Free Boating Tips

There are a few different ways to catch a great feed of crabs. Obviously you need to start crabbing in an area that is renowned for crabs. Estuaries, rivers, bays and inlets are ideal places to find crabs. There are 3 main methods of caching crabs. So what method works best? Read on to find out more.

 

Drop Nets - Drop nets are ideal for boat users but not as good for shore based anglers. Basically you need to drop a crab net with some form of bait hooked to the inside and middle of the net. 

 

You can buy basic nets with just a string netting or you can upgrade to nets where the base is made from chicken wire. The chicken wire nets are a bit more expensive but they are worth it in the long run as you will have less tangles.

 

To start catching crabs with drop nets you need to leave the nets down on the bottom of the sea floor for around 10 minutes and then quickly pull them up. 

 

You need to quickly pull the line up to ensure that the crabs do not escape from the net. This method is often used from boats but can also be done from jetty’s and piers. 

 

Common bait to use is any slimy fish or any old food that you may have (old roast chicken carcasses work great). 

 

Be sure that your rope is long enough for your drop nets. In places of high current (such as under bridges) the net may drift substantially before it hits the ocean floor. And remember to always tie the end to something otherwise you may lose all of your line and your nets.

 

Some people use cages to put the bait in. This looks nice but from personal experience i believe crabs prefer to be able to get a good shot at the bait so using a clip is best.

 

All you need to do is run the bait through the clip and your away. Also remember you need to use a weight in certain situations to ensure the net sinks to the sea floor (especially in deeper spots).

 

You need to refer to local regulations, guidelines and laws as to the number of nets you can legally use at one time.

 

Scoop Nets - With this method you walk around in the shallows with a crab scoop net looking for crabs in the water. The scoop looks like a hanging basket steel frame attached to a long pole. This method requires good eyesight and stealthy reactions.

 

The scoop net method is definatley challenging as well as rewarding but be prepared to be nipped a few times. 

 

Once caught, you generally put the crabs you intend to keep in a container that attaches to you via a rope. Be sure to put a little water in this container as well as cover with a damp cloth or towel. 

 

This container should follow you around wherever you go leaving you free to catch more crabs.

 

The crabs will usually put up their pincers once they see you and then swim to one side, so it is good to try to approach them with the scoop from either their left or right side (i.e. don’t approach them with the scoop from the front or behind)

 

Although this method is fun you are more likely to get undersize crabs due to the shallow depth of water.

 

Diving for crabs - There are a few ways to dive for crabs. You can either just free dive from a boat or get dragged behind a boat with a rope and then drop off when you see a crab. 

 

You will need a thick glove to dive for crabs and you need to come up from behind them to surprise them. With this method you will get nipped so be cautious and prepared. 

 

You will probably also need weights attached to you for this method to help you sink to the ocean floor. Goggles and a snorkel are also a must.

 

So if you are having no luck fishing, or you want to try something different then give crabbing a go. Just remember to only keep crabs that are of legal size (they are usually measured across the carcass). Refer to the local laws for the minimum sizes of the species you are targeting.

Want to catch more fish? Below are 7 secret tips to help you catch more fish. These tips are aimed at the salt water fisherman.  

• 1) Get your hands clean (or dirty) - fish don’t like the taste of de-oderants and perfumes. Clean your hand with natural soap or clean your hands with saltwater (or rub in some fish oil to mask any impurities).  
• 2) Arrive to your fishing destination slowly by boat - Don’t scare the fish off. Arrive slowly over your final fishing destination.  
• 3) Keep hooks sharp - Keep your hooks sharp by sharpening them often or simply replace frequently if sharpening them is not your cup of tea. If your hook doesn’t catch your finger then it is too blunt.  
• 4) Clean your gear - Most amateur fisherman who go out a few times a year don’t wash their equipment. You should wash with freshwater after every use and clean reels thoroughly once a year. This once a year cleaning should be aimed at pulling the reel apart and removing any sand and salt build up. You should also lightly oil any bearings or moving parts taking caution to avoid getting oil on the fishing line.  
• 5) Use a net - The easiest time for a fish to escape is directly prior to landing the fish. Use a net before the fish leaves the water to prevent any losses.  
• 6) Keep seaweed off your line - Seaweed and algae will scare fish if they see it on your line. After every line retrieval be sure to check if any weed is present and remove as needed. Make sure to remove every last bit of weed as even a minute strand will scare off the fish.   
• 7) Fish in darker, murky water - If the water is clear you can see the fish and the fish can see you. If this is the case they are likely to get spooked easily. Fishing in dark or murky water increases your chances of getting a bite.

 

 

The above tips are not as common as some other tips you may know but they will help you catch more fish. Keep these tips in mind next time you are fishing and you are sure to catch more fish.

Fishing the Blackwood River in Augusta Augusta is a beautiful country town located approximately 4 hours south of Perth Western Australia. Located in Augusta is the mighty Blackwood River. Fishing the Blackwood river is both a relaxing and exciting experience.  We recently went on a fishing trip down to Augusta in February 2008.

 

The weather was a good 5-10 degrees cooler than Perth which made for a nice change from the heat of a Perth summer. Whilst in Augusta we stayed at the Doonbanks caravan park located directly on the Blackwood river. Doonbanks has a strange name but it is quite a nice old caravan park. It has its own launching ramp and boat cleaning facilities at the bottom of the camp but the ramp is really only suitable for the smallest of dinghy’s. We fished in the river over a 4 day period. We went quite far up the Blackwood to try to target the notorious Black Bream but had little success. Later we fished just upstream of the towns main boat ramp where we had a lot of success.  Although we caught a lot of fish, most were undersize (some severely so). The species we caught were: 

• Black Bream
• Silver Trevally (Skippy)
• King George Whiting
• Flounder
• Southern School Whiting
• Pink Snapper
• Australian Herring

The Pink Snapper we caught were very small but the King George Whiting and the Southern School Whiting we caught were all of good size. The flounder was a surprise when reeling it up as initially I felt a bite and thought I had lost it. A few minutes later when reeling the line in it felt heavy and the Flounder appeared at the surface slightly larger than a dinner plate which is a good size.  The Skippy were small but put a large fight just like the Herring. We only caught a single Black Bream but it was our first fish we caught and it put a smile on my face as I had come all that way to catch it.  During one of our fishing days I also had a bite that I lost, but upon retrieving my line found the hook had been bent almost unusable. To this day I do not know what was down there but it was definitely a nice large fish!  Many people were on dinghy’s with crab nets but even though everyone told us the crabs were out in numbers we did not see a single person pull in a crab.  The river system also has a lot of other wildlife. We saw a great array of birds as well as dolphins everyday and a few friendly stingrays that come directly to the waters edge. Boating facilities in Augusta are good with the main boat ramp into the Blackwood river your best bet. There is also ramps into the ocean but on the days we were there the ocean was far too rough.  

 Whilst fishing the Blackwood we had our most success when fishing about 150M offshore in about 6M of water. We used a standard bottom rig with the hook directly on the bottom of the line with a sliding sinker about 30cm (12 inches) above the hook. Look for interesting terrain on the bottom with sharp drop off’s and your sure to find some fish. We used river prawns and squid for bait but had most success with the prawns. Remember to burley up frequently to keep the fish coming back and you’re sure to have some success. So if you’re planning a trip down to the South West of Western Australia, be sure to drop by Augusta and have a fish on the magnificent Blackwood river.