# Stocking snare for crayfish



## goanywhere (Feb 22, 2011)

Has anyone had experience using a 'stocking snare' to catch crayfish? My neighbour was telling me about this method that he reckons works. Aparently you get a pair of old stockings, cut off the legs to about 6" and put a fish bait inside, put one stocking inside the other to make it 2 layered, and tie it with a heavy line. You leave it on the bottom for awhile and lift it up, and the crayfish spikes get caught in the stockings and can't get loose.

I was thinking this method would be excellent for yak fishing as you would not need to take a big bulky pot with you.


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## spooled1 (Sep 16, 2005)

Forget it! The best things in life are sometimes illegal


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## fishoboy (Apr 2, 2010)

You could just whip your stockings off once you get out - therefore no need to cary anything out with you.


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## goanywhere (Feb 22, 2011)

spooled1 said:


> Forget it! The best things in life are sometimes illegal


I rang the fisheries department here in SA and they say that there is no regulation against using this method. In fact the person I spoke to had never heard of it and had to go ask their supervisor. Aparently because it can only catch one at a time and won't injure the crayfish it's legal. My question is how effective it is?

And fishboy I wear fishnet stockings just in case my landing net breaks, so I would need to take another pair. :lol:


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## fishoboy (Apr 2, 2010)

Mate - I think Spooled is suggesting you forget this method and use an illegal method ;-)


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## goanywhere (Feb 22, 2011)

Thanks fishboy. And if someone were to contemplate doing something evil and illegal (far be it from me) what method would be the most effective? Snorkelling and spearing, loop snare or something else? (Just so that if I see someone doing such a thing I can report them.) ;-)


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## fishoboy (Apr 2, 2010)

I wouldn't know - we don't have crays in Qld and also I am a very good buy.


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## Squidder (Sep 2, 2005)

I have used a stocking with a can of cat food inside to catch crabs in the surf - we actually used to cast them out on surf rods, leave them a few minutes, then slowly wind them back in. Very effective on crabs - they usually had their claws stuck in the stocking. Crays don't have claws, but they do have many spikes/spines etc, so the stocking should work alright.

When I was a delinquent youth I used to spear crays that we found in ledges that were too deep to reach by hand. It was very effective but highly illegal, and left you feeling dirty afterwards. Like many of life's less savoury pursuits ;-)

As far as I know loop snares are legal in SA? From the youtube videos I've seen they are deadly in the right hands.


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## goanywhere (Feb 22, 2011)

Yes I've heard that loop snares are effective but they involve you having to dive down to where the crays are. In waters frequented by quite sizeable big tooth beasties I'm not sure I want to tempt things that far. Kayaking out there, yes, snorkling... er... :?

I will buy a couple of hoop nets or drop nets and try the stocking snares as well. If I get only a couple of crays all week I will be happy, they are far too expensive to buy!


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