Yabbies and Beachworms at Ettalong Area?

[Gengar]

Heading up to Ettalong beach over Easter break with the kids and wanted to try catching some yabbies and beachworms.

Never tried pumping yabbies but read on an old post here that there are yabbies near andersons boatshed but wanted to see if I will still find yabbies there? If not where would I likely find them? Also would you recommend the 24 or 30 inch size of the pump?

Tried beachworming elsewhere but never caught one so hope to crack it this time. If there are any beaches near there you would recommend please do let me know.

Of cos if any fishing spot you would recommend happy to hear them. Thanks mate!

Edited March 31, 2021 by Gengar
typo

[noelm]

Buy the long pump, your back will thank you! Nippers can be found all over the place, look for places that have flats exposed at low tide and look for lots of holes and start pumping, give each hole a couple of "sucks" at least. Beach Worms are a low tide proposition, almost every beach has them, look for fine sand, they don't like grit type of sand, get your "stink bag" on a piece of rope, an old stocking or similar is best, put in a fish frame and start waving it back and forth as the waves run back, you will see their heads pop up looking for food.....that's the easy bit!

Edited March 31, 2021 by noelm

[campr]

I and my back agree with above.  Unless your very short, the long pump is the way to go.  Ron

[Gengar]

Ok will go with the 30 inch longer one then. Thanks!

I have seen youtube videos of people catching the nippers so i think i know what they look like but just wasn't sure if they would be around that area. But from the sounds of it seems best to go at low tide when the holes are revealed.

Also do nippers keep well overnight in case I have some left over and want to use them the next day? Just keep them with some wet sand and water?

[noelm]

You need to change the water, it's best to get an extra bucket or two a sea water to refresh them now and then, but usually they are easy enough to get that keeping them is not a big deal, unless you have an early morning start and need your bait straight away.

[Gengar]

5 hours ago, noelm said:

You need to change the water, it's best to get an extra bucket or two a sea water to refresh them now and then, but usually they are easy enough to get that keeping them is not a big deal, unless you have an early morning start and need your bait straight away.

I am hoping it's that easy in which case my nipper pump won't be a wasted investment! Anyway should be a fun activity and get the kids interested as well. Thanks!

[Pickles]

You’ll have a lot of fun getting the bait - kids love it almost more than fishing (me too). I use a garden sieve (Bunnings) with pool noodle cable tied around outside to pump sand into so I don’t lose any nippers and tow it behind me on a lead. Watch the males (one single big claw as they really can give a decent nip. If you keep the water changed and don’t overload the bucket that will stay alive for a few days. Don’t be greedy and take more than you will use as they don’t freeze for reuse and that is future breeding stock and once you get onto a patch it is quite addictive. The longer the pump the better, as Campr said and don’t forget to flush it with fresh water after use as the salt / sand will chew out the rubber washer (probably get a spare to take).

worms - practice and practice - it took me many hours until the penny dropped and I could consistently get enough for a session, but great fun and great bait. My only tip is, they hate windy days and withdraw fast. Still calm days with nice even slow wave retreat at low tide (or an hour either side is best). One of my mob encouraged me “grab em by the throat boy” (pinch under the sand, not on the head).

[noelm]

Agree about pumping Nippers being fun, kids love it (and so do I) Bech Worming is equaly as much fun, but somewhat more difficult, no amount of YouTube videos and reading magazines can prepare you for actually just "doing it" . On a nice day, the kids can worm for a bit, play on the beach, worm again, paddle/swim, have a fish, all sorts of things to keep them running around.

[Pickles]

With you on the “but somewhat more difficult” Noelm

[Rebel]

Umina beach in front of the caravan park.

[Gengar]

Thanks for all the advice! Its been a busy easter so far but looking forward to trip next week!

@DerekD you are an absolute legend for taking the time (and patience!) to show how to do yabby pumping last week and more importantly sharing your experience and learnings like pump maintenance and how to tell the male vs female so we can put all the females back! We are confident we can get some nippers up in central coast next week!

PS finally landed a fish on the nipper! A good 42cm flatty from the lane cove river!

 

[Rebel]

Great report. Well done.

If you go to Umina beach, it is better at low tide.

Cheers.

[seasponge]

I have found nippers in the area marked yellow. Across the flats between the yellow and Andersons, i have only ever found soldiers crabs. Not sure how harmoniously nippers live with soldier crabs, but i've never found both in the same area. I tried fishing with live soldiers for bait but very limited success. I think they just kept burying themselves into the sand.  

[Gengar]

12 hours ago, Rebel said:

Great report. Well done.

If you go to Umina beach, it is better at low tide.

Cheers.

Thanks mate! Low tide at Umina beach for nippers?

[Gengar]

4 hours ago, seasponge said:

I have found nippers in the area marked yellow. Across the flats between the yellow and Andersons, i have only ever found soldiers crabs. Not sure how harmoniously nippers live with soldier crabs, but i've never found both in the same area. I tried fishing with live soldiers for bait but very limited success. I think they just kept burying themselves into the sand.  

Hi mate, I was literally looking at that exact spot as other raiders have suggested that area and was going to work my way from the anderson's boatshed to Mareela Ave so you have saved me probably hours of wading through soldier crabs! I planned on going at low tide but read on another post that i should go just after high tide so those flats are really up high. At what time do you get the nippers in the yellow circle?

[Gengar]

On 4/1/2021 at 6:53 AM, noelm said:

Agree about pumping Nippers being fun, kids love it (and so do I) Bech Worming is equaly as much fun, but somewhat more difficult, no amount of YouTube videos and reading magazines can prepare you for actually just "doing it" . On a nice day, the kids can worm for a bit, play on the beach, worm again, paddle/swim, have a fish, all sorts of things to keep them running around.

I have half given up on beachworms.......tried a few times with my stinkbag and managed to actually find some beachworms once but they were really small and couldnt catch any either with the special worm pliers or fingers.

[rickmarlin62]

For worms go to ocean beaches not the ones inside broken bay

[Rebel]

@GengarLow tide. 

Edited April 7, 2021 by Rebel

[Gengar]

2 hours ago, Rebel said:

@GengarLow tide. Also after high tide at Mareela Ave.

Mate do you mean yabbying pumping should generally be at low tide but at Mareela I should only go after high tide?

[Rebel]

Sorry, I meant Pipis. Live worms at the Woy Woy bait shop.

Cheers.

Edited April 7, 2021 by Rebel

[Volitan]

Whereabouts in Woy Woy is the bait shop ?

[Rebel]

Shop 2 Bayside Arcade on the BLV. Woy Woy.

Haven't been there for a while. Could have closed

 

Edited April 9, 2021 by Rebel

[DerekD]

On 4/6/2021 at 9:50 AM, Gengar said:

Thanks for all the advice! Its been a busy easter so far but looking forward to trip next week!

@DerekD you are an absolute legend for taking the time (and patience!) to show how to do yabby pumping last week and more importantly sharing your experience and learnings like pump maintenance and how to tell the male vs female so we can put all the females back! We are confident we can get some nippers up in central coast next week! 

Hi Gengar,

It was a pleasure catching up with you and your family. Also nice to see that the little tips and tricks that are picked up over several decades of pumping yabbies get passed on to another generation.

Looking forward to see how you went with the pumping while on holidays.

Regards,

Derek

[Gengar]

Happy to report that we manage to pump yabbies at the flats at Ettalong (to the right of anderson boatshed). There were a ton of solder crabs but we managed to find the yabbies after venturing further out at low tide.

The kids also found these semi-translucent worm like thing which we weren't sure what they were. We tried putting these worms on hooks but they fell off pretty easily. Anyone know what they are?

Anyway we got the yabbies at low tide and the next day high tide (around 10am) we went out to Ettalong beach at about 8am and went for a flick. The yabbies surely dont last long on the hooks but we managed a massive whiting at 43cm along with about 4 other whitings, flounder and couple of blue swimmers by catch. We left at about 11am.

We did exactly the same thing the next day (ie pump yabbies the day before) and went for a morning fishing session at exactly the same place and other than a couple of small breams we got nothing. Guess thats fishing for you!

We also went for a fish off ettalong wharf and got a small whiting in the evening but it was very windy and seemed to be a bit snaggy. We also went over to booker bay wharf but that place is tiny and there was already three persons fishing there.

Would have wanted to venture out to a few other places to wet a line but unfortunately didn't have time. Anyway thanks for all the advice from all which ensured it was a enjoyable and memorable trip!

[XD351]

I’m no marine biologist but they look more like some sort of sea slug because of the flattened shape and frilly edges .

Ripper Whiting !