Cheap Crab Pots

[RIPPLE]

Interesting trap, looks like they may hold up longer and be a little easier on the boat, being plastic. It looks like I can see escape holes that one can customize for size.... I may be seeing things. As far as production, I am a firm believer in three or better yet four opening traps. With only two openings they just have less of a chance of being in the current or crabs path. This is just my speculation, but I don't think the crab will follow too far along the side of a trap to "find" an opening. other than that I would be interested to here about how they work. Just my two cents, thanks for the link.
[img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img] RIPPLE [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

[Smily]

G.I. Joes had the Danielson traps for $17.88 last week. I used 2 in Tilamook bay last saturday and Pulled out 8 legal crabs the first pull of checking the first trap. The Second produced none. That was an amazing first pull however. The rest of the day had up to 3 or 4 crabs at the most then. Must have had a hot spot on that first pull. Pulled in a Grand total of 20 Crabs. My friend also had 2 traps. He got the biggest crab I had ever seen too. His traps were like Danielson but Blue and little different design. We also went fishing and seen a few caught but none by us. But at least we didn't go home hungry. For the Money, You can't beat a Modified Danielson trap. The modifications was to weigh it down more so they don't drift a way and to weight the doors also. I added pencil lead to them like the modifeid you can buy for $5.00.

I did the same question here a while back and that's what I came up with and had been pleased with the first one I got, The second one had a seem that wasn't welded properly. Took it back and waitng for a new shipment to come in.
Happy Crabbing!!

[img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img] Smily [img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

[Threemuch]

Glad you did good. On the topic of two v. three or four door pots, I figure that those will fish faster too, but I have one two door pot that outfishes the two three door pots that I have. Go figure.

I have dove on crab pots, and the crabs would actually enter the pots to get away from me, like it was a little cave. They can move fast when they want to, so getting around to a door from a pot doesn't seem to support the three doors is better than four theory.

Anyway, I like to throw crab gear out and go fishing or diving, then pull it once at the end of the day. Spending all day pulling the gear every hour or two takes some of the fun out of it. I don't believe that people rob gear very much. I believe that most missing gear was too light, or the line was not weighted and got run over at slack tide. And no crab means you didn't catch any or they got back out. Danielsen pots just won't hold crab IMHO. Without a tunnel, they find their way out once the bait is gone. But I hate leaving $100 dollar pots in high traffic areas, like T-Bay.

Will this dog hunt? One sure fire way to find out. I will let you know.

Pilar,
Where in the regulations does it state the escape hatch/hole is required?

What dimensions are required?

Are you tellin a sea story? Ya remember how it goes. Starts out like this "Ya know on my last ship we....<fill in the blanks>.

[Threemuch]

I saw these in National Fisherman and wondered if any of you guys have used 'em.
www.oceantraps.com

Seems perfect for our crabbing. Plastic, stackable, integrated bait cage. Gotta add your own weight, but that's easy. Only drawback is no doors, but I figure with an exaggerated tunnel, it will probably keep them buggers in. Plus they are a price that will keep you from crying if you lose one or two a season. $37 bucks plus shipping! I am going to get some, and try them out, in comparison to my round rebar pots. I will keep you posted on how I do.

On another related topic, we had some damage to a couple pots overnight this weekend in T-bay, busted wire making several holes. I think it was seals or sea lions trying to get the hanging bait. These plastic jobs would probably handle that better too.

FYI I have no affiliation with this company, I am just passing on what I think might be a good idea.

[Pilar]

I wonder where the escapement holes are. Crab traps are required to have a means for escape for crabs trapped in a lost trap. This is what the large round holes are for in the traps you can buy locally.

Another question is what effect does the all plastic trap have as far as electric field goes. There wouldn't be one like on a rebar trap.

Would this dog hunt?

[Bait O' Eggs]

I dont know where it is stated, but I believe you have to have 2 escape holes per pot for the small ones, and they must be 4 inch diameter.

I didnt see it in the sport fishing regulations. [img]images/icons/confused.gif[/img] Not sure where it may be listed.

[Pitch Pocket]

Unless Oregon added it in the last couple of years, the escape holes is a Washington reg. Check the Washington regs for a long list of requirements.

[Threemuch]

Funny, I can't find anything about a 4" escape hole either.

Escape holes, and some rottin cotton. There must be an escape path for the crabs if the pot is lost. On most pots, this is accomplished by making the closure out of a piece of cotton twine, which will rot when the pot is lost and let the crabs out. Otherwise the pot fishes forever. Since crabs are cannibals, the crabs inside die from starvation, new crabs enter to eat them, and the pot fishes forever. So many sport crabbers defeat this mechanism by tie wrapping their pot shut to see if someone has been in their gear. It's not an ecological move.

Worst case, I cut out some of the mesh and tie a 4" ring with cotton twine, the way the danielson pots do it. Both regs met.

I ordered the pots today. I was wrong about price, they are 31 bucks, but almost 30 in shipping. I hope they are good, I like the idea of plastic, no potential for boat damage.

[Pitch Pocket]

Threemuch,

How much did they end up costing you with shipping?

[Threemuch]

Total bill for 3 pots was $123. Plus 2 5" floats at $1.99ea (SeaMar) 50' of 3/8 Truck rope @ $4 (home depot) and 15 pounds of used cast iron weights for the bottom @ $6 (play it again sports).

So that comes to $55 per pot.

[Threemuch]

I got the plastic crab pots and fished one of em against two of my protoco three doors. They fished about the same, which is to say, poorly. We only left em for four hours through the bottom of the tide for 9 crab. They did catch and hold crab though, at least as well as the protoco pots.

If anyone want's to check em out, let me know. I will be taking digital pics soon too. There is an escape ring on top. The best feature is the integral bait holders. Anyway, I think I like em, and I will use them for fishing the bays from now on.

[RIPPLE]

Thanks for the feedback on those Threemuch, I have been interested to see how those worked out for you.
[img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img] RIPPLE [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

[Lives_to_fish]

I think I just found one more thing to add to my Christmas list. Thanks for the head up. Anyone see why you couldn’t cut the tunnel way back and add a trap door?

[Threemuch]

I think you wouldn't cut the tunnel back and add a trap door because you don't need to, and depending on the design of your door, they might not stack anymore. The tunnel is winds up like 6" off the floor of the trap. Crabs can't jump, and don't swim well, and have trouble making a 180 degree turn. So the only way they can really get out is to climb up on top of the tunnel, and jump off, attempting to swim over and grab the bottom edge as they sink. Crabs aren't that smart. I think The tunnel is far more effective than the door in keeping the crabs in. But adding a door would be easy if you wanted to.

The pot I used held the crab well, at least for the short soak I gave it. Hopefully I will be able to hitch a ride and give them another shot this weekend and report back.

[Pitch Pocket]

Without the gate on the entrance, if you get a load of crabs, say 2 deep, the little buggers could just walk out if they wanted. I've had crabs stacked in my pots at least 6" deep many times, especially when I use to leave them through the tide while angling. Sounds like you have to tend or "short soak" these pots to be sure nothing climbs out.

[Threemuch]

Good point about the crabs stacking up. The pots have a series of holes that can be cut out at ground level that are about 3" diameter to let really small crabs out (or in, I suppose). The pot is also 30x36, so six inches of crabs would sure be a mess o' crab! Like I said, doors could be easily put on. I will probably experiment some with doors and see if they make a difference.

[Lives_to_fish]

All good points, thats for the feedback.

[Threemuch]

Fished the three plastic pots along with six round ones for four hours in Tillamook saturday. We got 45 keepers with about 2-300 throwbacks. Looks like the lack of a door isn't a problem. We didn't tend the traps, instead we fished, although we got nary a takedown. So the crab are still in T-Bay, and the plastic pots fish as well as the round ones!

They are hard to pull in though, lots of resistance in the water. I wouldn't want to use them in much more than 40', unless I had a strong teenager or two along.

[Pilar]

Hey Threemuch, are they always hard to pull or is it the sea weed?

If someone asks me about why I don't have a crab pot puller on my boat, I tell them that every passenger is a crab pot puller and I don't need to buy one. [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

[Threemuch]

Because the plastic webbing is thicker than wire, they don't pick up seaweed much, but that's what makes em hard to pull too. They feel much heavier than they are. Maybe it was all them tasty spiders. Halibut and crab in the cioppino tonight! Woo hoo!

I also just got a call from my buddy that those pots caught 32 more pinchies overnight when he pulled them the next morning. I am a happy guy.

[Pilar]

It sounds like you scored, Threemuch! Thanks for sharing.