“Stolen crab trap”

[Sir Reel]

I’m sure some traps are stolen but there are other explanations too. Found this floating out around Passage Island. Obviously hit by a propeller. Trap is now on the bottom

 

[sly_karma]

I think lots of traps are "stolen" by the insufficient weight/strong current quotient. Same as I think a lot of "stolen" pets are just lost/hit by car/coyote prey/old and sick, etc. **** happens, but it makes people feel better if blame can be directed at someone or something.

 

[kaelc]

I have seen floats 4 feet below the surface, one of my traps launched by my buddy ended up in Westport from vancouver. I wonder what percentage are actually stolen? 10%?

 

[wolf]

I wonder what percentage are actually stolen? 10%?

id even say less then that . in july here in sooke on a full moon and there was excessive amount of kelp in basin even my trap that has bars on bottom and are HEAVY got moved luckly not far , I did however find a trap off otter floating in 100 feet of water on a wed picked it up had a local number on it and person said yeah someone stole my trap on saturday!!!! I said you mean the full moon tide?? and he said he put it right near the basin entrance....Well I said its at my dock so come and get it.
What you have to consider is....
1 do you have lots of rope
2 is it weighted down
3 are you placing it in a spot where kelp and then current can drag it away?or log barge marine traffic?

 

[sly_karma]

I figured use the same principle as a prawn trap, lead weights before and after the trap/s so they're isolated from action of wind, waves and currents. 5 lb and 9 lb clip weights are cheap compared to losing the whole setup.

 

[ab1752]

Lots also get dragged away by booms, at least around secret cove and roberts creek.

 

[Phish]

Lots also get dragged away by booms, at least around secret cove and roberts creek.

I think the tugboat operators do this as sport

 

[sly_karma]

I've seen plenty of floats around the approaches to Welcome Pass near Secret. At its narrowest, the Pass is only 400 m across, throw in wind and current and a tug with a boom in tow has to be very precise setting up for the transit. Not hard to see why some floats are snagged by the boom. And sometimes you see one that's inside the RCA boundaries anyway, no sympathy there.

I'm still figuring out how to be a consistently successful trap fisherman, but I have managed to avoid putting traps in the way of tugs or commercial crabbers and prawners.

 

[Sailfish25]

I've seen plenty of floats around the approaches to Welcome Pass near Secret. At its narrowest, the Pass is only 400 m across, throw in wind and current and a tug with a boom in tow has to be very precise setting up for the transit. Not hard to see why some floats are snagged by the boom. And sometimes you see one that's inside the RCA boundaries anyway, no sympathy there.

I'm still figuring out how to be a consistently successful trap fisherman, but I have managed to avoid putting traps in the way of tugs or commercial crabbers and prawners.

Crabbing is allowed within RCA

https://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fm-gp/maps-cartes/rca-acs/index-eng.html

 

[sly_karma]

Well there ya go, I thought sporties couldn't fish for anything at all in an RCA. Thanks.

 

[Corey_lax]

Well there ya go, I thought sporties couldn't fish for anything at all in an RCA. Thanks.

Sponge reef areas are no traps, no downriggers, no bottom fishing