Mud crabs...

[griffox]

G'day 'Raiders,

I've been making my first attempts at catching some Mud Crabs the last couple of trips out and have had no luck as yet.

Up around Roseville in Middle Harbour is supposed to be a good area, so I've tried about 5 spots around the bridges and downriver slightly past the ramp.

Using standard style folding "box" type crab net, using fresh large mullet frames and heads as bait, even tried a bit of tuna oil on them today.

I've tried run in and run out tides as well.

Early high tide this morning (5am start, and tried through to 11am) with warm water temp (18 - 19C), tried different depths (between 2m and 5m), any hints as to what I'm doing wrong?

I've had baits chewed by crabs when fishing land based at Echo Pt, so I thought this would be easy!!

I regularly fish MH, Sydney H, Botany B and the Hacking, so if I'm trying in wrong place let me know!!

Any tips guys?!

Edited October 24, 2012 by motohead

[rjc123]

I'd be looking upstream around the mangroves... seen a few last summer there.. high tide should be best

[Jacques.va]

Check your traps regularly as they do not always hand around. But if you are using a box trap there could be other issues.

I find the best traps are aften the bucket style- two rings that lie flat on the ground and when you retrieve the net the crabs get stuck.

I have mainly seen Blue swimmer crabs in the Harbour.

try these links

http://www.fishraider.com.au/fishing-articles/blue-swimmer-crabs.php

http://www.crabngear.com.au/lift-dillies

[griffox]

Cheers guys,

Advice taken.

I'll keep trying!

Any other spots to try that may work better?

Is there a "season" for them here? Most of the articles I've read are about N.T./Qld.

Thanks.

[rjc123]

Cheers guys,

Advice taken.

I'll keep trying!

Any other spots to try that may work better?

Is there a "season" for them here? Most of the articles I've read are about N.T./Qld.

Thanks.

Generally they are thicker over summer but knowhere as thick as up north... The back end of sugarloaf and bantry bay are worth a look... The flats up the back might have a few... Generaly i would be focusing upstream from roseville though... There's a little creek thing just UPSTREAM of the bridge that veers off to the left straight away. Its more of a small backwater but it wouldn't be a bad starting point. Not sure how deep it is so check it out at the top of the tide. Careful of stringrays around there.. Seen literally too many to count.

Tom

[The Incredible Hull]

Cheers guys,

Advice taken.

I'll keep trying!

Any other spots to try that may work better?

Is there a "season" for them here? Most of the articles I've read are about N.T./Qld.

Thanks.

Mate there must be a season for sure!!! I'm buying some mud crabs tonight, to cook for my folks, and omgosh... they are so expensive right now! I generally buy them for around $30-35 a kg, right now most places are selling for $55-$65/kg!

[Jewhunter]

Muddies lay up & sort of hibernate for winter & come out as the weather warms.

From now until April is the 'season'.

I don't really bother chasing them until November because they have very little

meat in them & are what's called 'empty'.

The general rule is that you won't catch a crab in the month's that don't have

the letter R in them.

The Lane Cove River is probably the best spot in Sydney to try for them.

There are plenty up in Homebush Bay but I would NEVER eat one from there.

Cheers,

Grant.

[griffox]

Thanks guys, all good info.