The Yorke Peninsula's warm, shallow gulf flats are blue swimmer crab heaven. Here is how to rake, net and (legally) catch a feed, even if you have never done it before.
If there is one quintessential Yorke Peninsula activity, it is crabbing. On a warm low tide, whole families wade out across the shallow gulf flats with rakes and nets, hunting the blue swimmer crab, a sweet, delicate crustacean that has fed peninsula holidaymakers for generations.
When and where to go
The season runs through the warmer months, roughly November to April, when the crabs move into the shallows. The classic spots are the broad tidal flats of the upper east coast, Tiddy Widdy Beach near Ardrossan chief among them, along with the calm bays around Port Vincent and Stansbury. Time your outing for a low tide, ideally on a still, sunny day when the water is clear and warm.
How to catch them
There are two methods. Raking is the social favourite: wade slowly through knee-deep water, dragging a crab rake through the seagrass and sand until you feel the resistance of a crab, then scoop it up with a net. Drop nets baited with fish frames work from a jetty or boat in slightly deeper water.
Wear old sandshoes against the crabs' nippers and the odd stingray, and shuffle your feet as you go.
Know the rules
South Australia has strict size and bag limits to protect the fishery, and you must return undersized crabs and egg-bearing females. Carry a gauge, check the current limits before you go, and only take what you'll eat. Do it right and a couple of hours on the flats becomes one of the great simple pleasures of a Yorke summer.
