Binder:
If your like me, and like to catch a few redclaw, as well as do a bit of fishing with live shrimp, I used to keep my shrimp traps in over night, cruise out and pick them up in the morning, stow them and then put my redclaw traps in for the day, pull them in, then put my shrimp pots out again overnight. Nice and simple process, get a feed of claw, and have a good bait supply for the day. The set of pots not in the water just sitting in the boat.
However the last change to the fresh water rules was a major pain in the but when they decreed you can not carry spare pots with you. So no longer can you swap your pots around.
The problem being that neither type of trap will satisfactorily do both jobs. Redclaw traps the mesh is usually to big, and the openings so big, eels and claw will take care of most of the shrimp you might get as bycatch, and shrimp traps will only catch small claw. Also big Claw tend to be in deeper water near snags, good shrimp tight against the grassy banks in a couple of foot of water.
So I have been experimenting. I have worked out a way to convert my fine mesh opera traps from redclaw pots to shrimp pots in about 20 seconds. So when you go out in the morning its simply a matter of pulling in your shrimp pots, quickly converting the trap, and moving it to the new location. Shazam, shrimp traps overnight, redclaw pots during the day, all nice and legal.
1st shot is a standard shrimp trap, fine mesh, small opening. 2nd shot is a std opera trap, course mesh large opening. 3rd shot is a fine mesh opera trap, still large opening.
Binder:
Of course the secret is to convert the opening of the fine mesh trap to a small opening quickly and easily. If you leave it a large opening many of the shrimp will leave the pot, the eels and water rats will get in to the pots, as will lots of smaller claw.
The secret? 1.25litre soft drink bottles.
1st shot is the funnel end of a 1.25 litre bottle cut off for use. 2nd shot a pair of small slots for mounting using zip ties (what else!) 3rd shot putting in zip tie, 4th & 5th shots ready to go 6th shot I tried 4 zip ties first time around 7th shot, settled on 2 ties, they do the job, and its supposed to be quick and simple.
Oh I also reckon the black fine mesh opera traps catch more claw than your standard coarse mesh green ones!
Binder:
Finished product, only require cutting or putting in 4 zip ties to convert the trap from one use to another.
Its also a lot easier to get your shrimp out of than a standard square trap!
Used them very successfully last school holidays, took the photo's while I was setting up my pots for this lot of holidays.