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Simmo2
13-10-2007, 09:36 PM
I would like to get into spear fishing, primarily to try and get Cray off the reef here in Cairns.
Any tips and suggestions from the crew?????

bondy99
13-10-2007, 11:39 PM
G'day Simmo2

All I can say is that you can only spear in designated areas within the GBRMP. I'd like to get some crays myself, I too have a speargun, painted crays are the only ones that can be speared as they don't go into craypots (so i'm told), but also read in the Fisheries Regs. I'm on southside of Brisbane. Send me a pm if your going out in the new year. Peter

Simmo2
14-10-2007, 07:01 AM
Cheers mate. I appreciate the green zone thingy. Just after some 'how too's" really! Trade secrets etc!!

lippa
14-10-2007, 07:19 AM
http://www.spearfishing.com.au/

have a look here mate.
good bunch of blokes and pretty helpful.

cheers

lippa

FNQCairns
14-10-2007, 07:39 AM
Simmo, interested in what you turn up, I also would like to bag some out from Cairns, have caught a few of the more southern species by hand in the past, a spear will save the drama of reaching in under blind ledges which is never fun.

good luck

cheers fnq

omulloway
14-10-2007, 12:35 PM
Simmo, assuming you have access to a boat to go outside?

I've actually had decent amount of success round the inshore islands and reefs, not sure what the current grmpa regs are these days though... however if your starting out chasing crays for the first time I'd suggest doing some inshore reef and islands. Its easier to get out to an island, moor the boat and work from the shore out or just offshore, out the reef you have to deal with more stuff like current and bigger noahs.

Double island on the leeward side and the two known wrecks towards the north-west have always been decent, and hold a cray or two. As is Snapper Island up off the Daintree/ Cape Kimberely. There's also some inshore reefs near Yule point, you'll often see tinnys moored a couple of k's offshore from the point ... and no-one in the boat... cause they're freediving chasing crays.

There's quite a few guys that go out together in a club type outing from Cairns, probably best if you check with companies like Cairns Scuba Air etc, am pretty sure some of the crew there are into it.

Cheers
Omulloway

Simmo2
14-10-2007, 06:57 PM
Cheers yet again boys!
I was talking to Uri at Barron river today, I had heard of the 'northern' side of DI, but he also told me to check out the 'bit' between scouts hat and DI. The winds at the moment are crap, and (oh yep, I have a boat!) prolly wont get out even to the island for a week or two... But certainly its high on the agenda for 'out there'....
The regs do have a closed season, and size/bags etc... The closed season is from the 14* lat and north, so thats about where Princess Charlotte bay is...doesnt matter here..
On the subject of those wrecks.. the Ellis beach one and the one seemingly known as Butch Mackeral....I have them plotted in the GPS from the 2007 charts, I have trolled the mark tons of times but have never seen a definitive 'bommy' on the hummingbird.... The chart indicates that both of those wrecks should be metres above the surrounding sea floor??? Anyone know what the go is there?

Simmo2
15-10-2007, 09:49 PM
Hmm and yet another way to annoy the missus!!
http://www.news.com.au/travel/story/0,23483,22586675-27977,00.html

Any idea's on those wrecks fellas?

omulloway
15-10-2007, 11:17 PM
Yeah I saw that on the news and thought that might keep you close to shore huh! There was another Noah attack down this way too, was a Great White on a 52yr old lady apparently... got away with just an arm injury... very lucky.

Re the wrecks ... I havent tried those two, however there are 2 (off Double) listed (with GPS co-ords) in the local Bransfords Fishing Guide ... If you have the latest C-chart stuff on your GPS, you'll see one marked on it by default. It isn't named though just marked. You'll find this one is on one of the actual 'contour' lines on your GPS ... and its worth checking out. It holds mid-sized (legal) reds like small mouth etc and a cray or two as well.

My tip would be to try it mid to late arvo and find the bait school .... theres almost always bait on it. Anchor up-current and drift into it, allowing some extra anchor line so your boat can 'follow you'.

Don't get put off by finding small bumps, thats all it is at this spot. What you will find is that there isnt another bump for a few k's in any direction though. A good general tip is to take your time, dont expect to ping one (fish or cray) or your first sorty, it may take 2/3 freedives on same spot, and fish particuarly seemm to get used to you pretty quick if you get my drift. Crays are different, theyre just where you find them, and thats generally some coral with some space inside or behind it.

Hope that helps
Omulloway

Simmo2
16-10-2007, 06:43 AM
Cheers omullway!

wheezer
16-10-2007, 12:24 PM
used to spear heaps around the reefs off cairns and cape trib, typically look for crays in shallower areas, always used a cray tip on my gun and when i found a cray i would unload the second rubber so as not to pulverise the shell too much...not sure how many are around these days but i'll check it out when i move back up there next year....

BarraSteve
19-10-2007, 08:57 AM
Simmo,
Any of the headlands between Taylors Point and Port Douglas produce painteds(and big barra ).
Suicide/Ratchet/Yule were some of my favourites..
Accessible by car too !!
Good luck,
BarraSteve..

Simmo2
19-10-2007, 09:27 PM
Cheers Steve!
My forecast prediction crystal ball says winds may die down end of next week, so will get out to DI first up to take a look at these spots that Uri told me about!

There is a wreck on the charts between Taylors and Scouts hat (haycock)..I didnt know anything was there years ago, but have got a legal mackeral just trolling across to DI from Taylors. Havent been back there tho....

vector
20-10-2007, 02:40 PM
going after crays is somthing you have just keep trying at, its taken me about 2 yrs to find a productive spot, but i know all there holes and can always find them now.

i never use a spear for them, in my opinion you dont need to, youll lose heaps at first but eventually youll learn how to grab them you sorta gotta go in slow and pick your time to pounce.

mitch qld
20-10-2007, 06:27 PM
Simmo,

i do a fair bit of spearing around our area in Mackay. Shallow inshore reefs seem the best bet for crays, look for big unerhung bommies that have caves/deep cracks and ledges, the crays will be there. Their usually quite easy to spear, and with a bit of technique you can grab em and not have to use ure gun. i still like to spear em, no use risking that beautiful flesh!

Cheers, Mitch.

Simmo2
20-10-2007, 06:48 PM
Next Friday seems like a day to get out there!
Gonna have to persuade the boss (me!) for a day off!!

bondy99
17-09-2009, 11:50 AM
If anyone is getting any crays and has a spare seat for an old spearo, let me know.

Cheers, Peter

treasureman
29-10-2009, 07:07 PM
Hi Simmo2,
I use to work as a cray diver back in the '80's out of Thursday Island in the Torres Straits. The best tool of the trade was a brromstick cut down to around 500mm to 600mm with a hole drilled up the centre for around 150mm. 10mm to 12mm stainless rod about 400mm long was inserted and sealed in with resin. The end was honed to a point and then a barb was cut into it. A bit of hand spear rubber on the end of the broom and your away. I remember taking an average of 100kg's of tails per day when they were running hot.
Good Luck.

Robbo76
29-10-2009, 09:53 PM
Hi Simmo2,

Uri would know he's caught a lot around the reefs, My Uncle is half owner of barron river tackle (Nick) along with my cousin (David). I'm always in there, might seeya there one day, I'll shout ya a coffee;) .

Cheers,
Rob

supertinny
30-10-2009, 09:38 AM
We dont use a gun. Got these ones very close to the mainland.

http://i677.photobucket.com/albums/vv136/seaweed34/05092009.jpg

nigelr
30-10-2009, 09:17 PM
FMD supertinny, now that is skill in action!
Superb pic, cheers!

sagair
30-10-2009, 10:01 PM
Hi Simmo2,
I use to work as a cray diver back in the '80's out of Thursday Island in the Torres Straits. The best tool of the trade was a brromstick cut down to around 500mm to 600mm with a hole drilled up the centre for around 150mm. 10mm to 12mm stainless rod about 400mm long was inserted and sealed in with resin. The end was honed to a point and then a barb was cut into it. A bit of hand spear rubber on the end of the broom and your away. I remember taking an average of 100kg's of tails per day when they were running hot.
Good Luck.
X2, When I lived on Moa Island I found out this was quicker and easier than dicking around with a gun [small Seahornet tourist].

bondy99
18-11-2009, 01:03 PM
Nice photos of great crays mate. Well done.
Peter