy days.
Fish! HARD!
bradz
Posts: 693
Date Joined: 29/10/07
First pull
First pull on Sunday morning after a 4 night soak. 3 crays (all red) from 4 pots, only 2 keepers. Very slow start. Perhaps I need to drop them on the gnarly stuff this early in the season.
I did then the best that I knew how. When I knew better, I did better.
randall df223
Posts: 6454
Date Joined: 08/08/11
Fish! HARD!
dodgy
Posts: 4585
Date Joined: 01/02/10
Watch the swell out there if
Watch the swell out there if your pots are close to a break. Bloke lost his boat behind garden island through the week. Right on the break line and hooked up to winch. Pot was stuck and rolled the boat as the swell came through.
Does anyone know where the love of god goes, when the waves turn the minutes to hours?
randall df223
Posts: 6454
Date Joined: 08/08/11
Saw that. No crayfish is
Saw that. No crayfish is worth a life or two. Be safe out there.
Fish! HARD!
sea-kem
Posts: 15041
Date Joined: 30/11/09
I see someone was caught
I see someone was caught redhanded with a stolen pot on one of the FB pages. Sounds like he'll be getting a visit from Fisheries. I think he was lucky to walk away with his face intact from what I've read of the thread.
Love the West!
Jackfrost80
Posts: 8156
Date Joined: 07/05/12
Pretty distinctive number
Pretty distinctive number plate and boat too. Methinks he's gonna get some grief next time he shows up. You'd think someone with a nice car like that wouldn't have to steal pots but it takes all kinda scumbags I suppose
Officially off the Pies bandwagon
big john
Posts: 8766
Date Joined: 20/07/06
Page
What page was that boys?
WA based manufacturer and supplier of premium leadhead jigs, fligs, bucktail jigs, 'bulletproof' soft plastic jig heads and XOS bullet jig heads.
Jigs available online in my web store!
sea-kem
Posts: 15041
Date Joined: 30/11/09
Crayfishing WA
Crayfishing WA
Love the West!
Jackfrost80
Posts: 8156
Date Joined: 07/05/12
www.facebook.com/groups/58956
www.facebook.com/groups/589569121144801/permalink/885894778178899/
Officially off the Pies bandwagon
big john
Posts: 8766
Date Joined: 20/07/06
Pricks
What a pair of pricks.
WA based manufacturer and supplier of premium leadhead jigs, fligs, bucktail jigs, 'bulletproof' soft plastic jig heads and XOS bullet jig heads.
Jigs available online in my web store!
Darren253
Posts: 570
Date Joined: 23/07/16
Named and Shamed.... Mr Corey
Named and Shamed.... Mr Corey Best! Already had a visit from fisheries by the sounds of things!
randall df223
Posts: 6454
Date Joined: 08/08/11
Those potting put of ocean
Those potting put of ocean reef this morning may have thought like us that fisheries were taking it to the next level when a hercules flew overheard and parachuted two boats and a dozen or so divers out the back of the plane! Impressive.
It was however an SAS training drill. They dont spare any expense when training...
Fish! HARD!
randall df223
Posts: 6454
Date Joined: 08/08/11
Anyone know anyone who would
Anyone know anyone who would use the float id PZ0565? It appears another pot has been put very close to the one that has my fender on it. So close the lines cross over. I suspect the owner is now organising a replacement float for his pot.
Fish! HARD!
meglodon
Posts: 5981
Date Joined: 17/06/10
Just getting ready for the run of whites
When the Fisheries run an operation they do it in grand style, good onya guys.
DTrain
Posts: 486
Date Joined: 10/02/12
I went out this morning and
I went out this morning and got nothing. Has it slowed down for others or is it just me? I saw a pro boat dropping pots about a mile from the shore, so they might be getting ready for the whites.
When I got back to Ocean Reef old mate had decided to park his truck in one of the reversing lanes and sat there enjoying his morning coffee while everyone else had to go around him. Refused to move when we asked him. Said he was retreiving a boat, but didn't have a trailer attached or a boat anywhere in sight. We decided it wasn't worth getting into a fight about it, some people are just arse holes.
Stefan
Posts: 55
Date Joined: 01/11/16
It's still a bit quiet
We're getting a couple here and there off Ocean Reef. Only being able to get out in the arvo's not much chop either. Was blowing its guts out last night and trying to free a stuck pot proved a little tricky. I reckon my arms are an inch longer this morning.
Darren253
Posts: 570
Date Joined: 23/07/16
We had 45 keeps from three
We had 45 keeps from three pulls, and then 9 from the forth and zero from the last two pulls. I think we might have picked up all of the locals and now need to wait for the run in!
randall df223
Posts: 6454
Date Joined: 08/08/11
We have got 88 keepers since
We have got 88 keepers since season open and thrown back about a dozen or more that have been excess to bag limits and another dozen or more setose females. But i am finding pot place is critical. We only had 2 keepers in one of 4 pots this morning. We took advantage of a later start and more light this morning to check our placement visually. Got all four on sand and very close to the reef. Will be interested to see how the next pull on friday goes.
Fish! HARD!
meglodon
Posts: 5981
Date Joined: 17/06/10
Price of crays at Kailes
90 bucks a kilo, makes it very profitable for the low life to sell nicked crays....bastards.
Westy74
Posts: 225
Date Joined: 23/11/13
Hey D Train. We saw the
Hey D Train. We saw the truck too and it was there to support the army exercise. All the guys who jumped out of the plane came in at the same time as us on a beauty of a boat and were greeted by the truck brigade. Hope you didnt give them an ear full ..if you did you might need to find the pot thief and go into hiding together haha!!
DTrain
Posts: 486
Date Joined: 10/02/12
Ahh ok. That makes some sense
Ahh ok. That makes some sense then. Nah we weren't rude. Too early in the morning to be starting stuff.
How did they get their boat out the ocean and into the truck? Did they lift it out by hand?
Do they throw a boat out the plane with the paratroopers?
JacksonL
Posts: 108
Date Joined: 24/06/14
TThe boats came down via
TThe boats came down via parachute, it was pretty spectacular to watch
JacksonL
Posts: 108
Date Joined: 24/06/14
We had 6 undersize in our
We had 6 undersize in our first pot today then our motor dropped back to one cylinder and we had to jog back in at about 3kn. Easy fix, just an ignition coil but sucks on a morning pot run when you haven't even checked most of your pots.
Mitch88
Posts: 181
Date Joined: 23/09/14
Pulled my two pots yesterday
Pulled my two pots yesterday for 3 sized reds 8-11m out from port kennedy.
Topped up my bag with a dive at horse shoe reef similar depths.
Crays very deep on ledges and very spooked.
Hopefully weather drops off soon.
randall df223
Posts: 6454
Date Joined: 08/08/11
All reports around ocean
All reports around ocean reef are very low catches in pots. Suggestions are they have gone quiet while they moult and prepare to migrate.
Fish! HARD!
Bodie
Posts: 3758
Date Joined: 05/11/07
8 sizes from 14 out of 3
8 sizes from 14 out of 3 pots today, 4th pot had been raided by an occy, had 3 Empty heads in it aswell
not bad for the first pull of the season.
Water very churned and dirty today and a lot of surge
randall df223
Posts: 6454
Date Joined: 08/08/11
I hope that occy gets named
I hope that occy gets named and shamed and his pictured posted all over facebook until he cant show his face in town!
Fish! HARD!
sea-kem
Posts: 15041
Date Joined: 30/11/09
I've heard he's well armed
I've heard he's well armed and shouldn't be approached
Love the West!
merdel12
Posts: 306
Date Joined: 19/07/12
When does everyone think it
When does everyone think it will kick off? Heaps of people saying within the next few days but there's also a few calling the 15th dec?!?! That's crazy late. Putting my pots in off freo on Wednesday
Fathom
Posts: 619
Date Joined: 18/04/08
Last Night
They are on the march
devhay
Posts: 328
Date Joined: 27/10/14
First year potting this year,
First year potting this year, dropped the pots in 20m near rotto on Saturday.. hoping they've had long enough to soak before the whites start moving out haha
devhay
Posts: 328
Date Joined: 27/10/14
Whites are moving! Had 7
Whites are moving! Had 7 whites and 1 red across 2 pots this morning, 2 females and one undersize went back. But pretty happy with 5 from our first attempt!
Bodie
Posts: 3758
Date Joined: 05/11/07
Nice work Dev, esp out at
Nice work Dev, esp out at rotto!
tiimmbo
Posts: 695
Date Joined: 16/08/09
I went for a quick solo dive
I went for a quick solo dive today and bagged my 8. Mostly whites but they are still not as thick as they were last year when they were moving. Few shells about and 1 of my favourite spots that gets loaded is starting to fill up.
merdel12
Posts: 306
Date Joined: 19/07/12
Spoke to a guy at the
Spoke to a guy at the leeuwin ramp this morning and he got 8 in pots however they were reds. I've put my pots on sand behind stragglers and 5fb with the other 20,000 people waiting patiently. Will check sunday after a 4 day soak. By all reports two rocks is starting to fire.
merdel12
Posts: 306
Date Joined: 19/07/12
8 whites off freo today,
8 whites off freo today, kept 6
sea-kem
Posts: 15041
Date Joined: 30/11/09
15 yesterday a few undersize
15 yesterday a few undersize mostly whites and a few reds. Lost a pot, stuck in the bloody reef grrrr
Love the West!