# Crayfish tackle from a YAK.......?



## Bluey (Jul 11, 2008)

Morning everyone,

Having not persued crayfish before, I was wondering if anyone has a successful method to LEGALLY catch crayfish here in Victoria if you are NOT a diver. I understand that we are able to use a hoop net but is this effective? I am fortunate enough to have plenty of rocky outcrops and nice 'underwater hidy holes' where I live, just not the knowledge of succesfully harvesting them. Any advise would be appreciated.

Kind Regards,

Bluey.


----------



## Squidder (Sep 2, 2005)

Bluey said:


> Having not persued crayfish before, I was wondering if anyone has a successful method to LEGALLY catch crayfish here in Victoria if you are NOT a diver. I


Gday Bluey

As a law abiding Victorian fisher I am sure you're aware that aside from taking crayfish by hand whilst diving, a hoop net is the ONLY other legal alternative. Hoop nets can be effective, obviously not as good as a pot because the crays are not actually 'caught' until you lift the hoop net, but if you know of some good cray holes then you are more than half way there. If you can drop your hoop onto a flat bottom within a metre or so of a good hole, give it 30 or so minutes and then pull it I reckon you might be suprised how well you do. Persistence is key because the crays don't crawl all the time, but keep at it and you will get one. A few tips from me are to experiment with a different baits - some good ones are fish heads/frames, and abalone shell with gut attached (hard to come by with the new abalone regs in place, but one of the best baits because abalone are the crays natural food). Also when you pull the net try and make it in one smooth fast motion - if you jiggle the pot around before actually starting the pull, you risk spooking any crays sitting on your bait. Make sure your pot lands flat - if it is a 2 hoop net make sure it lands 'right way up'. I have found it's better to tie your bait to a piece of cord or wire strung across the upper of the 2 hoops, rather than securing the bait to the bottom of the net where it might end up covered by mesh.

FYI here are the regulations for the hoop size and mesh dimensions for a cray hoop net in victoria - also note that your net must be labelled.

Recreational hoop nets (marine)
Rock lobster may be taken with recreational hoop
nets. A hoop net is a cylindrical net open at the
top, consisting of 1 or 2 hoops not exceeding 77cm
in diameter. The net must not have a drop of more
than 50cm. The mesh size is not to be less than
10.8cm. Nets must be labelled, (see page 63).

(Taken from http://www.dpi.vic.gov.au/dpi/nrenfaq.n ... ishing.pdf)


----------



## Bluey (Jul 11, 2008)

Thanks very much Squidder, some great info. How about the construction of the Hoop net, have you found any good or bad materials in the design? Any brand names you might be able to mention or is it a case of 'home brew' one yourself?


----------



## Squidder (Sep 2, 2005)

Gday Bluey,

Most tackle shops sell a generic brand legal hoop net (I think Gladiator make them). This is by far the easiest option, but the problem you will find is that these nets are not heavy enough (usually made with pretty light gauge wire), and get swept around by any sort of swell - easily remedied by binding some barrel sinkers or similar to the metal hoops. Or you can have some fun and make your own. The best one I made was constructed from 2 old heavy bicycle rims. I made the net by tying lengths of green cord to the top hoop and tying knots at the appropriate spots. Time consuming but it caught a few.

A guy who told me a lot of good stuff about hoop netting used to make his hoop nets out of 5mm steel rod looped round and round in a 77cm diameter circle for the top hoop (secured so it wouldn't unroll with electrical tape), a slightly smaller circle of steel rod for the bottom hoop (also secured with electrical tape), and braided bricky string to tie his own netting. I think he used about 5-6kg of steel rod for each completed net, so never had any problems holding bottom ;-)










Something else you should think about making/buying is an 'envelope' out of hard plastic mesh to hold your bait - if you have seen what the pro cray potters use for their baits then you'll know what I'm talking about.

Also remember that cray season is still open now, but only for *males*, then the season closes fully from 15 Sep- 15 Nov for both sexes to give them a chance to breed. So the 16th of November is great day to chase crays as they have been unmolested for 2 months and are usually easier to catch than, for example, after the christmas holidays when every man and his dog have been trying to grab the poor buggers.


----------



## Bluey (Jul 11, 2008)

Squidder,

You're a champion. Great post and thanks for the photo of your hoop net. I will keep an eye out for one and may even have a go at making one myself! Look forward to chatting again soon.

Kind Regards,

Bluey.


----------



## Squidder (Sep 2, 2005)

Not at all mate, I am not based in Victoria any more and can therefore chase crayfish vicariously through your efforts  I spent most of my time SCUBA diving for em though, a frustrating business as all the biggest ones seem an arm's length away in a deep cave. But with patience and a nice smelly fish head or similar you could usually entice them within reach. I can't remember too many that didn't respond within 15-20 minutes (which is actually a really long time to watch a big cray inch its way towards you!) so you're definately in with a good chance drop netting IF there are crays near your net. I should clarify that the picture is not of my net, but the one made by the bloke using steel rod and bricky string. The worst bit about making your own is tying all those damn knots but if you manage a cray in a net you made yourself it will all be worth it.

I never tried there myself, but have heard from friends that Flat Rocks down your way is worth a crack ;-)


----------



## ryber (Mar 13, 2008)

Interesting the difference of rules - over in WA you can use up to 2 pots but you do need to purchase a license to fish for crays. Pots do need to meet a series of specifications - size, structure, labelling, even a sea lion exclusion device if you fish somewhat north of Perth..

Am thinking how you might balance a pot or two on a yak!! Could be an interesting exercise.

http://www.fisheries.wa.gov.au/docs/pub/FishingRockLobsters/FishingforRockLobstersPage06.php?0102


----------



## ELM (Jul 14, 2008)

As a Vic diver living 8min walk from backbeach I have also found the crays easyer to get at night, they are more active, if spooked settle quicker and more prone to come out to some abalone gut quicker. But they hate the dive tourch lite in there eyes, not that that part will worry you as you wont be diving.
Regards ELM


----------



## Detritus2099 (Jun 8, 2008)

ryber said:


> Interesting the difference of rules - over in WA you can use up to 2 pots but you do need to purchase a license to fish for crays. Pots do need to meet a series of specifications - size, structure, labelling, even a sea lion exclusion device if you fish somewhat north of Perth..
> 
> Am thinking how you might balance a pot or two on a yak!! Could be an interesting exercise.
> 
> http://www.fisheries.wa.gov.au/docs/pub/FishingRockLobsters/FishingforRockLobstersPage06.php?0102


Isn't the Western Rock Lobster a different species? Therefore different regs...


----------



## petanquedon (May 27, 2008)

I am under the impression that crayfish tend to be nocturnal (but I am not an expert).

It may be a challenge to find the net at night without a GPS and a good torch

Could be a pleasant way to spend a summer night paddling between nets.

Would crabs give a better return or be an alternative species to catch with the same gear?


----------



## Shorty (May 11, 2008)

I have been serousliy thinking about Crayfishing over summer, i have never heard of the hoop nets in W.A and you can't fish for them after 7.30pm so night fishing is out, i guessit will be amatter of putting a couple of plastic pots out in the arvo and pick up in the morning, the biggest drama would be pulling them up, i have had wobblegong sharks with there heads stuck in before,,,putting two craypots one at the bow and one stern would be no drama in a malibu i would think,,,,,,,,,still the hoop net idea is worth investigating further,,would make life easy.


----------



## fisher (Aug 30, 2005)

Panty hose. :shock: Now that I have your attention  - I have never tried this myself, but I am assured that in days gone by many a crayfish has been caught by using the humble stocking/panty hose. You simply stuff the bait into the stocking, add some weight and drop it down amongst the reef - on a line with float of course. The crayfish investigate the bait, get their thorny spines entangled in the stocking and there you have it - you just retrieve the baited stocking and grab the cray - easy! ;-) 
One good thing about this system is that you are not actually using a trap of any description, and as such its probably not illegal to use this system, depending on your state laws.
I've never seen anyone do it, but the theory sounds ok - many of the old timers in SA reckon it works, but then again it might just be another urban myth


----------

