Summer in SA is when the state’s recreational fishing really starts to kick off, and there are few better species to target than blue swimmer crabs. The variety of ways to catch them, the quality on the plate in different forms, and the excitement of catching them are just some of the reasons we love a feed of crabs as the weather warms up.
There is an old anecdote in South Australian fishing that you can target blue swimmer crabs in any month with an ‘r’ in it. This means we usually start to see them show up in September and October as they move into shallower water to spawn. Having said that, we usually find the best fishing for blueys happens in November-February, when the hot weather is really upon us and the crabs are actively feeding in shallower water.
Blue swimmer crabs can be targeted in many different ways, which makes them such a great species to fish for in the warmer months. Our personal favourite is dropping pots off the boat, and we love doing that with family and friends; it really is a great social day’s fishing. Most tackle stores will sell drop nets that are made of two simple steel rings, with a steel mesh bottom and some netting which connects the smaller bottom ring and the larger outer ring. These nets are then connected to a rope, which you can tie to the front of the boat if you are staying stationary while you target whiting or garfish off the back. Alternatively, they can be connected to a white buoy of at least four litres in size. A tag with your name and address are mandatory if you are leaving your pots unattended in the water. You can fish with three drop nets per person, and they do not need to be registered.