Swan Prawns
Submitted by Pezdog on Tue, 2016-01-05 13:33
Hey all
Anyone been prawning in the Swan lately? Thinking of dragging the next few nights. Is it far too early or can you still get them in Summer?
Also best places to try?
Cheers
Ryan
vinniefisho
Posts: 212
Date Joined: 21/01/15
PM sent
PM sent
tot
Posts: 1149
Date Joined: 31/01/10
Please pm me too haha
Was thinking the same about the prawns but iv never tried and dont know where to start.
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Dale
Posts: 7930
Date Joined: 13/09/05
I'm thinking its a month or 2 too early.
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Bodie
Posts: 3758
Date Joined: 05/11/07
I dont really see the point
I dont really see the point in chasing the river prawns, they are not the same prawns you get during winter, these are smaller, much smaller most smaller than your index.
Iv'e seena HUGE drop in the number of prawns where i go for crabs in the past 2 years, now with 3 or 4 people every night dragging
Willlo
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Date Joined: 07/10/11
pm sent, what's the big
pm sent, what's the big secret?
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grantarctic1
Posts: 2546
Date Joined: 03/03/11
Prawns
I have been getting prawns with a hand net since Oct, they were hard to find at first but numbers have increased as it it got hotter.
The last few weeks have seen realy good numbers and the size is alot better too.
Willlo, the reason no one wants to share locations is as always, post up the spot for the public to see and then kiss it goodbye for the next week.
Bodie, i know you dont like the prawners, but ive been going for months and IMO its the crabs that have been hammered not the prawns. They have moved into different parts of the system as we get further into the hotter weather. 3 or 4 people dragging is nothing compared to the hundreds ive seen taking every crab that moves. Over the xmass break is the most ive seen anyone prawning, before that I had not even come across one other person fishing for prawns and had any spot i wanted to myself.
For the members asking, the ussual spots have been producing a few litres for net draggers depending on how long they stay. Point Walter , Adross, Applecross, either side of the Raffles and Como. I have been getting aprox 2 to 3 litres in a couple hours with a hand net a few time per week at any of these spots, but have seen them shift areas over the last 3 weeks and start to realy head upstream.
Last year and this year is the first time ive seen them in any numbers head right up river to my bream spots, and can get 10 or 20 in no time for live baits as far up as Guilford. So lets hope they continue to breed and we see better seasons in the future.
As for the people of Perth over these holidays, I have been disgusted by the amount of rubbish left behind on the foreshore and the ethics of so many chassing crabs. Not once have i seen fisheries or rangers patroling any of the areas mentioned above and my phone has been hot from continual calls to fishwatch without seeing any response that I know of.
Good luck . Cheers Grant .
Bodie
Posts: 3758
Date Joined: 05/11/07
Im not against prawning, not
Im not against prawning, not at all, i get prawns in winter (the bigger version of the river prawn)
I'm just not a fan of drag netting. It kills everything basically, not just prawns. im all for dab netting for them or kicking for prawns (Your method). Nothing worse than seeing a sea horse on the bank dead from someone dragging.
As for crab numbers, well i can tell you from my experience, this year has been oen of the best in terms of crab numbers. I've got my bag each time ive gone which might be say 4 times since beginning of december, in under an hour.
Thing with the crabbing in the swan, is with cockburn sound being closed, there will naturally be more people targeting them in the swan.
sunshine
Posts: 2554
Date Joined: 03/03/09
Should close the river to crabbing
Upstream from a line drawn between perhaps the point at Crawley and the point at Fraser Road Ardross - that might at least give them a fighting chance of breeding and restocking as a result - went past well over 70 boats (hence 700 nets ) in just a short stretch of river - come on NO stock can sustain that sort of inordinate pressure and I actually think that whilst it has always been a Perth institution - drag netting in the Swan in summer (I don't want the deep end ) consideration should be given to hand netting only ......that is my take on the issues and am prepared to be shouted down no doubt !
grantarctic1
Posts: 2546
Date Joined: 03/03/11
Agree
I agree mate, even tho I like to drag a prawn net, I can see big problems in the future. ie; all the rubbish dumped on the foreshore and the prawns not getting a proper chance to recover.
Hand netting is not that hard and quite fun. (and no need to go deep lol )
Pezdog
Posts: 204
Date Joined: 09/11/10
Thanks guys
Cheers for the info, might be worth a look.
Willlo
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Date Joined: 07/10/11
So for a complete novice ,
So for a complete novice , and not fishing the swan ( Bunno Estuary) around what time of the year would be best to start ? I would only be dabbing not netting as that's all we can do down this way.
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grantarctic1
Posts: 2546
Date Joined: 03/03/11
Best time
Best time is over the summer months, but they can start to show up around the end of Oct.
I use a fine prawn net that is quite long, this way I can keep fishing without having to empty the net too often.
I also put a bit of seaweed into the net so it forms a funnel shape when I hold it up, this lets the prawns slide down to the bottom without much effort.
I have a 4ft handle and find if it is too long it bothers you more than help.
A good headlamp and a LED light on a pole( you can buy prawning lights that take AA batteries)
Find the prawns with the eyes that glow in the light, put the net beside or behind it, then poke the under water light at the prawn. It will jump back into the net and lift straight up your done.
Doesn't take long to get the hang of it.
sunshine
Posts: 2554
Date Joined: 03/03/09
Willo - suck it and see
A decent headlight , dark night, wade the shallows and pick up the orange eyes of the prawns - you will quickly learn how big they are presently and the occasional good crab as a by catch ......watch for the eyes as many prawns are almost buried in the silt with just the eyes showing (and those are usually the big ones)
meglodon
Posts: 5981
Date Joined: 17/06/10
Eyes that shine in the night
If you see a pair of red eyes that are about .050 mm apart you have come a river prawn, dab it up quick
If you see a pair of red eyes about 0.100 mm apart you have come across a king prawn, quick dab it up.
If you come across a pair of red eyes about 0.50 mm apart, give it a wide berth you have come across a fresh water croc.
If you come across a pair of red eyes about 20 cm apart, get out of the bloody water quick smart, a salt water croc has come across you.
sandbar
Posts: 704
Date Joined: 25/10/09
Good thread and info
I agree with dab netting only. Should be considered by fisheries. With the population growth in west oz there will be no prawns and crabs. Been watching the mekong river episodes recently with the effects damming for power has on the river, they need to also have a look at their ways of " get BIG fukking net and capture and eat Everything!" Its sad and truthfull to say we are headed that same way.
vinniefisho
Posts: 212
Date Joined: 21/01/15
Willo
I sent a PM because i dont wanna all my spots away that ive been getting them so far this summer, i dont want to be dragging shoulder to shoulder with others.
Willlo
Posts: 1490
Date Joined: 07/10/11
that's cool vinnie totally
that's cool vinnie totally understand and i would be the same mate. It's one of the only forms of fishing i have yet to try so only after general info etc cheers fellas for the info. Looks like i am of to the tackle shop for a bit more gear to add to the collection lol edit if i run into a salty down this way he would be one lost croc although i have caught the odd muddy
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