# Eastern Rock lobster



## justdrinkbeer (Aug 12, 2008)

Hi all,

Anyone know much about catching crayfish (or eastern rock lobsters) around Sydney?

I used to get them freediving but only around winter, when the really cold snap comes in.

I have a couple of pots in my garage, if they are around all year I might as well have the pots in?!


----------



## mattmoki (Aug 4, 2009)

I don't know what conditions you have up there, but I reckon snorkelling for them is the go.. have caught a few back in the day in NZ and my friend got 3 last weekend near Hobart. Here's my son nervously holding one! cheers, Matt


----------



## Barrabundy (Sep 29, 2008)

They definitely out glam a muddie!


----------



## Squidder (Sep 2, 2005)

Nice cray Matt. That is a Southern rock lobster. I used to chase them a lot on SCUBA when I lived in Melbourne, but freedived for them a bit as well. Here is my PB from a few years back.









Since I moved to Canberra I have been half-heartedly chasing Easterns, and in my (very limited) experience they are quite a different beast to the Southerns. I've only seen one taken (by my dive buddy :twisted: ), at Congo near Moruya a few years back.









The main differences for me are:
-Southerns are bigger, redder and MUCH more numerous. They are everywhere in Vic, and can handle the roughest coastline you could imagine.
-In NSW, Easterns are hammered by pro and rec fishos, and have been for many years. The water is calmer on the NSW east coast compared to Victoria, and for that reason I believe the Easterns have been targeted more effectively for longer. They are nowhere near as abundant, generally smaller (but have a bigger max size), they are green, and more elusive than southerns.
-I used to chase southerns in caves and ledges down south. I haven't seen many easterns in caves, most of the ones I've found have been in/amongst kelp or cray weed, sitting on top of bommies.
-You aren't allowed to chase crays in NSW on SCUBA. This makes it tough.
-The further you get from civilization, the better your likelihood of getting crays. Around Sydney........ :?


----------



## mattmoki (Aug 4, 2009)

Hi Squidder - thanks, good info. I reckon the southerns work for me then!


----------



## Squidder (Sep 2, 2005)

Matt the Eastern rock lobster is an occasional catch in NW Tasmania, and the few they get are usually absolute horses. The same story in NZ, the vast majority of crays taken are southerns but the occasional eastern is also taken. Easterns are also called packhorse crayfish.

How's this for an Eastern from tassie (emailed to me years ago)  :shock:


----------



## bunsen (Jan 2, 2009)

Good thing they dont have claws, that one would take your arm off! :shock:


----------



## Barrabundy (Sep 29, 2008)

Squidder said:


> Matt the Eastern rock lobster is an occasional catch in NW Tasmania, and the few they get are usually absolute horses. The same story in NZ, the vast majority of crays taken are southerns but the occasional eastern is also taken. Easterns are also called packhorse crayfish.
> 
> How's this for an Eastern from tassie (emailed to me years ago)  :shock:


YOU'VE GOT TO BE KIDDING.....THAT PHOTO's A FAKE.....RIGHT????? :shock: :shock:


----------



## JazzaMagoo (Feb 17, 2010)

Another monster southern rock . . .

http://spearoz.org/index.php?topic=9662.0

Mr Drinkbeer

Catching easterns in Sydney is, 90% of the time a winter endeavor. You can find them in summer but most of the time they are kittens and not legal size.

Eastern rocks are basically the only breed you will find in Sydney (naturally). You find them up in the shallows and down to about 8m (but obviously they are hard to get that deep)

they are generally found in caves with weed around it. Mona vale pool is a good area to find them. If you find a good cray crack, guard it with your life as it will keep producing. most divers wont share these spots except with the closest of friends.

The best time to find them is a day or two after a big swell as they move out a bit further to escape the big waves turbulence and during the next few days move closer to the waters edge and are harder to get as the swell pushes you round.

Some guys have a nack for getting them. Its takes some courage to blindly stick ya hand into a dark hole. Especially when you know that wobbies live in the same area as lobbies. they arent necessarily dangerous, but they will give you a bite (painful one too) if ya spook them. And if they are bigger and they bite you, they do sometimes hold on. A 2-3m wobby will weigh nearly 100kg, so getting back to the surface with 100kg attached is pretty dodgy. Then theres also moray eels etc. But more often than not if ya see their antennas your in good shape.

Hope this helps. Generally if you see pot floats on a head land you know theres crays there. Oh and I would advise you not to put ya pots out if theres pro pots there, they are a cranky bunch.


----------



## forbs (May 20, 2008)

Just like Jazza says. Decided too get into "Cray" gathering on the NSW South Coast. FIrst time i stuck my hand in a ledge a wobbygong came flying out and scared the crap out of me. A few days later i decided too try again and as i was getting my wetsuit on this guy comes out of the water with a large Moray eel attached to his wrist yelling at his mate to get it off him. So his mate cuts the head off the Moray eel while he's screaming in pain. So Moray eels head still attached to his wirst and a towell wrapped around the wrist and eel head and off they went too hospital. AND THAT IS WHY I FISH in estuaries in a kayak.

Glen (Must admit i'm willing too give it another go if anyone who knows what there doing wants someone to tag along around the Malua Bay area).


----------



## RedPhoenix (Jun 13, 2006)

Unfortunately, due to the change in ownership of this web site and the lack of response by the owners to my requests to remove my email address from all administrative-level notifications and functionality, I have decided to remove my posts on AKFF. Thank you for the great times, the fantastic learning experiences and the many many fish. If you are desperate for the old content of this particular post, it is available below base64 encoded and bzip2 compressed.

Red.

----

QlpoOTFBWSZTWWA2EDkAACxfgAAQQIfRAADgEAA/79+wMAD1rMNU/RCNpJtRptTNBA0DQ0mlM1NDRtQ0Mg9INPUU1NNP1QNqaNDRpoBkGSvM9NSvs2fIyuYaO80+zaALyIjGNZpfewd39bMTBzcr9nashqDfOd8feLjF61oH0QiiC0NkosRrzLPOmKGy0aYJpGEdR3HBYae/tN3AV72WuAwNP1eWr0iFnKIawYIsIccOOOTId2oJd1eFBIBVEzUrVGY4YwjytRk7LYso4K3eoHFFd0nTeJuKthIbtqxCTgQBcoVTkUItDKcyI2VBoJTXkjRk9FXWyVoqVsK9iYSEKVsabgxh1d/F3JFOFCQYDYQOQA==


----------



## mattmoki (Aug 4, 2009)

hey Squidder - right! Yes, I have heard of Packhorse crays in NZ .. mostly up north in warmer waters around the Poor Knights Islands from memory. & Barrabundy, I doubt the photo's a fake - Packhorse Crays in NZ can get to be 1 metre long!

cheers Matt


----------



## mal.com (Feb 10, 2007)

Hi you can still get the odd cray/lobby on the Noo South Coast. I find it best in autumn & winter especially during westerly weather when the sea flattens out & you can get in really shallow.

Oh yes in NSW you are only allowed 2 beasties, to go with your 2 abs 

When I was younger cray diving was a bit of a bludge, easy really & never hard work, but for some strange reason, maybe to do with global warming, anyway it has become hard work, like surfing, aah well, someone has to do it  

cheers

Mal de mer


----------



## Squidder (Sep 2, 2005)

Awesome haul of Easterns there Mal! :shock:



mal.com said:


> note stubby scale Jason


Noted and approved of  One day we will catch up for that dive mate. ;-)


----------

