Its worth the extra drive (15 mins) to go to Dawsville ramp. Launch and head south. Find a spot where the water steps from 1.5ish to 800ish. Dont stress about the shallows as long as you are careful and try to fish as the tide is coming in as piece of mind incase you get stuck. We do it all the time, no problems. But there is always heaps of people around to pull you out.

 Scoot down from Dawesville to the science platform about 5kms South.  It is just a wooden structure in the middle of the water. Always do well down there and depth is about 1.5-1.8m. 

There is a lot of just under size ones about at the moment and some soft shells which have no meat inside them so they are not worth keeping. If you put in the effort you will get a good feed.
Good luck

 if you have a chart plotter just follow the depths to prevent running across shallow banks. If it gets too shallow you can always walk the boat back out again.

Last time I launched from the estuary rd ramp it was super shallow just south of the ramp. So be careful to come in tight to the ramp there or use the other retrieve ramp.

Dawesvile Ramp or even better the Parkridge/Bouvard Ramp. I live in Bouvard about 500m from that ramp, and have a 5.4m boat. It use to be a little shallow at low tide at the ramp but it has been dredged over winter so should make it very easy.

I agree the Windmill/Science Platform is a good start. The area west from it, ie closer to the sea has some nice deeper water. Our favourite area is to start about 100 m due west of the Tower and drop pots parallel to shore north, BUT if I turn up get off MY spot.

Havent had a chance yet to get out but looking at the number of boats we see it must be picking up. The 2 Pro's are fishing the Pinjarra side close to shore on the drop off. Havent seen them doing the deep area yet. (We live overlooking the Nature strip and have uninterupted 180degree views off the Estuary so can perve at the happenings. Not hard to hear either and the cries and woops let us know crabs are being caught - sound travels well over water)

What we do normally especially this time off the year and if it a still day, is set the pots, scoot over to the shallows and either drift scoop, or do the jump and chase. I just lift the leg and can get into about 400mm of water with the 5.4 tiny. As mentioned no stress if you get grounded (with Ali) as you just walk it out. In that area apart from the marked reef infront of Parkridge there is nothing scary that could damage the boat if you go slow (no sudden rises to very shallow).

I recon we get 50/50 pots and scoop, as we leave the nets about 30mins between pulls, but some locals just pull them in a run, then go back to the start, or drop the nets in a circle and keep going around. I personally dont like the circular drops as it can make it harder to spot the "line" if the wind picks up.

PM me if you want some more info. Glad to try and help.

Neels

 Crasny,

Thanks for all that info, it is very refreshing to get helpfull info without all the bs associated with someone asking a simple question. Keep it up mate. The whole reason why this site in my view is awesome (unlike other sites that offer trolls galore). I understand that people wont give up their secret spots, and so they shouldn't, but good info like this is how people get started and learn the ropes. They are more likely then to go off and find their own little spots and try new things because their confidence is rising.

Just keep in mind the dawesville boat ramp is a paid ramp. I think from 6am to 6pm $10... But you also have use of wash down facilities. We use the estuary rd boat ramp (free) by the old servo with no problems. Just make sure to stay between the markers... If the season is anything like last year you will only have to pull the nets twice & even then you will be throwing big ones back! 

also by that ramp is a nice grassed area for a bbq and let the kids run around, the old servo is now just a bait shop that sells drinks and your normal Delhi goods... 

 Dont confuse the issue!! The ramp you pay at is in the marina.

Cheers guys for all the advice , much appreciated.

Is there any particular bait for the nets that works best?

Joycey

There is nothing like getting hold of the rope to your crab net and finding it taking off at a high rate of knots to liven up your crabbing session. LOL

 I went out from the Dawsville ramp last tuesday morning.  Bagged out in a couple of hours only a mile from the ramp. I was using chicken wings and lambs liver. The liver in a cage and the wings on the clip.

Had to throw back 6 sized crabs on the last pull as we retrieves the nets. Was in the deeper water water in the morning.