PM sent.

Cheers

Blueys or Muddies????

Also bware, plenty off the undesirables around if you arent careful!

Love blueys but was trying for muddies as we bought a hook and are shore based at moment. Undesirables, you mean peeps?

you might get lucky if you walk the reefs in nickol bay at low tide but every man and his dog does this, then just think laterally and use google maps and see where else you may get lucky otherwise get a cheap tinny, get your pots and a carton of beer and do it the easy way just be ready to chicken wrestle naked if your pots get touched it's not pretty apparently...

Yeah, I gathered that nickol bay might be too fished to really get anything. Have been checking out google maps and will keep an eye out for some better spots as we get to know the place. Was hoping and old hand would let us know one spot that perhaps would provide us with a couple so we could get a go at it. Hoping to get a tinnie sometime but have to wait a little while.

When I first come to town I tried every place I could get to, try to find someone who has used a hook before with success to take you out and show you what to look for, all my friends who have claimed to have success hooking can neer find them when they take me! Before I got a boat I had a bit of luck at back beach at high tide working the shore between the boat ramp and the mangroves towards Nickol river to the north with a couple of nets throwing them at least five meters out. Got several thumpers right beside the boat ramp a couple of times. It is really hit and miss though, the other option is to run the risk of driving into Airport creek or walking into the small creek to the west of it and throwning in of the bank, this tends to be allot of hard work with only a couple of crabs. Be careful not to drive on the muds flats unless there have been a couple of hot days since the big tide, not uncommon to need a front end loader to pull you out.

Have even seen some people hooking in the next bay around from Hearsons Cove, need a 4wd to get close and be careful of the mud. If you are up for a drive then the banks at Balla Balla can hold some crabs, you'll be surprized how close to the boat ramps you can get them. Then you can try Devils creek, Fortescue, Cossak and Point Sampson but for the most part it is going to be allot harder to get crabs from shore with generally only small numbers on good days. Of course there is the exception to the rule and the odd person who can find crabs at the local swimming pool with a blind fold on but for meer motals like me it is allot of trail and error.

Good Luck and Heavy Pots

Im new to the area as well. What types of bait would you recommend? I assume the sharks could be an issue if using red meat?

Thanks in advance.

Or mullet cut up a little to let the juices out. Sharks tend to be more of an issue in the sea chasing blueys and they often cause lost nets.

Neels

Yeah, I think there is a bit of a nack to hooking, a bit like beach worming. Damn hard but once you know how to it's easy....of course if they are there to be found. Yeah will buy some pots probably and also check out further a field. Very cautious about the mudflats. Wouldn't want to get stuck! Only want 2 or 3 crabs at a time as we wouldn't eat more then that between ourselves. Thanks for the suggestons.

never really had much luck with fish frames so i run lamb necks or roo meat for both blueys and muddies, might get the pots out this weekend for some too.

I normally use lamb necks as they are easy to cable tie on, If I haven't been for a while and I really want to make sure I get some I will stick a couple of cut up mullies and a

mullet or whiting in a bait bag as well.

You can walk along the flats around  hearsons on  the low  tide  and  poke  a  "pole"  or  hook  in  the  mudholes  they  hide  in. When you see them its  pretty obvious. Got a mate  sticks  his  toes in hahaha i wouldnt recomend that.  

Also as  the  tide  comes  in  it  draws  them   to  the  surface  to scoop  them up. Ive  also  scored  some  pushing  the  tinny  out  from  hearsons when  the  water  wasnt  quite deep enough.

You can also hook crabs in cowerie cove. Hooking is only recomended for skinny people.

Leave  other crabnets  alone unless you wanna  get naked  as  told  by Brucesta.Mud Crabbing is  serious business. Its hard work.

Thanks guys, will continue our pursuit of the crab some more.