Western Rock Lobster Season Over - For Now at Least
Happily pulled the pots from the water today. Over the last 10-12 weeks we have been solidly “at it” with the pots in deeper water – I’m pleased we have a winch. Over 200 nice big crays in the time, with at least as many berried, tar spot and setose females thrown back, and it has been one hell of a season.
It’s time to go fishing. The pots are good, and we have cleaned up, but the effort required to pull them when conditions allow certainly eats into the fishing time. We made a pact a week or more back to put 20+ vacuum packed individuals away for future use and have now achieved that goal. In fact, the last few days have produced well more than that and we have a freezer full (but within Fisheries keeping limits).
A small snapshot of the ones we got is shown below. Quite a few male jumbos with the biggest carapace about 180mm.
I don’t eat them, so the best part is that we have lots of kilos of heads, etc that have been minced for the next burley run to attract the nearshore pinkies in Autumn and Winter. Let’s just say that the wife, family, relatives, friends and neighbors have appreciated our efforts.
I dare say we will go again in April when the females should be “collectable”, but for the next couple of months the time will be spent chasing the pelagics. If I have learned one thing, it is to find the ledges on the sounder and drop next to them and bait hard with fish that you have caught from the general area.
Ability is what you are capable of doing. Motivation determines what you do. Attitude determines how well you do it - LH.
tim-o
Posts: 4657
Date Joined: 24/05/11
Room in my feeezer
If the 20 is due to freezer space limitations
I am, as I've said, merely competent. But in an age of incompetence, that makes me extraordinary.
Paul_86
Posts: 1449
Date Joined: 27/03/09
Good work mick, that's a
Good work mick, that's a great season in anyone's book!
out wide
Posts: 1535
Date Joined: 30/12/08
Good report Mick
Thanks and great pics
out wide
Posts: 1535
Date Joined: 30/12/08
Good report Mick
Thanks and great pics
randall df223
Posts: 6454
Date Joined: 08/08/11
Great report mick. good to
Great report mick. good to get some ideas for next season when I hope to start some serious cray fishing. thanks for sharing!
Fish! HARD!
southcity104
Posts: 1659
Date Joined: 27/01/09
180mm!
180mms is a big jumbo!
"Its a life style job"
Mick C
Posts: 605
Date Joined: 26/12/13
Jumbo
Don't know how it got in the pot really! It took a hell of a lot to "extract" it, and caused a bit of damage in the process. Those big males are always very angry beasts.
Ability is what you are capable of doing. Motivation determines what you do. Attitude determines how well you do it - LH.