Catching Prawns

[Cormdogg]

My prawn net or pot arrived in the post today, hope to put it to use asap.
Anyone ever use them? Ive researched a bit and manky mack etc is the bait of choice.
My plan would be when I go on a session to a rock mark or pier dangle it into the water and check every hour or so if I want prawn for bait or leave it in if I want something that I could have for tea. Other tips are to make sure its off the bottom so that it doesn't get infiltrated by hordes of crab. Anyone any other ideas?

Also I have caught edible crabs and lobsters before and only ever kept one non-notched male lobster. If I was to leave the pot out over night to target lobster do I need a license? Are the lobster potters going to cut me and my pot up? Gulp!

Would anyone know where a good spot in South Dublin/Wicklow for prawn?

Ive also heard of people leaving drop nets in the water with a bait bag or something in the centre and just pulling it up every so often full of prawns. Anyone tried this?

Thanks

[immunecfg]

I'd say you' not want to drawn attention to your pot so no one should find it, you will not need a license as its only for personal use not commercial. I have always wanted to get one of these just to throw in at the side of a peir just to see what i would get after a nights fishing.

I think there is a season for prawn though im not too sure on that im sure some of the guys on the site will clarify this for you!

[Cormdogg]

They're on sale for nothing ebay.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... AQ:GB:1123

I think Gordon Ramsey and Hugh Fearnley Whittingstall have stated a race to save the indigenous Crayfish in UK waters.

[davyp]

have 2 of those myself - they work well - does no harm to chuck some mack guts etc into the pot itself as well

sand seems best for prawns - and no problem on the bottom - if theres not too many crabs about - in a busy spot u can check it every 15 -20 mins - you will be surprised how quickly things can find there way in.

usually get loads of mini pollack, pouting and blennies in as well - no sandeels yet tho

on another thread this came up someone gave the dates for the prawn closed season ( seriously, apparently its on the CFB website)

ignorance is bliss

afaik this is only for the republic, so maybe best to trap yer prawns in the north for the summer - (good excuse too stock up on cheap booze as well

only thing with the prawns is their so tasty you wont want to waste them on the fish!

[Cormdogg]

A little update on the prawn pot, first day was in Bray Harbor, had a great days fishing. Had the pot over the wall at the sea side of the harbor, Baited with cat food, and a tin of sardines, first after about an hour, the pot was packed! Only 4 prawns but loads of crab and choca of little blennies, Hauled it up every hour or so, I was there for about 6. I got about 15 prawns all of which I used as bait but got no takes. Apart from the crab there was gobies, shannies, shore rockling, strap conger, green eel and pollock in the pot. What I did enjoy was popping them into the bucket of water and having a proper look a them, something you cant do when you're trying to dehook them and get them back in the water asap. As I was leaving I spoke to a nice chinese guy who had a pot down on the inside and he was using a mack head as bait for crab then when he got the crabs he crushed them and out them back in the pot and in 15 minutes he had 6 or 7 eels. He was keeping the eels which some people would frown upon but he was targeting them specifically to bring home and eat so I say fair play to him, probably wouldn't waste an eyeball! I dont think people should have a go at people who take something home to eat, theyre actually going to eat it. Ive seen lads cut one wing off ray and throw them over the side of a boat and not a word said to them! but I digress. I used it it again colliemore, just the cat food and little mac this time, about 6 prawns used again for bait (no joy!) loads of crabs and a few rockling. This pot'll pay for itself yet!

[eric]

isnt killing eels illeagal now? i thought they we protected?

[MAC]

I know the commericial fishery for eel's was closed. I'm not sure about the angling side of things although a pot might be considered commericial More questions than answers there I'm afraid.

Kev

[corbyeire]

im nearly 100% that you cant fish for silver/green eels

especially using the above device - there used to be an eel trap used for these eels before which is also a no no now

so the chap was it congers he was heading off with - if not and you see him again - educate him

[Cormdogg]

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm wasn't aware of that, but if I meet the chap again, Ill let him know. Hard to know whats legit ande what isn't sometimes.

[Cormdogg]

Went to Bray Harbour for a while on Friday evening. Had the pot on the outside baited with cat food and a salmon head. Got a few prawns after 20 min, crushed a couple of the crab that were in it, the prawns seem to like them. After two hours had about 20 decent size prawns, One edible brown crab but he had only one claw so back to the sea he went. Had it on the inside of the pier for a bit at the end, no prawns but fillled to the brim with crab.few rockling,gobies and eels found their way in too.

Anyways, home and into the pot with white wine and garlic. They were delicious, I was delighted with myself!

[taz]

would them nets be any good for catching sand eels and what would be the best bait

[rustyhookthomas]

isnt killing eels illeagal now? i thought they we protected?

yup! i think so green/silver/river/harbour european eel!!! all the same.
now protected but not in N.I.! as far as i know!
EU directive! caught some this week while fishing for bass and chucked them back.
well not literally and away they went leaving me to make up a new trace as they
mangled my tackle to bits,
beats a blank!
cormdogg are you getting praws or shrimps?

[eyesreilly]

Went to Bray Harbour for a while on Friday evening. Had the pot on the outside baited with cat food and a salmon head. Got a few prawns after 20 min, crushed a couple of the crab that were in it, the prawns seem to like them. After two hours had about 20 decent size prawns, One edible brown crab but he had only one claw so back to the sea he went. Had it on the inside of the pier for a bit at the end, no prawns but fillled to the brim with crab.few rockling,gobies and eels found their way in too.

Anyways, home and into the pot with white wine and garlic. They were delicious, I was delighted with myself!

I was setting up as you were leaving

[beebub2]

Fair play. Gonna get me one of these. I've seen a 'crayfish net' on t'internet. Is that the same thing or is there a specific/ different net used for prawns?

[Cormdogg]

Im fairly sure they're prawns, I compared them to pics in a book, they have that distinctive serrated ridge on top of their heads. My pot is advertised as crayfish/prawn pot but its not legit to trap crayfish in this country. Theyre on ebay for £6, I was using a little circular crab net (like a drop net) too I got for £4 online, that yielded one prawn! Eyes my apologies, I recognized you from the site, I meant to introduce myself but I was 2 hours late for dinner and when I collecting my bucket I had a hook clenched in my teeth hence the babbling! We must organise a mini-off in the locality! How did you get on? Lots of whiting Im guessing?

[Aaron Murphy]

was out in howth yesterday fishing for conger between the rocks on the east pier, prawns, lobsters and crabs kept harassing my bait no conger

[ian 123]

We should invest in one of those pots aaron

[bbfishy]

I also got the so called Multi-catch Deluxe cylinder trap for Shellfish and Baitfish from ebay a while back - I got a document with hints and tips with it - (only caught buckets of green crabs so far)

Included is:

Set up
Location and seasons
Baits
Setting and hauling the traps
Care of your traps and Environment
CRAYFISH and EELS
Modifications
COOKING TIPS

Let me know if anyone wants it and I'll try to attach as a word doc - failing that I'll paste the contents here.

[Cormdogg]

Gang Member Hits Pay Dirt on Wicklow Pier! Boh!

[Cormdogg]

bbfishy Id love to see that, could you scan that?