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I pulled out my crab pots this weekend and did a tune up on them, new bait cages, new bungies on the doors, inspected ropes.... etc......
I was installing some floats on a new rope when I got to thinking about all the crab pot floats I see that are installed backwards when crabbing. The pointed end of the float works best when installed pointing towards the pot.
I see floats installed backwards that when the current starts to rip, the big flat end of the float gets sucked under the water. Kind of like anchoring a boat by the stern
I also see floats where the owner has ran the rope thru the float and then brought the tail back around and tied it to the mainline, putting the float sideways.
You will have better luck finding your float on top of the water if you run the rope from the pot thru the small end of the float first and then tie a knot behind the float on the big flat side. Seems pretty simple, but I see a lot of floats on backwards/sideways when I am on the bay.
If the float stays on top of the water, you may keep somebody from running over the float with their boat cutting the rope in their prop.
Some pencil lead in the rope about 1/2 way down helps keep the excess rope from floating and getting in a prop also.
Just a helpful reminder for those that never thought about it and have the floats on backwards.
I was installing some floats on a new rope when I got to thinking about all the crab pot floats I see that are installed backwards when crabbing. The pointed end of the float works best when installed pointing towards the pot.

I also see floats where the owner has ran the rope thru the float and then brought the tail back around and tied it to the mainline, putting the float sideways.
You will have better luck finding your float on top of the water if you run the rope from the pot thru the small end of the float first and then tie a knot behind the float on the big flat side. Seems pretty simple, but I see a lot of floats on backwards/sideways when I am on the bay.
If the float stays on top of the water, you may keep somebody from running over the float with their boat cutting the rope in their prop.
Some pencil lead in the rope about 1/2 way down helps keep the excess rope from floating and getting in a prop also.
Just a helpful reminder for those that never thought about it and have the floats on backwards.