Mandurah estuary drop nets

hi everyone. So I will be going down to Mandurah later this month to drop some crab nets off a dinghy, but I was just wondering where the deeper waters of the estuary are? Last year we dropped nets off a dinghy but at best the water was 2m deep which is a bit annoying because my nets have plenty of line on them and it made pulling them a bit tough.

so where are the deeper parts of the estuary? Thanks in advance,

 

lachie 

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Fishing the swan for bream, it's just an obsession


roddo's picture

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Date Joined: 16/10/09

You wont find much deaper

Mon, 2017-01-02 16:14

You wont find much deaper then 2.4m just coil your rope up and tie it or cable tie it.

Jackfrost80's picture

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Date Joined: 07/05/12

 Get some 125mm cutout floats

Mon, 2017-01-02 16:58

 Get some 125mm cutout floats and some shark clips. I've got 20m of rope on my nets and just spool up 17m when in Mandurah

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Curious as to how you use

Mon, 2017-01-02 21:24

 the shark clips with the floats Jack - any advice appreciated mate.

Jackfrost80's picture

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(No subject)

Tue, 2017-01-03 18:34

Make sure you clip your line to a deep coil

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Great stuff ^

Tue, 2017-01-03 18:58

 Thanks Frosty

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Near the navgation channels

Mon, 2017-01-02 17:04

Not in them, but just along the edges of the sticks or between the bridges is a good place to start. If you don't get crabs straight away move don't waste time hoping they will come along. They won't.
Make sure you are out on the water early.

Posts: 439

Date Joined: 06/02/14

Crabs

Mon, 2017-01-02 17:57

 I caught a heap 150mm size around the murray river near the ravenswood bridge, new years day.

 

You can cut a round float in half and poke a bit of electrical conduit through the two halves to make a dumbell shaped flaot.

 

Leave about 50mm between the halves.

 

Wrap the line in the middle.

 

 

jeddddy's picture

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 Deeper water is around the

Mon, 2017-01-02 18:31

 Deeper water is around the s-bend and science platforms even then its not much deeper, 3m max.

Westy74's picture

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 7 today and heat strike.

Mon, 2017-01-02 20:37

 7 today and heat stroke....Hard work at the moment...

crasny1's picture

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LOL

Tue, 2017-01-03 08:12

That's us to. Out around the science platform. Scooping and potting.
Got 8 size, 4 million undersize seen and in nets. And came back looking like a cooked crab!!!!!
Spoke to Watsie (Pro crabber who lives down the road) at the ramp. Pros aren't getting much either and he predicts a bumper latter season.
BUT he also made a huge swipe at people around Island Point that he observes taking loads of next years breaders, ie Undersize, and as a Pro he was to say the least pissed off at what he has seen this and previous years.

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bulkie's picture

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Was down at Island Point last

Tue, 2017-01-03 10:01

Was down at Island Point last week, thick with just undersized.  We managed only 4 sized ones in 2 hours.

Vast majority of the people there were abiding with rules as far as I could tell but there were definitely a few low lifes who kept literally every crab scooped.

Bones 79's picture

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Hey mate down in Mandurah at

Mon, 2017-01-02 21:14

Hey mate down in Mandurah at the moment we went alright yesterday got a bag limit we went at the start of the lead markers  leading into the Murray. Good luck there are a lot of just undersized crabs at the moment. If you need more info on me

Tradewind's picture

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Took me 2 hours to get my 10

Tue, 2017-01-03 10:11

Took me 2 hours to get my 10 sized last night from scooping

Lot of undersized and probably 30+ which were 1mm from being sized

 

I know there's been some busts by fisheries joining the booze buses which is great but i've yet to see an officer when I scoop or afterwards at the car parks etc

Yes it's the holiday period and they have family too but because it's the holiday period there's 10 times the people out there which is when we need the presence most

 

Just my 2 cents but we need more checks morning and night at the popular scooping locations and publicize it and make hefty fines to really put the education and fear to the wrongdoers

bulkie's picture

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I 2nd that thought.  Probably

Tue, 2017-01-03 10:55

I 2nd that thought.  

Probably need to hire a couple more fisheries officer (preferably Mandarin speaking ones who can assist with language barriers in most instances).

Education always wins versus punishment.

crasny1's picture

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Saw fisheries twice

Tue, 2017-01-03 11:52

at the Bouvard ramp. One female officer had all the manners in the world, asking polite questions like can I come onboard please, can I check your catch please etc etc. Don't know what would have happened if the chap said No. We were on the way out and fishing not crabbing but still had our FBL checked. And they weren't just checking size, but licences and also net counts. They only stayed for 4 boats the first time, and 2 boats the second, and then took off.
IMO would be better to stay and check heaps more, but I think they are to stretched for numbers, trying to spread their presence but probably wasting a lot of time driving between localities.
Why not bring back the VFLO (Volunteer Fisheries Liasson Officers) they had in place for years to check and educate, and call Fisheries if they saw breaches. I for one would love this during crabbing season.

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Jackfrost80's picture

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I got checked at Dawesville

Tue, 2017-01-03 19:38

I got checked at Dawesville yesterday and then again at Pt Bouvard today. Saw some old timer get done for an undersized crab and no licence

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bulkie's picture

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Yeah I would jump at the

Tue, 2017-01-03 12:13

Yeah I would jump at the chance of volunteering to be honest.  

Dale's picture

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Tue, 2017-01-03 12:24

 Used to be one myself, but wouldn't mind doing it again.

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Tradewind's picture

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I would absolutely sign up as

Tue, 2017-01-03 13:00

I would absolutely sign up as a volunteer especially for crab season

Bing's picture

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Same

Tue, 2017-01-03 18:38

 as mentioned above there are plenty of undersize crabs about, we still got our bag but found it better earlier. Had our nets in 2m of water.

Jackfrost80's picture

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 I've been out three times

Tue, 2017-01-03 19:36

 I've been out three times this week first time early at Stoney Pt and Pt Grey dropping from 1.6 to 0.5m next time I scooped the northern side of Point Grey all undersized so headed down to Meelup Point and saw 3 baby crabs and headed to Pt Grey for no crabs. Last scooped Dawesville foreshore at dusk and saw two undersized crabs.

Haven't taken one crab home.

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Officially off the Pies bandwagon