crabs

[Maxpower]

Merry X mas to all! Just got a cage or pot style crab trap for xmas. Where can i use it? Can I go off the shore at ESQ lagoon? or even near my house in Gordon head? whats a good depth for dungeness or rock crab? how long should i leave it? help fellow anglers!

 

[scott craven]

do you have a boat ? are you launching the traps off a wharf ?
need more info.

 

[Last Chance]

If no boat, the Sooke Gvt. warf is a good bet. Lots of action anyway. There is that lone gvt warf near Cordova bay, but as of late most of the easy crabbing has had teh sh**t pounded out of it.

 

[Maxpower]

shudda mentioned I have a 14ft aluminum with an electric and oars. Don't plan on doing anything on crappy days nor venture more than 400ft out, thanks hoping to hit up cordova bay as it's close to home

 

[Last Chance]

Er, don't go out with an Electric unless you are in a closed bay.

 

[Maxpower]

i should get me a small gas motor, think my cousin has one i can borrow, sounds a little more safe

 

[Last Chance]

Yeah, then you are better. Just plunk into the Sooke Basin via Sunny Shores, you'll do good pretty much anywhere there.

 

[Maxpower]

yeah good call, is the sooke basin gas motor too or could i get away with the electric ? Pretty new to this so the info is appreciated I am more of a freshy water guy

 

[Last Chance]

If it's calm you could do electric, but the good ol' Sooke Wind will probably have you stuffed into Roche cove in minutes. Really, even a POS 4 HP British Seagull would be just plenty for you.


BTW, if it's a big square trap, yuo have to really re-work the doors so they don't stick open. Take the clips where they hook onto the cage, and hammer them around a piece of re-bar or something of similar size so they are NICE AND BIG. Nothing like pulling your trap up and having a stream of crabs falling out of it.

 

[Maxpower]

Ok so gas it is. Good call. 30lbs of thrust just won't do it. Any one know of any REALLY cheap motors or even a dead one I could fix up? I am just dying to get out there insted of getting out there and dying. THanx all!

 

[victoriaboater]

Just off Esquimalt lagoon is productive and you can launch right off the beach; anywhere from 20' to 40'. I have a friend who takes out a couple of traps in his inflatable kayak so you should be ok. Its a good idea though to take an anchor just in case the tide gets going you can always drop anchor (or crab trap) and wait it out.

 

[Last Chance]

Try these ads on Usedvictoria.com 2314220, looks good and great power for your boat if you want to do something else, 2246703 ,looks expensive, 2190971, MAY be a good buy if you know someone who can get it running.

 

[bacKlash]

do make sure your electric motor is made for marine use.my normally brilliant father-in-law made this mistake.the salt water destroyed it in one summer...

 

[Mongoose]

you can crab in the mouth of the vic harbour. launch from the james bay boat ramp and throw the trap over with a salmon head or what ever. its about 30-50' deep good for crabbing. you will see other floats cab somewhere around theres.

 

[Pablo2079]

Seems like a no-brainer, but make sure you've got oars for backup.

 

[Maxpower]

Oh good call with the "ok for marine use" Mine is an older 30lb Min Kota with the battery gauge and "maximizer system" what ever that means.....any one know if it will be ok in the harbour? I will totaly give it the rince down when done.

 

[Last Chance]

I had an older Kota that saw some use in the chuck. The gator clips that hold it to the battery rotted off very soon.

 

[Maxpower]

Oh thats no prob, I can replace the gator clips if they fall off but I'm gonna give it a try neways. I traded a hyundia pony that i bought for a 100buck for this aluminum the motor and oars and two new life jackets and an anchor too. Whatta DEAL!!! (yes it floats and the motor clips along nicely! Thanks for all the info, keep it coming!Tips up yall!

 

[scott craven]

Max, launch your tin boat at cattle point on a flood tide and
set your traps in 28-35' of water right off estevan rd.
(midway between the ramp and jimmy chicken island)
there is good crabbing right now. use chicken backs if u
can get them !

 

[LouDogII]

Max,
I lived in Gordon Head and had a 14' cartopper just a few years back. Just like Craven says, cattle point for launch, but if you're nervous going out between the main island and the jimmy chicken, just around the point (towards the marina...I don't remember the name of the bay anymore) about 30' out from the shore you'll find 30-40' of water and we did okay there. Everybody has different results with their bait, I tried chicken backs and commercial bait but used to get mostly red rock crabs[V]. When I started to use salmon heads/scraps (from Thrifty's in Royal Oak) I got better results, and more dungeness. Craven is more familiar with the area then I (and has more experience) so try the chicken backs first, but just thought I'd give you one more thing to try. Also, we had cheap traps and I wasn't smart enough to put the time into modifing them as suggested, so when we checked the traps every hour or hour and a half we would catch more crabs. The little buggers we're probably getting out. Good memories, it was my start on the water out here on the west coast and my wife and I had lots of good days out there rowing around (when the old 9.9 wouldn't start). We would try Cadboro (spelling??) Bay too and had some real nice catches from time to time. Leaving them over a tide change seems to increase the catch too.
Happy Holidays all.
Scooter