Crabbing Port Hacking & Botany Bay

[Larkin]

Plan to try dropping some pots for blue swimmers now that the water temps are starting to rise. 

Haven’t done this since I was a kid, with my mate and his dad - which was a long time ago. He used to use the witches hats, but I’m thinking pots, so I can drop at the start of a fishing session then come back after 5-6 hours.

When is the best time of the year to go crabbing in Port Hacking and Botany Bay?

Is there a specific water temp? Tide or time of the day that’s best?

I know you can’t drop pots in Port Hacking upriver from Hungary point/Cabage Tree point. But looks like it’s fine around Jibbon beach and Salmon Haul - in between the smooth water limit to the open waters limit.

Anyone drop pots / get any around these areas of port hacking?

In Botany Bay, are there specific areas that people tend to drop pots? Not after anyone’s secret spot, just rough areas. Up towards Kurnell or Yarra bay? Or more around Ramsgate, or in the bays like Kogarah bay?

Thanks in advance for any help.

Edited October 6, 2023 by Larkin

[onearmedfisho]

around towra in the bay is very popular but i would be careful putting them in around jibbon. For some reason i still think its illegal

 

[Larkin]

22 minutes ago, onearmedfisho said:

around towra in the bay is very popular but i would be careful putting them in around jibbon. For some reason i still think its illegal

 

Thanks onearm, it’s what I’ve also heard about port hacking having lived local all my life, but looking at all the DPI restricted areas, it looks like it’s permitted. I’ve looked at every map on their website and I cant find anything to say you can’t drop pots in between those two lines. Maybe the restriction has changed over time?

Keen to know if anyone can confirm? or has dropped pots in those areas?

[noelm]

Best of luck leaving them unattended for 5-6 hours! The share farmers/thieves love unattended traps.

[XD351]

For Botany i would send Mel spikes a message ,she did a crabbing video a little while back and got a pile of crabs .

[Larkin]

1 hour ago, noelm said:

Best of luck leaving them unattended for 5-6 hours! The share farmers/thieves love unattended traps.

Haha, not wrong 

They were on sale half price. I got 4 X 80cm four entry pots for $50 - $12.50 a trap plus $6 for the rope & buoy per unit. Gives me two spares if they go missing. So not out too much if one goes walkabout.

only thing is if I were to drop them around the entrance of port hacking people might think they’re illegal and remove them.

56 minutes ago, XD351 said:

For Botany i would send Mel spikes a message ,she did a crabbing video a little while back and got a pile of crabs .

Thanks XD!

pretty sure that was along ramsgate beach

Edited October 6, 2023 by Larkin

[Restyle]

id probably hide a couple around the few moored boats just off jibbon beach while tea bagging a squid jig near by so no one raids them. I've caught my fair share of blue swimmers and also muddies on pilchard bats at the top of gunnamatta bay from gunners right up close to the ferry wharf. could also give that a go on a few salted fish strips. also a few squid there from time to time

[Yowie]

Never tried crabing, with nets or bait, around the Jibbon beach area, or anywhere outside the 'No Netting' area of the Hacking.

Apart from using a landing net to scoop up fish, crabs, squid, I have only ever used a scoop net for prawns. Prawns do not run in the Hacking like most lakes and rivers along the coast. The prawns sit on the bottom and have to be scooped up while wading about. The larger prawns are in the deeper water. I have not tried prawning in the Hacking for many years, and have been wary of the large dark shapes swimming about at night - yes, sharks.

[bessell1955]

I agree I would not leave them for an extended period of time.  They may well swim away, with assistance of course.  I always keep them in sight and enjoy some fishing time.

[noelm]

To be successful at crabbing, you need to put in some effort, of course there are times when you will get a few, but, to be consistent requires a bit of work. For me (in Lake Illawarra) I go crabbing with a bit of easy fishing on the side, you can’t do both properly…….so, I set a couple of traps late in the afternoon/dusk (make sure of legality) and come back the next morning while it’s still near dark and use lift nets near the traps. Lift nets need to be “worked” they are not set and forget. I set mine a good distance apart in a line, give it 10-15 minutes then check them, if you get a couple of crabs at one end, next time, I take a couple of traps to that end, and continue doing that, most times you will find you will get crabs in a fairly defined area. Between “runs” I just drift fish near the nets hoping to catch something decent, most times I get a Flathead or two, and maybe a couple of Whiting. After an hour or so of netting, I check the traps, and only keep big crabs, minding the bag limit and number of people with me, most times I “upgrade” crabs to bigger ones, once the limit is achieved (or you have what you want) I just pull everything in and head home. So, as you can see, there is not much time for proper fishing (in my opinion) you do one or the other! I have been crabbing for around 40 years, so have a pretty good “handle” on it. Sometimes I just use the lift nets, and that’s an easy day crabbing, no late afternoon set or very early morning start, that said, I still go early, sometimes we get our bag limit very early and are home before some have even launched, other times it just a couple every run of the nets. Nothing more disappointing than pulling a trap a damn huge Octopus is in the trap and only crab shells left! Hate those big lake Occies……

[Larkin]

14 hours ago, Restyle said:

id probably hide a couple around the few moored boats just off jibbon beach while tea bagging a squid jig near by so no one raids them. I've caught my fair share of blue swimmers and also muddies on pilchard bats at the top of gunnamatta bay from gunners right up close to the ferry wharf. could also give that a go on a few salted fish strips. also a few squid there from time to time

Thanks restyle! 
was thinking around there at jibbon. 
I’ve seen three guys get about 5 off gunnamatta wharf with split whole yakkas on hand lines using a landing net.

I think it may still be too cold, but in the coming weeks waters should warm up a little for them to start moving around.

 

4 hours ago, bessell1955 said:

I agree I would not leave them for an extended period of time.  They may well swim away, with assistance of course.  I always keep them in sight and enjoy some fishing time.

Thanks Bessel - not so many people out through the week when I usually go fishing, so “hoping” they’ll get left alone. But cheers for the tip mate! Might end up hanging around the area.

[Larkin]

12 hours ago, Yowie said:

Never tried crabing, with nets or bait, around the Jibbon beach area, or anywhere outside the 'No Netting' area of the Hacking.

Apart from using a landing net to scoop up fish, crabs, squid, I have only ever used a scoop net for prawns. Prawns do not run in the Hacking like most lakes and rivers along the coast. The prawns sit on the bottom and have to be scooped up while wading about. The larger prawns are in the deeper water. I have not tried prawning in the Hacking for many years, and have been wary of the large dark shapes swimming about at night - yes, sharks.

I’ve never seen any traps in the hacking around that ocean side either - so wasn’t sure if it was permissible or not - but all information seems to indicate that it’s ok. Not sure what will be around up there, but going to give it a shot over the coming months. 

I was told by my mates grandfather (when I was a kid) that lived on a waterfront property at Lilly pilly that there are plenty of large bulls in the hacking, especially up in the arms.

[Larkin]

3 hours ago, noelm said:

To be successful at crabbing, you need to put in some effort, of course there are times when you will get a few, but, to be consistent requires a bit of work. For me (in Lake Illawarra) I go crabbing with a bit of easy fishing on the side, you can’t do both properly…….so, I set a couple of traps late in the afternoon/dusk (make sure of legality) and come back the next morning while it’s still near dark and use lift nets near the traps. Lift nets need to be “worked” they are not set and forget. I set mine a good distance apart in a line, give it 10-15 minutes then check them, if you get a couple of crabs at one end, next time, I take a couple of traps to that end, and continue doing that, most times you will find you will get crabs in a fairly defined area. Between “runs” I just drift fish near the nets hoping to catch something decent, most times I get a Flathead or two, and maybe a couple of Whiting. After an hour or so of netting, I check the traps, and only keep big crabs, minding the bag limit and number of people with me, most times I “upgrade” crabs to bigger ones, once the limit is achieved (or you have what you want) I just pull everything in and head home. So, as you can see, there is not much time for proper fishing (in my opinion) you do one or the other! I have been crabbing for around 40 years, so have a pretty good “handle” on it. Sometimes I just use the lift nets, and that’s an easy day crabbing, no late afternoon set or very early morning start, that said, I still go early, sometimes we get our bag limit very early and are home before some have even launched, other times it just a couple every run of the nets. Nothing more disappointing than pulling a trap a damn huge Octopus is in the trap and only crab shells left! Hate those big lake Occies……

Thanks Noel, I might grab some of the lift traps too, and spend a morning watching them like you have suggested.

Any suggestions as to time of the year? Water temp? Or tides?

ps if I got an occy, it would be ending up on the barbie! 😂

[noelm]

Tides “seem” to be kind of irrelevant (in Lake Illawarra) though I have found if it’s high tide early morning (while it’s still dark) I get quite a few right up on the sand banks, during the day, they are nearly always in the deeper water. I have caught crabs all year ‘round, but, best seem to be from around Christmas on, when the water is warm, remember Lake Illawarra is quite shallow, and nearly the same sand/mud bottom all over. There is no “secret spot” I usually launch at Oak Flats and just go until I think I have gone far enough (passing a thousand trap floats on the way) and just start there, sometimes I might try along the drop off near a channel marker, but it makes little difference. I tend to just work anywhere out of the wind, but summer usually sees a NE about lunch time, but I am home by then anyway. Best bait…..basically anything! Whiting “seem” to get the best results, but I use Blackfish and Flathead frames mostly, Mullet are OK, Snapper frames are useless, (or seem to be) so are Salmon heads. I have a decent size esky in the tinny, and make my own ice, so, I put salt water in it, then the ice and was soon as you tip a crab in, it goes “to sleep” in a second, so it doesn’t bite all the other crabs, (or try to bite you) plus it keeps them super fresh during summer, especially if you have a distance to go home! Plus I use the ice salt water to cool the crabs down once cooked! After I eat one or two hot first…..nothing beats a fresh, hot crab straight out of the cooker, while sitting in the shade after everything is washed and put away, trust me on that!

[noelm]

OH, and regarding the Occie, I hate them (don’t mind eating them) but, you haven’t lived until you have had one, about 5’ across, loose in the boat, and all your crabs in the trap are gone……it tends to take a bit of the gloss of them!

Edited October 7, 2023 by noelm

[Larkin]

2 hours ago, noelm said:

OH, and regarding the Occie, I hate them (don’t mind eating them) but, you haven’t lived until you have had one, and 5’ across, loose in the boat, and all your crabs in the trap are gone……it tends to take a bit of the gloss of them a bit!

Haha, I’ve only ever caught small ones.

But can imagine having a large one on the ski with so many places it could stick - I wouldn’t be laughing then.

[Little_Flatty]

2 hours ago, noelm said:

OH, and regarding the Occie, I hate them (don’t mind eating them) but, you haven’t lived until you have had one, and 5’ across, loose in the boat, and all your crabs in the trap are gone……it tends to take a bit of the gloss of them a bit!

This brings up memories of @wazatherfisherman’s story of the occy that snatched two filleting knives off unwitting anglers and was brandishing them at them🤣

[Yowie]

3 hours ago, noelm said:

OH, and regarding the Occie, I hate them (don’t mind eating them) but, you haven’t lived until you have had one, and 5’ across, loose in the boat, and all your crabs in the trap are gone……it tends to take a bit of the gloss of them a bit!

My father told me that when he was young and fishing with his father in a small boat, a large mud crab was hauled on board then became free. It lumbered about the boat, crawling under the wooden seats they were standing on, then grabbed a seat, one inch hardwood, and nipped straight through it. Very hard to row back to shore with a maniac crab onboard. 

[noelm]

Yep, been there and done that too, I used to set mud crab traps in the little Estuary near my place, to check them in the morning I had a tiny (maybe 5’ long) boat that I used to kneel in and paddle like a surfboard, one morning, I got two big ones, both got loose and proceeded to nip anything within reach, I was trying to stand up and dance around in this stupid little, unstable “tub”  not sure whether to jump out, flip the crabs out or head for shore (the creek is only about 30m wide and a couple of feet deep, but it’s ooze mud and full of Oysters, so getting out was not top of the list. Luckily for me, the crabs grabbed each other and this enabled me to paddle like hell to shore and jump out!

Edited October 7, 2023 by noelm

[Bardy]

On 10/6/2023 at 4:44 PM, Larkin said:

Plan to try dropping some pots for blue swimmers now that the water temps are starting to rise. 

Haven’t done this since I was a kid, with my mate and his dad - which was a long time ago. He used to use the witches hats, but I’m thinking pots, so I can drop at the start of a fishing session then come back after 5-6 hours.

When is the best time of the year to go crabbing in Port Hacking and Botany Bay?

Is there a specific water temp? Tide or time of the day that’s best?

I know you can’t drop pots in Port Hacking upriver from Hungary point/Cabage Tree point. But looks like it’s fine around Jibbon beach and Salmon Haul - in between the smooth water limit to the open waters limit.

Anyone drop pots / get any around these areas of port hacking?

In Botany Bay, are there specific areas that people tend to drop pots? Not after anyone’s secret spot, just rough areas. Up towards Kurnell or Yarra bay? Or more around Ramsgate, or in the bays like Kogarah bay?

Thanks in advance for any help.

Yep.. I am of the belief that there is an arbitrary line from Hungry Point to Pulpit Point where traps are allowed to the east. As U say Larkin, would be good to get some "confirmation" as I have also been told that NO traps in The Hacking at all. Anyone from DPI on here ?

[Larkin]

6 hours ago, Bardy said:

Yep.. I am of the belief that there is an arbitrary line from Hungry Point to Pulpit Point where traps are allowed to the east. As U say Larkin, would be good to get some "confirmation" as I have also been told that NO traps in The Hacking at all. Anyone from DPI on here ?

Going off the DPI website and all the info I can find on there, it’s permissible in that area.