Southend pier 5th May

Guest

Im catching the 9.30 train up the pier tommorow, if anyone wants to join me.

Guest

Not to bad of a day plenty of bites 14 bass and 2 codling between 2 of us.
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Member Joined: May 06, 2007 Posts: 21

where do you collect your crabs from, i get mine from eastbeach only softies, couldn't find peeler.ive just started fishing, been about 3 times now on the pier ( 3rd shelter and have only caught 1 schoolie on each visit )

Guest

mads wrote:

where do you collect your crabs from, i get mine from eastbeach only softies, couldn't find peeler.ive just started fishing, been about 3 times now on the pier ( 3rd shelter and have only caught 1 schoolie on each visit )

Softies are the best bait.

Member Joined: May 06, 2007 Posts: 21

ive only managed to find about 10 softies at a time, some are to small to collect.where is the best place to get these from.

Guest

mads wrote:

ive only managed to find about 10 softies at a time, some are to small to collect.where is the best place to get these from.

Get to know your crabbing venue well and check it out regularly through a range of tides; crabs peel when the weather and tides suit and you will often find you go one day and get 2 or 3 and the next day you get 50. You can also help yourself by remembering what crabs need in order to peel.

1) The right water tempreture.

2) Cover, particularly as they are more vunerable to predators at the peeling / softy stage.

3) Room / space to peel - if you've ever seen a crab peel you'll know how much of an exertion it is for them. They need a certain amount of space to carry out the exercise so look for an area that allows them to remain in cover but still have enough space to peel.

4) Air / warmth - once a crab has peeled it needs to harden it's shell and it does this by cutting off most of the blood supply and allowing the shell to "set". Warm air is the quickest way to do this, so look for areas that are exposed to sunlight over the low tide, assuming there is sufficient cover you should get better returns in those areas.

5) Water - look for hideouts which remain damp or have pools of water - crabs simply can't live without it. They have a very delicate balance to get right over the peeling proccess; they need to dry out their shell but mustn't dehydrate too far as like us they can die. Incidentially, they also need water to breath even on dry land. They don't breath direct from the air as we do but through gills; the water on their gills absorbes oxygen from the atmosphere and the crab then filters the air from the water in much the same way as they would if the tide was up.

Adjust your searching technique to the weather - if its hot and humid you'll often find a lot more crabs, particularly softies in thick weed than you will rocks. Rock hideouts are restrictive and the crabs normally have to break cover to peel. If the weather is wet and/or cold then look under the rocks more as this will protect them from the rain / cold weather, both of which peelers aren't too keen on.

Also, don't be afraid to look high up the shoreline as long as the required ingredients for a successful peel are there the crabs will probably be there - and if you are looking for softys in particular, get to your spot early and follow the tide out - that way the crabs you find will have had little time to harden their shells and you'll get a higher number of the jellies that rocket talks about. Alternatively, keep your peelers in a tank and freeze them down as they peel.

Guest

blakdog wrote:

mads wrote:

ive only managed to find about 10 softies at a time, some are to small to collect.where is the best place to get these from.

Get to know your crabbing venue well and check it out regularly through a range of tides; crabs peel when the weather and tides suit and you will often find you go one day and get 2 or 3 and the next day you get 50. You can also help yourself by remembering what crabs need in order to peel.

1) The right water tempreture.

2) Cover, particularly as they are more vunerable to predators at the peeling / softy stage.

3) Room / space to peel - if you've ever seen a crab peel you'll know how much of an exertion it is for them. They need a certain amount of space to carry out the exercise so look for an area that allows them to remain in cover but still have enough space to peel.

4) Air / warmth - once a crab has peeled it needs to harden it's shell and it does this by cutting off most of the blood supply and allowing the shell to "set". Warm air is the quickest way to do this, so look for areas that are exposed to sunlight over the low tide, assuming there is sufficient cover you should get better returns in those areas.

5) Water - look for hideouts which remain damp or have pools of water - crabs simply can't live without it. They have a very delicate balance to get right over the peeling proccess; they need to dry out their shell but mustn't dehydrate too far as like us they can die. Incidentially, they also need water to breath even on dry land. They don't breath direct from the air as we do but through gills; the water on their gills absorbes oxygen from the atmosphere and the crab then filters the air from the water in much the same way as they would if the tide was up.

Adjust your searching technique to the weather - if its hot and humid you'll often find a lot more crabs, particularly softies in thick weed than you will rocks. Rock hideouts are restrictive and the crabs normally have to break cover to peel. If the weather is wet and/or cold then look under the rocks more as this will protect them from the rain / cold weather, both of which peelers aren't too keen on.

Also, don't be afraid to look high up the shoreline as long as the required ingredients for a successful peel are there the crabs will probably be there - and if you are looking for softys in particular, get to your spot early and follow the tide out - that way the crabs you find will have had little time to harden their shells and you'll get a higher number of the jellies that rocket talks about. Alternatively, keep your peelers in a tank and freeze them down as they peel.

Cheers blackdog for the info, im not 1 for writing 2 much tougue

Member Joined: May 06, 2007 Posts: 21

ok thanks. but what is the best beach to collect from

Guest

mads wrote:

ok thanks. but what is the best beach to collect from

If you live near Southend or Canvey? The breakaways between Chalkwall and Westcliff Casino but its a free for all when the tide goes out, but give it another 3 to 4 weeks and just opposite the cafes on the seafront at Westcliff there is a old path that leads out to the middle of the Thames stop about 500 yards, and you will sea some mussle and clam beds that are covered in seaweed, if you have a rake carefully remove the top layer of weed and you will find plenty of Peelers and Sort crabs.
Alternatively you can go down to the point at canvey and search under the rocks along the edge of the sand and mud.

Member Joined: May 06, 2007 Posts: 21

ok thanks will give it a go with my daughter. i'd like to dig my own rag worm aswell. would i be looking in the same place.

Guest

mads wrote:

ok thanks will give it a go with my daughter. i'd like to dig my own rag worm aswell. would i be looking in the same place.

The best place for rag is to the shoebury side of the pier as in 30 feet left of the pier, and about 1/3 mile up, you will come across some rough ground with old broken cockle shells mixed into the mud, when you walking the area you will see small holes that spurt water out when you tred close to them, start digging on the hole and follow the cast , but be quick they are fast movers.

Member Joined: May 06, 2007 Posts: 21

ive never done bait digging before but will give it a go thanks, do u mean where the gas work pier is and the beach bar

Guest

mads wrote:

ive never done bait digging before but will give it a go thanks, do u mean where the gas work pier is and the beach bar

No right next to the pier as in 30 feet away, one thing i didnt say make sure you use the lightest fork possible.

Member Joined: May 06, 2007 Posts: 21

ok thanks i'l give it a go. are there any other place's down that stretch of beach. also with your knowledge whats the best time before high tide to fish 3rd shelter as thats where i have started to fish. ive been going about an hour before and finish 2 hours after. hoping to go this week sometime or next monday

Guest

mads wrote:

ok thanks i'l give it a go. are there any other place's down that stretch of beach. also with your knowledge whats the best time before high tide to fish 3rd shelter as thats where i have started to fish. ive been going about an hour before and finish 2 hours after. hoping to go this week sometime or next monday

As close to where the new train station is, but give it 2 or 3 weeks and the Mackerel and Garfish should be plentyful, but the bigger tides are better and normally it only fishes the 1st 3 hours of the ebb, otherwise you might just be wasting your time fishing the stem until June.