Catching a feed of big freshwater crayfish

I caught and kept my daily bag limit of legal crayfish for the first time this season. I love crayfishing for many reasons, and am happy to release the crayfish that I catch, but once or twice a season I do like to keep a couple for a feed too.
Murray freshwater crayfish are an absolute delicacy on the plate, simply mouth watering.
Due to their potential to overharvest, there is a strict size and bag limit in place to ensure sustainability of this amazing species. At the time of publishing this video (July 2022) that bag limit is 2 crayfish per person per day, with a carapace length of 10-12cm. Anything over or under that needs to be returned, and any crayfish with eggs, no matter what size also must be returned.
This was a great crayfishing session. I caught crayfish of all sizes, too small, too big and two legal sized Murray crayfish which I kept for the pot.
Filmed with: amzn.to/3BhqB50
Victorian Fisheries rules: vfa.vic.gov.au...
My cramp-ons: amzn.to/3QJnLuZ

[@scoremat]

And I will just add that your "undersized" crays would be some of the largest I've ever seen over here in the states! Bloody hell, they are just friggin awesome!!

[@ShaneAusinka6]

Great Sess....those Bogs are the Bomb.....enjoyed your vid with my wife chuckling over your singing skills .....HAP HAP HAPPY

[@robbiefishing]

Haha thanks so much Shane. It makes me happy knowing that I made someone smile.

[@TheGreatoutdoorsAndGourmetVic]

Not a DEAD loss!

[@blainesellars1548]

Awesome session Robbie great fun and a feed! Nice 👍🏻

[@robbiefishing]

Thanks mate. They were so good to eat. Haha

[@Metro33fan]

Awesome wish I lived near the Murray river so I could get some crayfish once again another awesome video keep up the great work👍

[@robbiefishing]

Thanks mate. I love where I live.

[@ravenfeader]

Loved it , and a couple for the pot too boot .

[@robbiefishing]

Thanks mate. It was great to keep a feed to remind me how nice they are.

[@julianigoe1291]

That video was Cray Cray 🤣🤣 Great video Robbie 🍻👍

[@robbiefishing]

Haha thanks for watching mate.

[@GosperTYVS]

Love your work Robbie and your conservation of stock masters !!! 🔥🔥🔥😎👍🏼🫵🏼👌🏼

[@robbiefishing]

Thank you so much David.

[@jakerubino3233]

Ol T-Rex the crayfish eh 😂

[@robbiefishing]

Haha yep.

[@t_cadventure9561]

Theory to why you couldn't catch anything on that bend that looked good for crayfish: There might be a sizeable Murray cod living under that snag which is either eating all the crays in its territory or scaring them away. Would be interesting when the cod season opens up if you try that spot.

[@robbiefishing]

Very possible mate. A few people have suggested that.

[@eckk7405]

Lol that big cray with little claws cracked me up👏

[@robbiefishing]

Jo Bugner. Haha I felt very short changed. Hahaha

[@thuan888x]

what a monster great feed robbie love watching your videos

[@robbiefishing]

Thank you so much mate.

[@Urbanfisho]

Crayalicious!

[@matthewmcclure5218]

Upgraded those pots mate 👍

[@moomoo9611]

“It’s heavy, it’s heavy ….. there’s nothing in it”🤣🤣 Another enjoyable vid Thanks for sharing Love your work Healthy habits

[@robbiefishing]

Haha I am an absolute shocker for that. LOL Gee I love crayfishing. Even if I do make myself look a little bit silly. Haha

[@akmalfishhunter]

Awesome wish I lived near the Murray river so I could get some crayfish once again another awesome video keep up the great work

[@scoremat]

Question about the crayfish in Australia... here in the US they are often in almost any creek or pond... in Australia are they only in The Murray River?

[@AussieBushLawyer]

@@scoremat there's heaps of different species but this particular one is only in/close to the murry

[@Lightning-zd2qm]

Nice one! Good cray gag too 😂

[@robbiefishing]

Haha thanks mate.

[@peteryoung4301]

😋stop it mate🤣crunchy bread butter and malt vinagar and pepper just one legend 😉🇦🇺

[@robbiefishing]

Hahaha sorry about that. They were so good. LOL

[@RKJFishing]

Moving spots was a great choice mate! Congrats on your feed I hope they were nice

[@robbiefishing]

Thanks buddy.

[@michalesinclair5274]

Great video Robbie

[@robbiefishing]

Thanks Mic. 👍

[@Vincentdonnelly5158]

Hi Robbie i put a big mac into my net and caught the biggest crayfish ever then i woke up and it was just a dream. Great video keep up the great work.

[@robbiefishing]

Haha thanks Vincent. I'm glad you said it was a dream because I was thinking "What a waste of a big mac". LOL 😆

[@FishingandhuntingwithAndy]

Good stuff Robbie! Enjoy those little beauty’s 🤙🏻

[@robbiefishing]

Thanks mate, I sure did enjoy them. They were beautiful.

[@Paintcan11]

You should have put the CrampOn in your cray net and pulled it in to be silly “oh there it is” 😂

[@robbiefishing]

Hahahaha That would have been funny. LOL

[@scoremat]

Yo Robbie! Some dudes in Idaho USA called Crayster make some metal traps that would solve your bank-tipping issue. Not sure of the legality in your area but they are absolutely top notch construction... a little pricey but Wirth every penny. Thanks for the videos mate, I love your enthusiasm for monster crays! Come out to America and we'll take you out for some of our crays... happy fishing!

[@robbiefishing]

Thank you so much for your amazing offer. I dream of catching crawdads in the states some day. And thanks for the heads up on Craystar. I will look them up.

[@scoremat]

@@robbiefishing those guys are the kings of US crayfishing they've got a lot of really great and enthusiastic videos. Out here in the states the crawdads are much smaller but in many areas there are little to no limits. Out here in Colorado east of the divide, unlimited crayfishing all season long! It's a lot of fun, you'd love it! Sometimes we end up with 10kg+ and they're delicious! In the late 90s I spent a year in Oz, I spent some time on The Murray (I remember Buzza The Bunyip! Don't muck up The Murray) and in Mildura... I really loved it out there. I fished a little bit off of a houseboat but had no idea about the freshwater crays. I love your adventures, you've inspired me this spring maybe I'll make a crawdad video from Colorado

[@calzydownunder3497]

My dad used to catch-em in the Goulburn River when l was a kid, 'a long time ago' they sure were yummy

[@tubby5006]

Great video Robbie! Off to the shop for some nets, after watching this. 😋

[@robbiefishing]

Haha thanks Tubby. Crayfishing is definitely my favourite thing to do in winter. LOL

[@nataliebartlett1374]

Great vid Ribbie keep it up Lovely cray

[@robbiefishing]

Thank you so much Natalie.

[@TeamTibbett]

There is probably a big cod sitting under that log scaring the crays away.

[@robbiefishing]

Haha I reckon you might be right mate.

[@SteveggStevegg]

Gday Robbie l reckon Clamp-ons should throw you a free new pair for the amount of plugs you give them on your channel. Well done.

[@robbiefishing]

Haha thanks mate. There are so many brands of them that I don't w en know which brand I use. LOL

[@02bigkev]

Excellent crabs,great vid as always

[@robbiefishing]

Thanks mate.

[@dougheclipse1717]

A 20mm window is all the law gives on the size? That's crazy. We have tons of Cray's here (southern US) but they are nowhere close to the size of these bad boys. Wow what some units!

[@robbiefishing]

Yep, that's all we get mate. But being such a slow grower they spend a lot of time in the vulnerable size.

[@craigparry5648]

That's a great looking bend, there maybe a Cray chomping cod under the snag?

[@robbiefishing]

Quite possibly mate. There has to be some reason that I never catch anything there

[@imanonce22]

Nice One Robbie! 👍

[@robbiefishing]

Thanks so much mate.

[@clayvanharen2488]

Death, Taxes and another impatient check from the king 👑

[@robbiefishing]

Hahahaha I just can't help myself. LOL

[@TazzzieAdventures]

Some great Crayfish Rob. You listened to your instincts to help you get some sweet but what are you listening to when you keep putting a net in where you don't catch any 🙂? ATB Brad

[@robbiefishing]

Thanks Brad, very good question. I think I'm listning to my heart when I caught the crays and listning to me my brain at the other spot.

[@qwilfish66]

Gotta do the impatient check 🤣

[@robbiefishing]

Haha every time. 🤣

[@Brad_hj2tuff]

I make my own cray nets out of old bike rims and rabbit nets. Works a treat an cost next to nothing to make and never break

[@robbiefishing]

That's awesome mate. Thays exactly what we use to do when I was a kid. A bike rim and a ferret net.

[@CamBill_ROBLOX]

Cool 👍👍👍👍👍 waiting at airport for delayed flights home catch up on a few videos while waiting

[@robbiefishing]

Thanks for tuning in Cam. I hope you didn't have to wait for too long mate.

[@MBhunter-2135]

Never heard of craying off the bank.

[@MBhunter-2135]

How can I upload photos on here? I want to show off some pics of this season, lol. The river is about 6ft up in Shepparton, so no more crayfishing ☹️

[@andrewsoutdoors1802]

Im going to buy you a backpack so you can put everything in and not forget anything 😂

[@robbiefishing]

Hahahaha Then I will forget the backpack. LOL I'm a shocker. 🤣🤣

[@doogssmee9742]

Ahhhhh the old clampon is not a clingon trick

[@robbiefishing]

Hahahaha

[@chasestevens4599]

Awesome job mate they look pretty yummy to me just wondering what gum boots do you were

[@robbiefishing]

Thanks mate. If you check out my videos, I made a video about 6 weeks ago comparing "Gumboots vs bogs".

[@user-bt9te2uu9k]

Love your videos Robbie! Im new to the Wangaratta area, and wondering if you could give us some advise on where the hotspots are mate? Both for yabbie hunting and crays, ive got so many questions, anywhere from what is your go to bait? To where and what nets you use for yabbies and crays, any helo would be great, closer central to wang the better/along on the ovens, but dont mind travelling abit. Cheers in advance mate

[@robbiefishing]

Hi mate, crayfishing season is currently closed. You can still target yabbies though. It would be a good idea to get a hold of the Victorian Fishing Guide to make sure you are up to speed with the correct net dimensions, seasons etc... As for the right nets, check out the videos in my yabbying playlist and you can see all of the different nets that I use and decide for yourself which ones you think will be the most effective for you.

[@user-bt9te2uu9k]

@@robbiefishing thanks for the response mate, I'd be leaning towards the open or little shrimp nets to replace the opera house. Where would you send me for a good spot near or in Wangaratta for Cray's when we get in season ? And some good spots for yabbies and a couple of flicks with the rods ? As there isn't much access to the ovens

[@kbc163]

I'm in bayou country in the US and those crawfish would be considered fatties here. 😄 I think I'll wreck a few pounds of boiled ones this weekend. 👍

[@robbiefishing]

That's so awesome. I would love to catch American crawfish some day.

[@adamheazlett1179]

Most yabbies live near the banks or in them.

[@allanotoole3304]

Hi Robbie I’ve never had a feed of crayfish 🤔Is the taste similar to crab.

[@robbiefishing]

Hi Allan, it is similar mate. They are absolutely beautiful to eat.

[@trevorbennetts1967]

Good session mate, some lovely crays there. Having never tried freshwater cray fishing, would night time improve your chances of the bigger crays ? The larger ones may venture out under the cover of darkness. Just a thought. (Might be time to dump the crampons and put on a pair of your old studded, lace up footy boots 🤣) Enjoy your videos 👍 Cheers.

[@robbiefishing]

Thanks mate. Footy boots would be ideal. So would baseball cleets. LOL Night time can be a great time to catch crays, but I don't know that it is better than day time. Maybe in clear water night time might be better.

[@mickgatz214]

Hey YOU! They are huge! Tell me, what is the avg. life of a fw cray? I mean, I believe they can actually grow to the size of a lobster! Also, I never realised they had the 'Over Size' rule, but I reckon that's good thing to protect them. Oh well, I really appreciate your 'catch and release' vidz. Well, China sanctioning the W.A Rock Lobsters is a bonus for the Aussies, but not so for the fisherman hard at work. At least the average Aussie can afford them now. :) Hey, why don't you do a catch/relaease with Rock Lobster as the main menu?. 😂(suggestion)

[@robbiefishing]

Thanks so much mate. I've never caught a rock lobster but I now have the B52's music stuck in my head. LOL I'm not sure of the average life expectancy sorry. I believe it takes 9 to 10 years for them to reach minimum legal size. They are very slow growing.

[@barretthompson4755]

big fan of the channel!! are you allowed to eat them???

[@robbiefishing]

Thanks mate. Yes you can keep 2 per day as I did in this video

[@michaelhayes1068]

Good day rob I was sitting in the dental surgery feeling sorry for myself and I got my notification that robbie has posted... and after the dentist had open my skull with a jack hammer I ran to the car and BAM...excellent stuff mate.. Do you have a preferred way to cook these beasties ?... Thanks so much rob all the best mate 😎🇬🇧

[@robbiefishing]

Thanks mate. LOL I hate having to go to the dentist. They scare me. Dentists scare me more than snakes do. I hope all is OK mate.

[@capitainecitron926]

En France on utilise une perche en bois

[@beckyrobinson5672]

I'm happy for you. How many can you take a day? I love youns video. Take care and God bless.

[@robbiefishing]

Thank you so much Becky. You can keep 2 per day in season and within the slot limit.

[@nathan-Jamesmaynard]

Treat day not cheat day 😊

[@robbiefishing]

Haha I think so too mate.

[@T.J-and-Soul]

Gotta risk it for the biscuit

[@robbiefishing]

Haha very true

[@qwilfish66]

You need a second little kit with hose ties and always keep it in your glove box

[@robbiefishing]

Excellent idea mate.

[@paulreeves5561]

Nice crays Robbie where do you go craying I only caught the same amount this season as you did in this video, weird story I was,fishing today and was casting a lure and thought I had my first lure fish well it sorta was it was a headless gutless carp next to a snag.

[@robbiefishing]

Hahaha you caught a dead fish. LOL That takes skill mate. I was in the Ovens River in this video mate.

[@myxrutefalcon269]

Brilliant 👏 catch mate. I recently had very good results recently using some chicken stock cube in a stocking stuffed in in the chook carcases. Give it a go nothing to lose..

[@robbiefishing]

Thanks mate, what a fantastic idea to make the bait smelly.

[@myxrutefalcon269]

Good luck. Maybe 1 day we'll get a chance to wet a line 2gether 👍

[@joelvivian5581]

Awesome mate, crays and chips! Kurt cobain would approve of you better crays lol

[@robbiefishing]

Hahahaha Twrritorial crayfishings. LOL

[@joelvivian5581]

@@robbiefishing 🤣🤣

[@debramage739]

Great session Robbie, why can't you keep the oversize? Thanks Deb 😊

[@robbiefishing]

Thanks Deb. The big ones are protected by law be ause they are the best breeders.

[@marktaylor524]

Jealous much lol, well done mate

[@robbiefishing]

LOL Mark, in the words of Maxwell Smart "Sorry about that chief". Haha

[@karenself1362]

Yeah good catch

[@LookingForEntertainment112]

Time for a Crayfish catch and cook! Particularly enjoyed the "What if ACDC did a cover of Nirvana's Territorial P*ssings."

[@robbiefishing]

Hahahaha How epic was nevermind when it was released.

[@LookingForEntertainment112]

@@robbiefishing Very...it's still epic today!

[@AnglerEmpang]

keren👍👍👍👍

[@harpfishing3575]

Lovely vid next time or in a future season would you do a catch and cook again

[@robbiefishing]

Thanks mate, I will do my best.

[@Knee-ko]

Scam Alert !!!!! if ever there is a video posted on this channel where someone calling themselves 'Robbie' checks a net at the exact time they promised (and not earlier) - you know that means the real Robbie has been hacked. 🤣🤣 (Love your style Bro 👍👍)

[@robbiefishing]

Hahaha so true. Thanks mate. I often use trail cameras to capture wildlife footage. I can never leave then in as long as I should either. Haha I'm a shocker.

[@alexfrancis2766]

What are cracker of a crayfish Robbie well done keep up the good work mate

[@robbiefishing]

Thank you so much Alex.

[@billymay6461]

There’s probably a massive cod that lives there and eats all the Crays that go anywhere near that log

[@robbiefishing]

Haha quite possibly mate.

[@mtfishingshooting4808]

The plastic tabs always used to break holding the rigs together I go sick of fixing them so I just welded them together never had a problem now.

[@robbiefishing]

Haha excellent idea. The only issue now though is that they won't have a week spot. Sometimes thst tab breaking means you get your net back, even though it is damaged.

[@mtfishingshooting4808]

@@robbiefishing I’m using them more in channels so they only get caught on a rock every now and then just pull a little more and you sometimes end up with a rock in it that’s about it.

[@bouncerslabrealnature9143]

Oversized 🤔❓ Eating size in these parts. 😎

[@robbiefishing]

They are great eating size, but they are also the big breeder that will ensure plenty of crayfish for years to come. We have slot limits on some of out fish and crustacean species and they work very well.

[@nathansoutbackfishing]

Can you do a crayfish catch n cook.

[@robbiefishing]

Hey legend, I've filmed a couple in the past but if I catch a couple more legals this season I will see what I can do.

[@nathansoutbackfishing]

@@robbiefishing woo hoo

[@scott5456]

Overheard as two vultures sat in a tree - "Patience my ass, I'm going to kill something." Ever have to concern yourself with Crocs? Here it's generally mosquitoes.

[@robbiefishing]

Haha No mate, no crocs down this far south. They're all up in the tropical part of Australia.... Thankfully. LOL

[@scott5456]

@@robbiefishing that's a good thing. 😎 Love the videos. 👍✌️

[@adamheazlett1179]

Is what is,Thanks so much,24/7 .Come on we live in Australia how about it Robbo Bit hard to add an A Robba not good

[@robbiefishing]

I'm not sure what your saying sorry.

[@goldpotato1885]

are crays just freshwater lobsters?

[@robbiefishing]

Pretty much mate. 👍

[@haza7486]

Persistence pays Robbie

[@robbiefishing]

It sure does mate.

[@mickrobinson7429]

get a tinny mate and spread your nets out, cover more river. ( just a thought) PS. tell me to piss off if you want I can take it.

[@robbiefishing]

Haha thanks Mick. A tinny would definitely be a big advantage.

[@Jackson24-j4f]

hey rob oh am i aloud to call you rob anyway I'd realy like to go fishing with you just give us a shoutout im a 12 year old using my mums profile