Catching Redclaw
Submitted: Tuesday, Nov 08, 2011 at 14:33
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Hamontheroad
Reading some archived posts I found a lot of suggestions on the bait to use. One thing I found a bit alarming is the use of soap as bait - this should never be done as it promotes unwanted algae growth.
As campers we should be
well aware of not washing or showering anywhere near freshwater streams or lagoons - so why use soap for Redclaw bait? Ok - so it is not attractive to crocs - but the very best bait for Redclaw is not attractive to crocs either.
And what is the VERY BEST bait for Redclaw? It is free - and it is laying around all over the place.
It is kangaroo and wallaby droppings. I have been using them for many many years, ever since I was shown by an old aborigine who was using them stuck inside some hollow branches which he had jammed some stones into one end then put a handfull of the droppings in and he was catching a good haul out of the
water holes. He stuffed a handfull of grass in after the droppings to prevent them floating out, but in the little opera house pots the bait bag holds them fine.
Might not be as convenient as dry dog food but crocs and eels are not attracted and most times I can pick up enough on my morning walk to set the pots for several days and that gets me all the Redclaw the family can eat. Also work for Cherabin in the
Mitchell and Byzant.
Also have used a lot of roadkill down around the Central Highlands and the Reds sure as heck fill the pots with a chunk of dead roo or whatever is laying on the road - early morning is the best time to pick up some fresh road kill though.
So please folks keep the soap out of the waterways and billabongs.
Reply By: Member -Dodger - Tuesday, Nov 08, 2011 at 15:07
Tuesday, Nov 08, 2011 at 15:07
I have been using road kill for years as bait for Red Claw and yabbies.
Easy to come by.
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Follow Up By: Hamontheroad - Tuesday, Nov 08, 2011 at 15:21
Tuesday, Nov 08, 2011 at 15:21
Good variety available - but not too good to use up in croc country - the kangaroo droppings do work better than roadkill and I have never drowned a
turtle using droppings (one of the downsides of using roadkill or any meat bait).
Tried all the other things like spuds and melon and lettuce - but the digested grass outshines them all. Haven't tried cow pats or sheep pills as there has always been plenty of the roo marbles around.
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Reply By: Member - Joe n Mel n kids (FNQ - Tuesday, Nov 08, 2011 at 16:22
Tuesday, Nov 08, 2011 at 16:22
here is one for you to try, i heard it the other day but have not tried it yet .....
sprinkle flour on the top of the
water, they come up to the top and "graze" on it, you can see the feelers poking up and you simply scoop them up .....
Sounds like it would work eh ...... maaaaate we stopped at the
Gregory last week on our way back from Burktown and there were some Redclaw heads in the bin, they were massive, fatter than a fifty cent peice ... time i got off me ass and got back out there me thinks..
Cheers
Joe
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Reply By: BarryMcKenzie - Wednesday, Nov 09, 2011 at 21:33
Wednesday, Nov 09, 2011 at 21:33
Mate I understand your concern about soap in freshwater but you are not lathering it up like you are having a bath, have the same concern myself with washing etc near streams but have no issues using a cake of soap in my yabbie trap, it doesn't even appear to dissolve all that much if any.
Just try it one time, preferably with an "older style" cake of soap with tallow or similar as an ingredient and if redclaw are anything like yabbies or shrimp in their taste you should get a few..... and the bait doesn't smell...
Cheers.
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Follow Up By: petengail - Friday, Nov 18, 2011 at 16:04
Friday, Nov 18, 2011 at 16:04
Wife and I caught 600 redclaw in 5 days at lake Boondooma (near Proston QLD). We used dried dog food for bait. Redclaw are considered a pest there and there is no limit.
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Follow Up By: Member - onemore - Saturday, Nov 19, 2011 at 07:30
Saturday, Nov 19, 2011 at 07:30
Petengail,
Is it possible to set the trap from the bank at the dam, or do you really need a boat?
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Follow Up By: petengail - Sunday, Nov 20, 2011 at 15:28
Sunday, Nov 20, 2011 at 15:28
Well we had our tinnie, and checked the pots about every two hours. It would be possible to set them from the shore. I would look for
places where there are plenty of rocks, like around the
boat launch. You would want to heave them a fair way out as they seemed to like the
water about 13ft deep. I am no expert though it was our first redclaw outing. cheers - pete
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Follow Up By: Hamontheroad - Friday, Nov 25, 2011 at 11:37
Friday, Nov 25, 2011 at 11:37
Sounds like a nice feed was your reward Pete. I travel a lot and always keep and eye open for likely yabby spots. Some of the best catches have come from MRD gravel scrapes after a bit of rain - so for "onemore" the answer would be that you don't really need a boat to make really good catches of yabbies.
During my younger years I never used anything other than hessian bags with a couple of sticks tied in a "X" form to hold the mouth open - a few leafy small branches also work fine to hold the bag open - a bit of roadkill tied into the bottom and a bit of string tied to the open end - I would just throw it out from the bank and leave it for a couple of hours while I boiled a billy - always caught enough for a good feed.
But redclaw don't seem to be to active during the day and I find that putting the pots in (now have the luxury of opera house pots) an hour or so before dark then checking them next morning gives best results. The limit of 40 in posession only applies to "natural occuring waters or range". I think "blues" limit is 100.
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Follow Up By: Member - onemore - Friday, Nov 25, 2011 at 12:34
Friday, Nov 25, 2011 at 12:34
Hammontheroad,
Thanks for sharing your knowledge, appreciate it.
That's what I like about this site, so many people willing to share their experiences.
Cheers everyone,
Mike
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Follow Up By: Hamontheroad - Friday, Nov 25, 2011 at 16:24
Friday, Nov 25, 2011 at 16:24
No need to offer thanks mate - I have found many pearls of wisdom available here and on other similar forums.
Let's face it - we all have a great common interest and sharing our adventures and knowledge with each other enhances the experience.
Pity thing is that so much of the time I am away from internet access (is that a bad thing?) so it is hard to keep up a discourse at times.
Just packing up supplies for the next jaunt - not a big one - just taking my daughter for a couple of weeks
camping - she starts school hols today (late in life parent here and finding it hard to keep up with a 16 yo).
Might see you along the road somewhere and we can share a cold one and say g'day.
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Follow Up By: Member - onemore - Friday, Nov 25, 2011 at 17:23
Friday, Nov 25, 2011 at 17:23
Mate,
I am down at Coolangatta, having a weekend with my mid twenties daughter and she is sure giving my liver a workout, but I dont get to see her often, my wallet can vouch for that.
Cheers,
Mike
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Follow Up By: Hamontheroad - Friday, Nov 25, 2011 at 18:53
Friday, Nov 25, 2011 at 18:53
Sounds like a good deal Mike - I was told the liver grows back each time we hammer it LOL.
We are off to
Clermont for a couple of weeks - hopefully the wet season won't get serious before we head back home.
I don't mind fishing in the rain - but I can imagine the attitude that will surface in a 16 yo that is stuck in a wet tent for two weeks ........... shudder.
enjoy the GC and your daughter mate - the wallet will fatten up again.
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