Homemade Prawn pellets

Yyjdennis said:
I guess I've yet to find a honey hole then. The only luck I've had is in Stuart Channel, despite several attempts in Saanich Inlet, Satellite Channel etc.
Click to expand...
Depth in Saanich inlet is critical too, I've always targeted 185' and do well with simple gear, no added weight. Too deep and you're getting less prawns and squat lobster. I just use navionics and a couple land marks in a tinny at my parents, haven't had my boat down there yet. Nothing fancy, cheapest, easiest prawning.
 
I just got geared up for prawns in the last month or so, and have only been out once so far, here in Nanaimo. What would you guys consider a decent to good haul? I did 3 sets over about 5 hours. Two lines - one got pulled after an hour or so to see if I was even in the ballpark area wise, and then reset for another couple hours. The other line was down in one spot for close to 3. I averaged about 30-40 per pull, I believe 108 was the final tally I brought home but I wasn't being particularly picky about size. The first, shortest set had the most. Without a frame of reference, just wondering if those results would be considered average?
 
chille51 said:
I just got geared up for prawns in the last month or so, and have only been out once so far, here in Nanaimo. What would you guys consider a decent to good haul? I did 3 sets over about 5 hours. Two lines - one got pulled after an hour or so to see if I was even in the ballpark area wise, and then reset for another couple hours. The other line was down in one spot for close to 3. I averaged about 30-40 per pull, I believe 108 was the final tally I brought home but I wasn't being particularly picky about size. The first, shortest set had the most. Without a frame of reference, just wondering if those results would be considered average?
Click to expand...
Anything over 30 per trap should be considered a reasonable success. X4 and you have your limit. That being said, in my spots around Vancouver I can get a limit per trap in a couple hours. Definitely wouldn't expect that every time, especially in the first few years of trying it. I'd say 50-60 is a really good number to shoot for, anything more is a bonus.
 
chille51 said:
I just got geared up for prawns in the last month or so, and have only been out once so far, here in Nanaimo. What would you guys consider a decent to good haul? I did 3 sets over about 5 hours. Two lines - one got pulled after an hour or so to see if I was even in the ballpark area wise, and then reset for another couple hours. The other line was down in one spot for close to 3. I averaged about 30-40 per pull, I believe 108 was the final tally I brought home but I wasn't being particularly picky about size. The first, shortest set had the most. Without a frame of reference, just wondering if those results would be considered average?
Click to expand...
That’s a good start. Some times I only get enough for one prawn taco. I agree with Rain City, 25-30 per trap of spot prawns is pretty good. We had one trap with a hundred spot prawns and one with over 100 squat lobsters in Saanich inlet last month. If you get 4-8 traps dialled in you can do pretty good.
 
Thanks both. yeah, I was happy for a first time out. I should clarify that I didn't get 30-40 per trap, but per pull/line. The trap closest to the buoy was the more productive one on all 3 sets. I was setting more or less down a gradual incline so that would have been the deeper trap I believe.
 
chille51 said:
Thanks both. yeah, I was happy for a first time out. I should clarify that I didn't get 30-40 per trap, but per pull/line. The trap closest to the buoy was the more productive one on all 3 sets. I was setting more or less down a gradual incline so that would have been the deeper trap I believe.
Click to expand...
Try to find a low spot in a relatively flat bottom, rather than on the gradual slope
 
I thought prawns liked a steep slope? Should I be looking for a relatively flat bottom? Maybe this is what I’m doing wrong.
 
Yyjdennis said:
Ok, I kneel at the feet of the master :p. So can you tell me what kind of slope and bottom condition you're looking for? Please don't make me beg :) .
Click to expand...
If you search the forum there were some really good prawning threads that I learned from.
 
Srthomas75 said:
I know you’re in Vancouver. But in Sidney I will get a mix of prawn and shrimp. Do you get the shrimp over there ?
How many traps was that set?
Looks like a good catch.
Click to expand...
4 traps, two hours. We do get shrimp but not everywhere. I actually target them in some sandy flats when my wife gets a hankering for them. A lot of work, but man are they ever sweet.
 
Gave it a go for the second time today. Followed a game plan I read on one of those previous threads Rain City mentioned. Dropped near my best pull on the first go, and then tried prospecting a new spot. I didn't get either of the first sets exactly where I intended - both were a little shallower. Let them soak about 90 mins and pulled. 30 kept in the first line, big goose egg in the second one. Moved all about 75' deeper, rebaited and dropped for another 2 hours. Had what I would consider my first true "loaded" haul on when I picked up the first line of that second set. Probably 100 in total, but I high graded for size and kept about 70. Last line was ok, about 50 between both traps but as I was nearing the limit, I took the biggest 20 and let the rest swim.

I'm interested in hearing folks drop techniques. Not so much where to set, I've done plenty of research on that. I mean how you're dropping them to land them where you want them.
 
chille51 said:
I'm interested in hearing folks drop techniques. Not so much where to set, I've done plenty of research on that. I mean how you're dropping them to land them where you want them.
Click to expand...

I’m no expert but I’ve developed a method to get my two traps on a line spread out about 75’-80’ over my spot. I stop the boat at my waypoint and bait my traps while the wind or current pushes me off it. Once baited I know which way I’ll drift so I go upwind/up-current from the spot to begin dropping. I put the boat in gear and aim for the waypoint at idle speed. Once I’m heading in the right direction and almost all the way back to the waypoint I pop it out of gear and clip the first trap on at the terminal end and toss it over the back. I pop it in gear again just for a couple of seconds just to keep my heading (the wind or current should be cooperating as well) and watch the rope play out.

I have my sinking rope in two sections of different colours with the bottom 100’ spliced on to the top 300’. I watch the coils until I only have a few coils left before the splice then clip the second trap on and then clip my weight on about 20’ up and just below the splice. I put the boat in gear again to start playing out the rest of the rope. About 50’ up from the spice I’ll grab the rope and hold it against the pull of the boat for about 5-10 seconds until I feel the traps and weight are fully spread out. At this point I should be pretty much right on my waypoint. I’ll then pop it out of gear when most of the rope has played out and throw the scotchman over at the end. My scotchman is spliced on too so no errors at this point lol. I am just beyond my waypoint when I throw the scotchman over and the sinking gear pulls the buoy back.

This setup works for depths from 225’ to just under 300’. I can set a bit deeper if I put the traps closer together. This method is easier with a co-captain at the helm to pop it in and out of gear and to keep the boat on the heading but I have done it alone as well with a bit of bouncing back and forth.
 
Thanks for the detailed explanation @Squire . Both times I have been out I have been solo so all I know so far is doing it on my own. I do have auto pilot though and have been using that to my advantage. What I have been doing doesn't sound that far off from what you have - I approach my spot whichever way it seems like the drift is going, but I haven't paid as close of attention to getting that exactly right as it sounds like you have - I've just been relying on the auto pilot to keep me headed the direction I want. I keep it in gear at idle speed until both traps and my main line weight are in the water, and from there have tried both keeping it in gear or dropping into neutral. If I go into neutral I can sometimes feel the traps land before all of my rope is played out, and end up basically shoveling the rest out. If I keep it in gear, I sometimes end up overshooting my mark - which is how I ended up shallower than I intended yesterday. Sounds like some more strategic in and out in and out is worth a try. I'm also still trying to build my mental image of where my traps are landing in relation to where the buoy gets tossed over and marked on the GPS.

I marked my lines with coloured electrical tape which I find helps a lot. I have one band of yellow tape every 25' on the line, and then red tape marking every 100', with number of bands corresponding - ie 1 band at 100', 2 bands at 200', 3 bands at 300' etc. Helps me space the traps where I want them (have tried both 50' and 75'), and keep track of how close to the end of the pull I am when bringing them up.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top