Page 3 of 3 FirstFirst 123
Results 31 to 42 of 42

Thread: Painter crayfish

  1. #31

    Re: Painter crayfish

    I've never caught a cray on a line but I did snag a prawn with a chemically sharpened hook once.
    I've been a fan of Diaiichi ever since.

    Years ago I was fishing at Rolling Stone and huge mud crabs were coming up but would drop off a few feet out of the water. We didn't have a net so they got away.
    I wasn't going into the water after them 'cause the previous 5 hook ups were stone fish.

    The best way to cook crays is on a bbq with butter and garlic and served to you on a banana leaf by a cute little island girl on Guadalcanal.
    Ahhh, good times.

  2. #32

    Re: Painter crayfish

    I have to ask the question of the more serious and experienced divers here, how the hell do you find these things.
    I live in Gladstone and I am often out and about the Fitzroy Lagoon to Musgrave areas. I have snorkelled until I am blue in the face and cannot find one of these things for the life of me.
    1st question, are they found in the lagoons?
    I am also led to believe that they are vegetarians, is that true?
    I thought thats why they are not caught in pots.
    I CAME INTO THIS WORLD KICKING, SCREAMING AND COVERED IN SOMEONE ELSES BLOOD. I HAVE NO PROBLEM GOING OUT THE SAME WAY.
    NEWBY T.G.

  3. #33

    Re: Painter crayfish

    Newby The reason you can't find them is because they have all been grabbed from the common areas. How many divers do you think snorkel the lagoons at Muscrave and Fitzroy? You would have more luck diving some shitty water around the local islands I would think. Go where no one else would go much. I think they eat mostly mollusks, not sure though. You will still find them on the northern side of Lamont if you look hard. Look in 100 holes you might find one or two.

  4. #34

    Re: Painter crayfish

    I've always thoughtthem to be vegetarians. but i suppose like most animals they will eat anything when hunger strikes.

    I know of people who have had them in their tropical aquariums and they systematically take out their fish over a period fo time. expensive tastes I say.

    As for finding them when diving. I've heard of them being caught in the summer around Coffs, but my only experience with them was on a Swains trip and we found most of ours in the sheltered lagoons on the inner reefs (not the fringe reefs). they are not hard to pick with thier long feelers hanging out form under ledges. Unlike eastern rock lobsters i also foudn them quiet docile.

    I always carried a pop gun speargun to get them, the full effect of a rail gun tends to leaves its mark on a cray.

  5. #35

    Re: Painter crayfish

    When I was in Vanuatu, I did a tour of one of the villages called Episup...
    Part of the tour was an explanation of how they fished and hunted.
    They use crude versions of the cray pot to catch crays. When I spoke to the chiefs son after the tour I suggested that the painted cray is a vegetarian and he looked at me like I was a lunatic.
    He told me that they used crushed up hermit crabs and the like for bait.
    I thought he was pulling the pi$$ but after reading this, now I am not so sure.
    Might be worth investigation after all.
    I CAME INTO THIS WORLD KICKING, SCREAMING AND COVERED IN SOMEONE ELSES BLOOD. I HAVE NO PROBLEM GOING OUT THE SAME WAY.
    NEWBY T.G.

  6. #36

    Re: Painter crayfish

    Newby,

    I know a few people that dive for crays around the Gladstone area. I don't know precise areas but I do know they don't really leave the mainland if that helps.

    Brett

  7. #37

    Re: Painter crayfish

    Crayfish are classed as opportunistic foragers, they are not exclusively vegetarian.

  8. #38

    Re: Painter crayfish

    In WA we use meat etc in our pots for SW Rock Lobster.

    I dont imagine the diet would be much different for Painted... even though they are bigger..



    "There is certainly something in fishing that tends to produce a gentleness of spirit, a pure serenity of mind."

  9. #39

    Re: Painter crayfish

    There are plenty at lamont newby .We normally get half a dozen in a an hour or so.
    The only clue ill give is be there at low tide.Look hard and youll find them there.once you find them youll think how easys this.We always find them in the same area.Then chew on em while we head sykes way for some reds.Good luck.

  10. #40

    Re: Painter crayfish

    Can anyone line me up with a diver so we can get some crays.

    I'm not getting any younger and my ability to hold breath is diminishing.

    I'm on the SE Qld. Between Brisbane and Gold Coast.

    Peter

  11. #41

    Re: Painter crayfish

    Quote Originally Posted by sambos View Post
    There are plenty at lamont newby .We normally get half a dozen in a an hour or so.
    The only clue ill give is be there at low tide.Look hard and youll find them there.once you find them youll think how easys this.We always find them in the same area.Then chew on em while we head sykes way for some reds.Good luck.
    Well mate, I am heading out that way next week with the Annual Ausfish M&G so I will hop over the edge, dodge the damn bronzies that hammer that area (even worse out at Sykes) and see if I can find the elusive crays that have so far evaded me for the last 6 years.
    I CAME INTO THIS WORLD KICKING, SCREAMING AND COVERED IN SOMEONE ELSES BLOOD. I HAVE NO PROBLEM GOING OUT THE SAME WAY.
    NEWBY T.G.

  12. #42

    Re: Painter crayfish

    There are 3 species of Painted crays in Aust waters and all of them are omnivores. They do eat vegetation but in my time working with them, we fed them up on squid, pipis and mussels. Think of them like prawns, they will eat any old scraps they can find. Most of the southern cray fishers will tell you that the best bait for crays have either fur or feathers so I would say if you are looking to trap them then some roo tail or chooks would be the go. Problem with trapping them is that their feelers dont fold back over their head like the southern crays do so only specialised cray pots will catch them- I do know blokes who have trapped them so it can be done.
    If you are into diving for them the white feelers are the give away and i have always found more around coastal headlands and islands than the reef. If you find some shoaly ledgy areas- even straight off a beach there should be one or two about.


Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  
Join us