How do you catch spanner crabs off the Gold Coast ??

[MrNanks]

I saw on a Facebook post that some fella caught some big spanner crabs off the Gold Coast. My missus saw the picture :o and suggested that should now be on the top of my list to do. She loves them :P. Any clues from you good people on the times of the year , bait depth, pot type I would really appreciate it.
Cheers Dave

[bondy99]

Spanner crabs are hit and miss,

You need a spanner crab trap and plenty of rope with a large floating balloon like a Pinky not a small float as a small float will be hard to see.

Spanner Crab Traps are rectangular in shape....Crab'n'gear at Clontarf makes and sells direct to public, give them a call , probably cheaper that tackle shops.

Depth various and they like soft mud , usually off South Straddie, It's trial and error to find locations. Rope , good 5mm or 7mm thick...might be anywhere from 60 feet to 90 feet, could be more, could be less...Use your sounder to find the ledges / contours

They could run parallel to the coast or they could run seaward.

Best bait is pillies contained in gutter guard and whole mullet secured to the trap

If you have 4 spanner traps then you can cover bit more area. If nothing found in one spot / drop then move to another location and try there...as said earlier they are hit and miss.

Normally year round but summer is most prolific...there is a closure on taking spanner crabs towards end of year. Check Fisheries website for spanner crab closure dates.

I like a feed of them too but no one has a big enough boat to go outside and have a try for em. Pick a good day to go out sea condition wise.

Hope this helps you.

Bondy99

[hungry6]

You need to look at 40m+ ground, run your trap along ledge lines, at bottom of ledge of course.

[Nabba1]

I have been a few times with a mate of mine off the goldie. We usually went SE just inside the 24 fathoms but also sometime NE about 50m. Not sure of any marks.

A few things I learned:
What bondie said is on the money, especially about the float size and also make sure its a calm day. its amazing how hard the floats can be to see offshore (even with a GPS mark on the spot), Its nothing like finding a pot float in the broadwater.
We used to tie a few traps together on the 1 main line to save the lenght of rope required and number of times to pull them up I guess.
Make sure you have someone young and strong on board cause pulling a pot up in 40 to 50m of water is bloody hard, especially with 15 to 20 big spanner crabs hanging off each one.
Be organised cause there is a lot of rope etc lying around the boat.

We generally left them for an hour or so and had a fish (and rest) in between pulling the pots. On a good day we could get well over 50 crabs and some are huge too so they are definately out there.

good luck

[RayLamp]

My initial response to this thread's title was - "Go to bed with a female mechanic"

A swing and a miss it seems...

[bondy99]

I have been a few times with a mate of mine off the goldie. We usually went SE just inside the 24 fathoms but also sometime NE about 50m. Not sure of any marks.

A few things I learned:
What bondie said is on the money, especially about the float size and also make sure its a calm day. its amazing how hard the floats can be to see offshore (even with a GPS mark on the spot), Its nothing like finding a pot float in the broadwater.
We used to tie a few traps together on the 1 main line to save the lenght of rope required and number of times to pull them up I guess.
Make sure you have someone young and strong on board cause pulling a pot up in 40 to 50m of water is bloody hard, especially with 15 to 20 big spanner crabs hanging off each one.
Be organised cause there is a lot of rope etc lying around the boat.

We generally left them for an hour or so and had a fish (and rest) in between pulling the pots. On a good day we could get well over 50 crabs and some are huge too so they are definately out there.

good luck


Nabba1,

Yeah mate, your spot on with that advice. It is hard work pulling up rope with crabs dangling. Thicker rope is better as it saves cutting / chaffing your hands. I use to go out with a mate from the Goldy also, had a decent boat then. I know sea turtles eat spanner crabs if they are left on the trap too long, I use to check about 45 minutes from the first dropline....after the first 4 traps I was knackered. Good crabs though. Would like to get out there again some time. Bondy

[bondy99]

I notice there is over 1000 views on this topic, so it's generated some interest from people interested in how to catch spanner crabs off the Gold Coast.

[nathank]

seems like it would be good fun but way to much hard work for me lol.. How did that rod go Bondy?

[bondy99]

nathank,

I reckon you could give it a go, just need another person that's ate some weetbix :)

Nathank. I have used that rod to chase some tailor off the beach down Kingscliff way. Hooked up on three, nothing big, samllest 38cm to 43cm largest..better than zero. Smoked up good too.

How's your outside fishing going?

Cheers, Bondy

[Giffo65]

Here is an idea,instead of hauling up by hand,use the anchor retrieval float to pull up the crab traps.Do Spanner crabs have much meat in them,do they taste like a muddy or sandy.

[bugman]

959619596295963
We've done it over the last few years off the Goldy - when they're on they're thick but at other times your arms can get pretty sore pulling pots time after time.
As for taste -my personal opinion.
1) Sandy
2) 3 Spot
3) Spanner
4) Mud

As I said - taste is used as the measure. With Spanners you must know how to eat them. Cook them - cut them in half - put them between two hard surfaces (bread board and bench) - give it a sharp whack so you here the crunch and then the meat just falls out.

I love them.

[bondy99]

Bugman

Yep, you're spot on there, I find spanner crabs a bit more sweeter than muddies but does not hold meat as much as sandies / blue swimmers

Yep they are red when they come out of the water so boil em up in seawater. I usually cook em for about 18 minutes after the water back to the boil.

I use a stainless steel prawn / crab cooker with a jet burner (from Mooloolaba commercial fishing supplies), awesome noise when the burner goes.

Even better when the aroma of cooked prawns / crabs waffs out in the steam.

Good pics Bugman.

Cheers, Bondy

[MrNanks]

959619596295963
We've done it over the last few years off the Goldy - when they're on they're thick but at other times your arms can get pretty sore pulling pots time after time.
As for taste -my personal opinion.
1) Sandy
2) 3 Spot
3) Spanner
4) Mud

As I said - taste is used as the measure. With Spanners you must know how to eat them. Cook them - cut them in half - put them between two hard surfaces (bread board and bench) - give it a sharp whack so you here the crunch and then the meat just falls out.

I love them.Thanks Bugman. I am as keen as to have a go. My missus prefers them to sandies then muddies. I love them all.
Do you have any prefered months and how many k's off do you go.
Cheers

[Mister]

Spanner crabs are best eaten with a tooth pick and one should allow plenty of time and not be in a hurry.

With a limit of 4 pots all should be strung on the same drop line as the added burley trail will have a better chance of attracking spanners. Also with a limited number of pots maximize the mesh drop, harder to untangle but less chance of escape.