Remedial Crabbing: How to set and pull rings.

[Old Coot]

"How to set and pull crab rings?" What, somebody's going to say that there is a technique to tossing out a ring and pulling on a rope?

Yup.

I saw it again yesterday. This time it was a family in a $25,000 dollar Bayliner and a man and boy in a drift boat. Both parties were crabbing with rings and having no results other than the odd 3-incher. The drift boat was bringing in a few more sub-legals than the Bayliner. But both boats were wondering why everyone around them was boating legals and they weren't getting much of anything.

The Bayliner people would bait a ring and then hurl it out twenty or thirty feet away from the boat. The boy in the drift boat was dropping his rings straight over the side. That is one reason why the drift boat was landing a few more crabs than the other.

Look at a crab ring for a moment and consider how it works. The top hoop is usually significantly larger than the bottom hoop. Rings are designed so that when you pull the ring off the bottom of the bay, the top hoop lifts first raising a funnel-shaped wall of netting that surrounds and captures the crabs feeding on the bait. But the system doesn't work very well if the ring is just thrown out and left to sink to the bottom any which way.

Ideally, when looked at from straight above, a working ring's top and bottom hoops should form a pair of concentric circles. The ring needs to be lowered straight down to land this way. If, instead, the top hoop is way off center and the side netting is lying across the bait when you start to pull, as the netting rises and tightens to form the funnel wall it will just flip most of the crabs out of the ring.

Set your rings with care to increase your catch.

There are effective and ineffective ways to pull rings, too. Yesterday the Bayliner people were crabbing in about 15 feet of water with 50-foot ropes. They would motor up to a float, pick it up and then immediately start pulling in the rope. This had the effect of tipping the ring on its side and dragging it 30 feet across the bottom. As soon as a ring tips, many of the crabs fall out. If the puller pauses, the ring may tip forward and dump all the crabs out.

Better to pick up the float and idle forward until the slack is out of the rope, then pull the ring swiftly.

The drift boat people had the right idea, but lacked the muscle to do what was necessary. There is a lot of water resistance on a ring loaded with crab, so it is like lifting a heavy load. It can be very tiring. They would get over a ring, and start pulling. Pull, pull, pull, pause and rest, pull, pull, pull, rest. Finally, the ring would break the surface and have very few crabs in it.

If you examine a dungeness, the leg segments are flat in cross section, making them very effective swimmerets. The problem with pausing while pulling a ring is that crabs will swim up and over the side of the ring. Once you lift the ring, pull it as fast as you can.

Good crabbing!

[greenbuttskunk]

Good stuff, here's some more pointers that have helped me.

1.other tricks I like to use include a second small bouy, which I use to gauge the direction of my rope, this helpsyou approach the floats and bring in some slack before the lift, like said, it's very important to lift up, not drag across the bottom. Also, after each lift, ad some bait, so grab and mush the exisitng to release some scent.

2.Try to avoid dumping right on other pots find some new water if possible. Make sure boat is near nuetral, and drop pots vertically to avoid fouling.

3. experiment with depth, but watch the tides. Make sure you have plenty of rope, and enough bouy.

4. Remember to crab the incoming tide. Mid to late flood is best.

5. Wear good gloves and work fast. The faster you get the pot down, the fast you'll limit.

6. Enjoy the eats!

[SilverFly]

Better to pick up the float and idle forward until the slack is out of the rope, then pull the ring swiftly.




Very true.

I've found that it makes a big difference to pick up the slack line as gently as possible until you are directly over the top of the ring. Then pull straight up as quickly as you can! Crabs can be sneaky little devils!

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[Cliff]

Great tips! Do you have any more for bankbound people? Thanks!
:cheers:
Cliff

[FastAction]

here is one for the bankies, bring your own bait if crabbing off the docs, most ppl are using rotten old carcasses from the marina, try some turkey or shad or both. Might give you the edge you need~

[PATRICK 11-14]

When I leave the boat behind, I bought one of those "Crab Hawk" traps that you use on a fishing pole. I've caught many a crab with it in various places. They are around $20.00 at Joe's/Fishermans. Use at least a 7ft pole and reel capable of holding at least 40lb line. I use a couple pieces of chicken, or a nice piece of shad, squid etc. Cast out off pier, dock or jetty. Let it sit until you feal a tug-tug (as more crabs feed the tugging increases!!) Just start reeling in hard and fast and don't stop till you get it up next to you! I've had good luck at Taft in Lincoln City right off the beach, , in Newport off any of the public docks. I've also used it off the jettys at Newport, Netarts anywhere where crabs my be present! Being that its kinna light, it tends not to work as well on strong tide changes. Hopefully that will help!!! Good luck and good crab fishing :grin:

[coyotecatcher3]

I will second the crab hawk they work great. I have limited out down at astoria may times with them. The snares only work so-so at best. It is best not to use fish because seals like it and it will be a never ending battle until you are spooled that is. I also use heavy rods and put a couple of ounces of lead where the bait goes. once your rod starts to bounce I wait a couple of minutes then check it. If you are crabbing on the beach I check them every 5 to 10 minutes because the crabs don't move that much in the surf. You also have to make sure the brakers are small or that you can get out there past them.

[Soft Plastic]

When I deploy my rings I let the float and rope trail in the water as I approach the spot. When I am over the spot I call for the pot or ring to be dropped over in a vertical position. The drag of the trailing rope and float will keep the pot upright till it hits bottom. I picked up this tip at the sportsmans show a few years ago from Gene of Tackle Time Charters. Since I started doing this my catch rates are high and it cuts down on tangles. Just be sure that you keep the rope free of the prop.

Enjoy

[Cliff]

Thanks for the tips guys!


Cliff

[muddog]

great tips, here's one that might help,when throwing from a dock,pier,or bank, or trying to keep your ring straight down from a boat. We have zip-tied a homemade bean bag, sand bag to the center of the ring, not to heavy, remember you have to pull it back up. this seems to produce when the tide is moving a little to much,like mentioned earlier that ring needs to lay how it was designed,only problem we don't get to crab in a bath tub,hope this idea helps.

[mcdaib]

One thing that I've learned about crabbing over the last 50 years is: why use a crab ring at all. The traps can be bougt at Joes or Bi Mart or wherever for about the same price. They fold up nice for transport and are lighter in weight AND you don't need to worry about the crabs getting out so easily. In fact, it's darn hard for a crab to get out of a trap. That way, if you run out of steam when you're pulling it up you can rest for a minute. And if you start pulling before the rope is vertical, no big deal!

One thing to keep in mind with traps is that you need to weight the bottom. I like to use a couple of pieces of rebar or any other relatively heavy metal which I tie on the inside of the trap with wire. That way, the trap always ends up on the bottom right side up and if you are leaving them unattended with a float, the current is not as likely to carry them away.

I alway prefer chicken or turkey for bait because the seals don't mess with it and the crab think it's pretty tasty. I think shad is probably the best crab bait, but then, so do the seals, so why quibble? :shrug:

When your crabbing with a trap you only need to check it every 20-30 minutes, leaving you more time to enjoy your favorite beverage. :cheers:

[Nestookher]

If you can get it, :wink: Mink and get a few neutrias in the freezer to for some seal proof good bait. Dont know if picking up a road kill would be legal or not? deer, coon, etc.

[sandman]

I second mcdaib!I've always had the best luck with traps and those traps from bi-mart,How could you go wrong??

[Steve]

Mink Stink, not allowed on my boat any more, am trying BAITSMART. A little expensive but lasts for almost a month in the water...

[Chinookjinxd]

hahaha a nice possum or coon I use both traps and rings and I prefer to crab out of netarts. Now if you can get tuna heads WATCH OUT so full we almost couldnt lift the cage. Also good idea buy a plastic wadeing pool and put it in the front of the boat for easy sorting :cheers:

[steelhead22]

Couple more tips that I use.

1) Most of the time when you're crabbing, there's quite a few other boats around. I've lost a few pots and rings (and crabs) by my rope getting stuck in a prop while I was gone. So, now I have put a few 6 inch sections of solid core lead (like you use for fishin') spaced throughout my rope. It wraps nicely around the rope, and I kind of "weave" it in a little. Keeps my rope below everone else's props (and mine on occasion :tongue:)

2) This one is "bay specific". I've been crabbing Netarts for as long as I remember and I've always done very well at LOW TIDE. Since there's no freshwater to speak of coming into the bay, it really doesn't make a difference whether you're at high or low tide there, just as long as the current isn't rippin' you can do well. Of course, I do slightly better at high tide, but when I go at low tide I just drop my POTS and hit the sand and do some clamming. Usually, by the time I've got a limit of gapers, cockles or butters, my pots are full and I've got a nice little crab and clam feed. I don't use rings at low tide, they require more "maintenance" and I'm too busy getting my clam fritters and clam strips in order :cheers:.

[tommyt999]

First off, roadkill is not a good idea, at least not coon or deer. Pretty sure that is a no-no. Now, a nice fresh carcass seems to be tasty crab eats. Tried a bobcat once, and those two rings caught 90% of the crab on that trip.

Still hard to argue with a shad though.

Like the drop tips, thanks

[greenbuttskunk]

I like to use leaded rope, sinks well and leaves nothing on the surface to snag on props or outdrives. A little more spending than other ropes, but so worth it!

[elkman49]

The best way I get my limit is WHEN FRED'S HAS THEM ON SALE.
LOL

[ketchnrelease]

I crabbed up in the San Juans with a buddy some years ago and we tested fish carcases vs. turkey thighs for bait 3 days in a row. The turkey always attracted more crabs. They are easy to get and use and they used to be cheap. Someone must of actually started cooking and eating them because the price has gone up signifcantly - but they are still a good, readily available choice for bait.

Since it takes a while for the crabs to find their way into the traps I use both traps and rings - set the traps and pull rings while the traps sit. It keeps the day busy and I'm not so tempted to pull the traps too soon.

[ArtB]

I agree with Steelhead completely. We crab Alsea Bay almost exclusively and traps are the only way to go. Since we mostly crab on slack tides, we never felt a need to add weight. There is a big sea lion population. They will tear up anything baited with fish. We use chicken, buying it when it is on sale. Hindquarters are perfect. Otherwise we save the breast meat to barbecue (yum) and give the rest to the crabs.

[Old Coot]

Thanks for all the input, guys! I know that traps work really, really well; but I wrote this thread for those folks who don't have or fish traps.

Wish they had worked better today!

oc