Blue swimmer crabs in winter?

[Ray25]

Hi Raiders,

I recently started crabbing on hand lines from my kayak in Brisbane Water, and was able to take home quite a good feed every time I was out in summer. When I was doing my research on what time of year blue swimmers are active I found an old saying - in month with "R", meaning May, June, July and August are no good as crabs hibernate and don't eat anything.

I went to Brisbane Water on a boat with my friend last Monday and to my surprise we caught two big male blue swimmers on prawn, of course totally unintended as we we fishing for bream & flathead. The crabs were cooked and were full of delicious meat.

So my question - is it normal to catch them in winter or we just got lucky?

Thanks,

Roman

[stevo j]

Hi mate you will still get a few in winter.I get 2 or 3 every week in ulladulla on lines. With all the rain we have had its upset there hibernation they will eat what they can befor they go back in to hibernation.

[dirvin21]

I've heard the whole "only months with an R" many times, I think this was more related to mud crabs this being the time when most crabs borrow and moult there shell leaving them with no flesh, you will still catch them but they are a very bright green colour and have no meat when you cook them, I have found this doesn't seem to apply to blue swimmers when I was younger I used to hand catch them in winter with a mask and snorkel

[Day's Fishin]

I agree with dirvin21, the months with no r's are the time of year that muddies (not up in the tropic's) have little meat in them. Blue swimmers for some reason can be full of meat all year round. On saying that I have taken mud crabs in August and they were pretty good it really depends on the water temperature and if there is abundance of food around for them at that time, usually there isn't.

Jeff

[Ray25]

Hi Guys,

Thanks a lot for your replies. I think I'll give it a go in winter when I have a chance.

Cheers,

Roman

[harold]

We will put out a pot at the Hairtail fishing competition and see if there are any in Jerusalem Bay.

[Davemmm]

Blue swimmers don't hibernate they just move.

Some crabs apparently spend their whole lives (3-4yrs) in bays whilst others head back outside in winter. Hence you will get more in summer than winter.

Whilst they dont hibernate the cooler water of winter slows down their metabolism so they dont have to eat as actively as in summer. Another reason why the numbers are down in winter.

Dave

[krause]

Can you set traps throughout cowan creek? Just talk of hairtails and j.bay makes me think someone here might know?

I looked at the dpi list of bans and tbh i struggled to derive a result. So i just didn't do it to be safe

[Brew]

Can you set traps throughout cowan creek? Just talk of hairtails and j.bay makes me think someone here might know?

I looked at the dpi list of bans and tbh i struggled to derive a result. So i just didn't do it to be safe

Hi Krause,

You can put traps in from the seaward side of the entrance to Jerusalem Bay all the way up to Pittwater but not in J-Bay or further upstream to Bobbin Head.

[krause]

Cheers fellas, that's a big help keen to try and get some, but scared about having them in the yak with me :/