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What are the best tides for mud crabs?

Posted: Fri Jul 06, 2018 11:49 am
by Matt Flynn
What are the best tides for mud crabs?

Seems like everyone has a different opinion. Some like neaps, some like springs, some like inbetween.

Re: What are the best tides for mud crabs?

Posted: Fri Jul 06, 2018 3:35 pm
by balou
I crab both neaps and spring tides but try get on the water a hour before the low and crab the incoming.
On the neaps I check them every 3 hours and on the Springs every hour. Don't think tides are that important as long as its the income.

Re: What are the best tides for mud crabs?

Posted: Sat Jul 07, 2018 8:16 am
by fish4me123
When the tide goes in or out is good. Bait and location more important

Re: What are the best tides for mud crabs?

Posted: Sat Jul 07, 2018 10:18 am
by Matt Flynn
Yep, I reckon bait makes a difference.

Did OK using tins of cheap canned catfood, but the big crabs can peel open the cans. Always seemed to do better tho with pots baited with a good chunk of fresh fish.

Re: What are the best tides for mud crabs?

Posted: Sat Jul 07, 2018 1:49 pm
by trent
Fresh Fish frames are the pick but have been using chicken frames and a chunk of tuna stuffed inside, like mentioned above the run in tide seems to work best

Re: What are the best tides for mud crabs?

Posted: Sat Jul 07, 2018 3:07 pm
by Matt Flynn
I liked the first run in of a spring tide, working the pots up a creek, but some crabbers don't like spring tides. I'd pack up once the water was well into the mangroves, just like barra fishing. You do have to be careful where you put the pots on big tides because of the current. Never did much good on runout.

Another reason I like springs is because other types of fishing can be harder, so it is a good time to drop pots.

Tried overnighting pots but can't say it was more effective, just more likely to be sharefarmed or wrecked by croc/shark/bunyips.

Noticed that in some places like SWA the crocs go straight to floats and down, they know where dinner is.

Re: What are the best tides for mud crabs?

Posted: Sun Jul 08, 2018 6:33 am
by fish4me123
I keep a record of when the crabber at leeders is out. His boat is in the carpark the last 4 days.
The moon has a lot to do with it. If your income relies on crab you are not going to waist time

Re: What are the best tides for mud crabs?

Posted: Tue Jul 10, 2018 8:40 am
by JJLure
Depends on fishing pressure in the area as well. Where I am in Central Qld, we have the greatest number of pro crabbers in the country & as a result legal crabs are extremely hard to find regardless of tide or bait. Having said that, the best of the very limited successful i've had trips have been on the incoming tides, during the building phases, and at night.