3-8m at Rotto. Absoloutely everywhere on the south side (well Thompsons Bay to Parker Point.

 I'm taking some holiday time in a couple of weeks & will be putting my pots out from Manduarah. Maybe by then, you can tell me where they are Ol Tom. The problem at Mandurah is getting out to your pots before the thieves get there.  

 Got 7 over 2 pulls/sets a week and a half ago in close 3-5m

just set them out again yesterday in 12m I let you know how I go.

 You are dead right C.P. I cant believe you can put pots in and leave then for three days and nothing..... i know there are people who tamper with your pots because I have evidence of that but gees how can there be zero crays??

 Think some of you blokes need to get better at it. I've found evidence of my pots being tampered with a couple of times but this has only occurred during peek periods Xmas holidays, long weekends, my success varies through out different stages of the moon phase, and depending where I have set my pots. Honestly bad recreational cray fishermen are the most paranoid and down right rude people I have come across on the water, in general I think Mandurah doesn't have a lot of pirate problems. Try setting in Rockingham lol. You guys are also very lazy man up n get out there early fish your pots at that time of day n you will be very surprised at some of the fish you will catch and have peice of mind knowing you were first out there and hey if your gona burn the fuel to do may as well make the most of it. 

There ya go that's my two bobs worth if you don't like it I'm not fussed n if you get out there at 7:30 tomorrow morning when I'm heading back in n start asking dumb questions trying to Suss out if I've pulled your pots don't expect me to be polite. 

 By the way I'm up to about 70 crays for the season running plastic pots.

 Matt this is my second attempt at a reply. Somehow just like my pots someone come in and tampered with my reply. Or maybe it was me half tanked after a top day on the water??

I am far from rude until someone calls me rude, then I can be a firly rude, but honestly how would you know if someone is a bad recreational fisherman unless you talk to them or observe them over a long period? Yes there are some arrogant people on the water but thats more a this day and age thing I believe.

Anyway some people are good fisherman some are not. Maybe C.P and I fall into the later.... but I can say that I am usually out there at sparrows, but it does happen here too, there are pot raiders. I also do catch fish and do catch crays, so maybe I am a average fisherman and only half rude.

Anyway, I have mates who sound just like you. Rarr raaar raaaa, I catch this and I catch that. Thats good for you but some of us who grew up in the desert struggle a little. That said I have had some success this my first season cary potting, I am not quite at 70 but probably well over halfway there.

So the question still reamins. Where are they. Tried in close, out wider, but I know that there are very few crays out on the James Service at the moment.

Struggling mate!!

 I think mandurahmatt is on the money. When you drop your pots away from the crays with not enough weight in your pots and catch nothing it isn't because some mystery man came and pulled your pots before you got to them. I see heaps of pots on Shit grounds and crays on ledges 30m away that are loaded. 

The paranoia bandwagon is at its peak at Xmas. The same time lots of people with no idea drop pots in shit areas. there have been so many crays about this year it isn't funny. We hit 230 for the season on Friday and have farmed our spots nicely.

The crays are there just find them and fish them properly. Depends where you go - I've got spots that have them all year round from 10m to 30m. 

 I am a bit lazy but I'm not rude. I've been walking the earth & fishing the ocean for a good while now. I concede that I still havent got Mandurah sussed in regards to best areas for crays but i have caught plenty elsewhere. You are right about the benefits of being on the water early but why do I have to do that. Theyre my pots. Why is it my fault that other people get up earlier & beat me to it? Any way Mate, you obviously have mandurah worked out a lot better than me so hopefully you can give us a few tips from time to time. I wish you well & hope that i have more success this time.      

...are no guarantee of success, even if all the right boxes (location/moon phase/time of year/stars in alignment/price of eggs in China/etc etc etc) are ticked. Last time I used pots we pulled them as early as we legally could (0430), took painstakingly great lengths to put them back in the right spot, and then found them out in the sand the next day, with no swell.

So yes, fish your gear properly and diligently for starters, but also try to avoid having to rely on popular times (weekends/school holidays) to do your potting. Of course, diving for them completely removes the slimeball element.

Plenty of crays last week in falcon bay 6 - 10metres of water.

 I am amazed that Tiimmbo can and auslobster can back mandurahmatt and basically say the we lesser humans arent doing it right and we are dreaming that there are not dishonest people pulling our pots.

When you find your pot with different bait in it or the float has been spliced and not tied as left when you last pulled it indicates to me that some one other than me has pulled the pot. Sorry boys but I thought that might be a good indicator. Have also had a young fella telling me that "we caught shitloads last night" which was in the middle of summer and tells me that they dont know or care about the rules so they were probably pulling others pots!!!!

So just so I dont keep being a poor fisherman, I jumped on here for some advice. So I go back to my original questionas a keen Mandurah fisherman, where the bloody hell are they???

I did stick the pots in close this morning (thanks megladon) but I have always been "paranoid' that people pull the pots for being in so close. But I know there are crays there at the moment. 

Chhers

 Sorry if I offended anyone just venting bout assholes I've come across on the water makeing wild accusations. Had a few beers last night my missus usually takes the phone off me. But she's fighting for her life in ICU ! 

 Fair dinkum she is ICU, sorry to hear that, no wonder you had a few beers.

By the way I still had no crays in the pots in a  third spot in three weeks. Tells me they are not where I am putting my pots!!!!

 your struggling OI Tom lol ive caught a crab so far haha  still waiting for my first.... like sugested more weight maybe needed in my pots..... might even have a better chance if i put them in the water :-/ i didnt even know u still got crays in close this time of year... yes guys im GREEN as GREEN to cray fishing