- G'day guys,
It's Michael here from Sailing Papao.
Welcome back to another episode
of Adreno Sydney spearfishing series.
In this episode, we're going to take a look
at the Eastern rock lobster.
They are one of the tastiest critters in the ocean
and they are found right here on our door.
- Lobster anyone?
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- Generally crays can be found in really shallow water,
I'm talking dry Baxter.
Don't be afraid to check ankle deep water.
Ideally, you want to go on a high tide
with a really low swell, so you can get right up
in the shallows and not get tossed around in the wash.
These spots are naturally protected by rough weather.
So going when it's calm is obviously going to help.
Now, this doesn't mean you won't find them in deeper water.
You will find them up to 10 meters, but I seem to find most
of mine in the shallows.
Any Rocky areas with Cunjevoi or kelp,
is a really good place to start.
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Okay, so as far as equipment goes
you definitely want a good pair of gloves.
The crays themselves are really spiky
and they've got these really nasty spines on their tail
that they can smash your hand against their body with.
In addition to that you've got Sea urchins, barnacles
and the caves themselves, are just full of nasty stuff.
A good wetsuit is highly recommended
to stop you from getting cut on the reef.
Especially when you're hunting in that shallow water,
and you get tumbled around.
Try to get one with a hood,
cause eventually you are going to bump your head
and you'll be very thankful to have that layer
of neoprene between your scalp and the cave.
Crays are found in the winter months,
so unless you have a really good spot
or serious layer of blubber,
you're gonna need that wetsuit to keep you warm,
during your dive.
A good dive torch,
while not a hundred percent necessary,
will greatly increase your chances at finding a cray
hidden up the back of a dark cave.
Just be aware that it is illegal to spearfish
with a torch in New South Wales.
So either leave the gun at home,
or if you're in a boat, swap it out when you look for crays.
Another handy item, is a Cray bag.
Now you can just use your standard mesh keeper net,
but in my opinion,
you can't go past the waist mounted mesh bag.
This gives you the use of both of your hands
and it's really easy to put crays in.
I've never had a Cray escape,
from one of those bags and you can also store a spare torch
or even a Cray measure in there.
It's also really important to carry a current
New South Wales Cray measuring tool.
You can find these in most tackle shops,
but just check the regulations,
as the size limit does change from time to time.
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It's really important to try
and remember where you find your crays,
cause you'll often find they'll go back
to that same hole, time and time again.
Once you know your spots pretty well
you might want to try night diving.
It'll give you the opportunity to see the ocean
in a whole new light.
You'll often find crays out of their holes,
rather than hiding during the day.
Obviously night diving is going to come
with its own set of risks.
You want to know the area really well and have
a backup entry and exit point that you can see clearly
in the dark.
Definitely recommend going with a dive buddy
and a spare torch won't go astray.
Like all speed fishing,
teamwork is greatly going to increase your chances
and safety.
Work together to cover as much ground as possible.
Once you find a few Crays, call your mate over for backup.
It's always good to spot your mate,
just in case you get stuck,
when pulling a cray out of a hole.
It's also really handy to have an extra set
of eyes in case the cray bolts out the back.
- Tropical Rock Lobster. Not found in Sydney.
- Crays will generally not swim far,
and they'll hide in the nearest cave or kelp.
Some caves will have a back exit.
It's always handy to have one diver waiting at it
while the other spooks it from the other side.
Just be aware there is also a maximum size,
to protect the breeders.
Thanks for watching guys.
Hopefully that gave you a bit of an insight
how to catch crays and Sydney,
and hopefully you have a successful season.
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