cray fishing advice
Hey guys,
this is my first real crack at cray fishing and want to make sure I'm getting it right so any advice would be welcome, and thankyou in advance!
Firstly my boating mate and I have currently got 2 plastic pots, and 2 full size timber (jarrah frame with pine slats and 2 bait baskets, steel bases).
The timber pots have an extra 5kg of weight on top of the steel base. would this be substantial?
The plastic have somewhere in the range of 15-20kg in them. Enough?
I kept my snapper heads to use as bait but wondering if they are not "smelly" enough? maybe tuna heads instead?
Lastly I have been placing the pots mostly on 5 fathom in 7-12 meters and using a bathiscope to set them right next to big bombies/ledges but on the sand. It looks good but have got nothing at all so far so looking to seasoned peoples advice to better my chances.......or is it a little early in the season, bad moon ect....
Thanks guys,
Sparrow
Hand over fist!
Craig J
Posts: 103
Date Joined: 10/01/07
All sounds good to me
But yes I would try a couple of Tuna heads in the bait basket.
For me its way too early at the moment unless you want to just put the time in. They will be coming in their thousands when they start to walk.
Just research what happened last year and about what time.
The word is its going to be awesome.
randall df223
Posts: 6454
Date Joined: 08/08/11
Try orange roughy heads and
Try orange roughy heads and blue mackerel as an alternative to tima heads. Its been a bit slow for us we like to think because of the full moon last week. Got six on the weekend so hopefully things picking up a bit now. Out again in the morning to have another look.
Fish! HARD!
Scotte
Posts: 1147
Date Joined: 07/12/06
The bait and all your gear
The bait and all your gear is fine.
Wait another month and it will happen!
I dont bother untill there is bulk crays (december).
Keep an eye on what the pros are doing .
sea-kem
Posts: 15040
Date Joined: 30/11/09
Love the West!
shortfuse
Posts: 211
Date Joined: 02/01/12
Wouldn't get too hung up
Wouldn't get too hung up about what bait you use, if they're about they will find their way in. I've never bought bait just used the heads of what ever we catch baldys snapper etc in the baskets tie in Jewy heads with light rope or cable tie through the eyes
carnarvonite
Posts: 8673
Date Joined: 24/07/07
Fresh frozen is best
Fresh bait that has been frozen is best, not stuff that has been thawed and left in the pot for days. Fresh unfrozen bait still has blood in it and therefore is attractive to wobbies
sparrow
Posts: 116
Date Joined: 04/02/13
Thanks for all the input
Thanks for all the input guys. Will probably tweek the bait a little and just persist.
Hand over fist!
randall df223
Posts: 6454
Date Joined: 08/08/11
We only saw two in four pots
We only saw two in four pots this morning plus remains of a shell that an occy left behind. One of the two had tar spot and went back.
Fish! HARD!
sparrow
Posts: 116
Date Joined: 04/02/13
Randall, I would be happy to
Randall,
I would be happy to see a head at the moment to know I'm on the right ground.
What sort of ground should I be looking for to place the pots on?
Hand over fist!
dodgy
Posts: 4584
Date Joined: 01/02/10
Plenty of guys potting that
Plenty of guys potting that are going a few days without seeing a cray. If you are seeing a few I would be sticking to that.
Does anyone know where the love of god goes, when the waves turn the minutes to hours?
sparrow
Posts: 116
Date Joined: 04/02/13
Dodgy, that's why I'm asking.
Dodgy, that's why I'm asking. I'm yet to see any signs of a cray and I thought where my pots are looked like good ground but maybe not
Hand over fist!
dodgy
Posts: 4584
Date Joined: 01/02/10
I've seen a fair few around
I've seen a fair few around the 8-10m mark while diving. Found a ledge holding massive numbers and relocated the pots there. next morning.... not even a cacka. Known ground.
Look for the usual caves and ledges on the sounder and you will find the odd cray until they start moving properly.
Does anyone know where the love of god goes, when the waves turn the minutes to hours?
randall df223
Posts: 6454
Date Joined: 08/08/11
We're fishing out of ocean
We're fishing out of ocean reef and our pots have been in 10 m. This morning we moved a couple out to 17m. Look for the outer edge of any reef and try to get your pot as close to the edge as possible but on the sand. If you can get out on a clear day late morning when the sun is overhead youll find it easier to do visually rather than relying on your sounder in the early morning light. Make sure its a rocky bottom and not just weedy sand. The stronger echos on the sounder will show that its rock.
Plenty of oily bait. And make sure your pots are heavy enough and the rope is long enough so they dont "walk" in any swell. But ropes arent too long they risk being run over.
Perhaps leave them a few days.
And all this is what I've been told because this is my first real crack at it, but my deckies are experienced.
Fish! HARD!
Westy74
Posts: 225
Date Joined: 23/11/13
Agree with Randall. Also
Agree with Randall. Also turn the sounder to manual and increase the range to just over double the actual depth. This will allow you to see a second echo when you go over reef and will make it easier to distinguish the reef from the sand.
Scotte
Posts: 1147
Date Joined: 07/12/06
Same every year.2weeks-
Same every year.2weeks- 1month boys and youll get your bag in a single pot!
Notorious
Posts: 914
Date Joined: 23/02/12
When burleying up Buff Bream
When burleying up Buff Bream - Ive seen crays munching on it. I honestly dont think crays are that picky between baits and think fresh is best or smething thats not rotten and smelly. If there arent crays in your pots maybe they dont like your pot (plastic?), not enough weight or more than likely they're just not around.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/174055815943047/?fref=nf
Jackalchub
Posts: 599
Date Joined: 10/03/12
Agree totally, they aren't
Agree totally, they aren't fussy.. It's just too early and they are a bit vulnerable. It will be like hitting a light switch for the potters. Be patient
sparrow
Posts: 116
Date Joined: 04/02/13
cheers guys!
cheers guys!
Hand over fist!