Crabbing

[Showstopper]

Can anyone give me some tips on th best times and tides etc for successful crabbing...
I've been putting a few witches nets in about 3-4m of water with flat sandy bottoms without much success.. was wondering if tides etc have a major influence on results....

[macman]

G'day

Here are a few tips

1. The nets you buy retail are crap. To be successfull, you need to mod them to at least give them some decent weight so that you can lay them out properly. Add some lead at four points around the ring. Also make some sort of container for your bait so that the crabs can't get it easily. Gutter guard makes good bait pockets. Have clips on the pockets so that you can replace them easily on the attachment point.

2. Keep all your old fish heads and frames and freeze them fresh. Use them for baits.

3. Tides and times are spot specific, but later in the season is better, by later I mean a season starting in October. Crabs will improve right up to easter. I find that the rising tide to half out is best and gives you good access to decent mud and sand banks. I have caught crabs right through the day and into the night, so time of day probably isn't thqat important.

All the above info is for blue swimmers.

Muddies are a different proposition, use a trap, you are allowed 1 in NSW. These are definitely better on a big rising tide right in amongst the mangroves. If not look for some deep muddy rock spots. Like you get in Berowra creek, hawkesbury etc.

Matt

All of the above is only my personal observations, I'm sure others have plenty to add etc.