Blue swimmer crabs are a Yorke institution. Here is where, when and how to catch a feed.
Few things say summer on the Yorke Peninsula quite like a bucket of blue swimmer crabs and a pot on the boil. The peninsula's shallow, seagrass-fringed gulf coasts are prime crabbing country, and a feed is well within reach of anyone willing to get their feet wet.
The east coast is the classic ground. Coobowie's sheltered bay is about as good as it gets, ideal for families raking the shallows or dropping nets off the jetty. Edithburgh, Sultana Point and the broad flats around them all produce well, and the calm water makes for easy, safe crabbing.
Over on the Copper Coast, the shallow bays at Moonta Bay, Port Hughes and Wallaroo are reliable too, especially for those working from a boat over the seagrass.
Timing matters. Crabs move into the shallows on the warmer days of summer, and a rising tide on a still afternoon is the sweet spot. You can rake them by hand in knee-deep water, scoop them with a dip net, or set drop nets from a jetty.
Before you head out, check the current South Australian recreational fishing rules for size and bag limits, which are there to keep the fishery healthy for the next generation of crabbers. Then find a quiet bay, wait for the tide, and get raking.
