Crab Nets ...Pro's & Con's
Hi all..my old crab nets are looking a little tired so wanting to get new ones...I realise they'll all catch crabs but thought I'd ask about the best nets and setups..
Wire mesh or Nylon twine based...( I first thought wire based but imagine be a fair bit heavier to pull up and heard they were prone to tipping over ???? )
Are there different Diameters or are they standard...( I thought 600mm be standard then these XL sizes come up in search )
Using approx 10 metres of 8mm silver rope in place of the standard twine bit easier on the hands I thought...
Using some sort of clip so float comes off for easier storage...
Any input be appreciated...cheers
“Intelligence is like a four-wheel drive. It only allows you to get stuck in more remote places.”
snappermiles
Posts: 2102
Date Joined: 05/11/10
wire bottom
i use shark clips on my floats so they can detach! never had a problem with my wire bottoms tipping over, but yes i take the standard rope off and use 8mm rope
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championruby
Posts: 459
Date Joined: 20/01/11
Metal or wire base for me
Metal or wire base for me also. Just make sure you don't get the wire that has been shoddily soldered/welded on. Got them from BCF and they were pissweak, with the wire popping off the base.
wazzbat
Posts: 977
Date Joined: 19/01/10
Depends where you a
Depends where you a crabbing. If it's in the Peel estuary somewhere, you could get away with using the cheap rope that comes with the nets no worries. The water is only 2m deep at the most.
I prefer wire based nets because I reckon the crabs don't get tangled as much but... I have a feeling that the nylon mesh nets are more effective for some reason? I think the crabs are a little more hesitant about walking on the wire bases maybe? Mind you, if there are heaps of crabs about, then you will get them in anything.
I bought the big ones at Oceanside Tackle early last year and I think they work good. The bigger the better me thinks. We also use clips for our floats. We keep the floats in a big hessian bag so the nets can roll up nice and flat. Works well.
I think I remember Ryan telling me when I bought the nets that the size limit for nets was 1.5m in diameter which is pretty big. I just tried checking on that useless piece of shite website they call "Dept of Fisheries WA" and once again can't find what the specs are anywhere? If it is 1.5m, you could make your own pretty serious crab nets. Imagine how many crabs could fit in nets that big!!!
I fish for the future - Cause I can't bloody catch anything!
Oceanside Tackle
Posts: 2803
Date Joined: 23/07/09
crab nets
G'Day Chris,
We sell all the sizes but our prefered are the 70cm heavy gauge wire base nets and the 80cm heavy gauge net base nets.
If your using small baits/softflesh baits the red mesh bait wallets are good to keep your bait lasting longer due to blowys.
Ryan uses the 80cm heavy gauge net base and uses the heavy duty stainless steel bait pins. He uses 2 pins and tuna heads for bait so you can get more big blue manners in the net.
We sell the 6mm rope as ad on lengths and good for your hands especially in the deeper water. Cut out foam float ie 6inch is ideal for rolling up your excess rope and a shark/rope clip from the float to the rope for easy attachment.
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wazzbat
Posts: 977
Date Joined: 19/01/10
Made a call to Fisheries.
Made a call to Fisheries. They just got back and told me the regs are
1.) No more than 10. 2.) No more than 1.5m at it's widest point. 3.) Must colapse to sit flat on the bottom. 4.) Must be made of a material which does not entangle the crabs.
They were the only regs he could find? Not sure about no 4? There is always a chance that crabs will get entangled in the side meshing of a net.
I always thought there was a rule about the size of mesh and netting so that undersized crabs could escape out the sides as the nets were pulled?
Anyway, going by those rules, there's quite a few different ways you could make your own nets I'd imagine?
I fish for the future - Cause I can't bloody catch anything!
chris raff
Posts: 3257
Date Joined: 09/02/10
1.5m Dia..Had better get the young bloke to bulk up...lol
yeah checked fisheries website nothing on size I could find...rang em a few weeks ago relating to something else and got handed around like a hot potato... still awaiting call back...think I'll give the wire bases a run...mostly netting in the sound and river...scoop mainly in mandurah I enjoy the bit when someone stands on one and does the dance...or the occasional nip on the ankle provides good entertainment...thanks blokes
“Intelligence is like a four-wheel drive. It only allows you to get stuck in more remote places.”
Bidder01
Posts: 11
Date Joined: 19/12/10
Get them from QLD
I found a fella in Brisbane that makes commercial crab traps and got him to knock me up a set of dilly pots. Got them made 1.3m dia and they are rippers.
They have survived 2 years of muddies and swimmers without a scratch. Made from heavy orange netting and stainless rings. They were $24 each but worth every cent. Just hunt around on Google and you'll find him.
They do get heavy pulling up 4 keeper buck muddies in the one pot though.
randall df223
Posts: 6454
Date Joined: 08/08/11
bait cages
Get the black hard plastic bait cage with the snap on lid to stop the blowies from destroying your bait!
Fish! HARD!