How do you drop your traps?
- Thread starter Rain City
- Start date
-
- Tags
- prawn trap prawning
Sir Reel
Well-Known Member
So I dropped my new prawn traps yesterday and much to my dismay they ALL landed upside down (mud on the top when I pulled them up). The 12lb traps are heavier on the bottom and are supposed to right themselves as they sink. So what I normally do is try and drop against the current staying in gear as I let line out. This particular setup I have a 10lb flat weight clipped 30' past the last trap towards the buoy. What I try and do is give the rope a long tug once the gear has fallen a ways to make sure I spread the gear out. These new traps have an offset top rope to allegedly make them easier to pull up, to trap the prawns against one side and to allow the traps to lay flat as you drop your gear. I'm told by more than one person that the traps being upside down isn't a big deal but when I read up on it more the tunnels are supposed to be high up so the prawns can't just walk out (made sense to me). On my traps they are 100% at the "top" of the trap. So with all those variables in mind what the hell is making my traps flip upside down?
This is exactly how I set my traps. They are stainless steel ones I bought from PNT at the boat show. The bridle is not offset and the holes are centered so don't think it would matter if they land upside down bit as far as I know they lad right side up.
Maybe strap some chain to the bottom of the trap to keep it upright?
Or try and by some good quality traps!lol
Corey_lax
Crew Member
I used to always hook these to the bottom side of the trap to keep it going down the right way. I don't know if it made much of a difference. I got worried that the cannon ball would snag something so I stopped using them. But at least these would for sure be going down the correct way.
Attachments
ryanb
Well-Known Member
I zip tie cheap 7lb dumbbells to the bottom of my round traps on the mesh near the middle opening. Makes unloading the prawns a bit more annoying but traps drop straight and land evenly. This is important when you are fishing 2 traps.
I've had nothing but issues trying the run weights/anchors in line. Just make your traps heavy and weighted so they sink the way you want. Keep it simple.
I've had nothing but issues trying the run weights/anchors in line. Just make your traps heavy and weighted so they sink the way you want. Keep it simple.
Rain City
Crew Member
That's my issue with the weight. I used to do that too. I don't want anything stretching the mesh or slowing me down.
Rain City
Crew Member
Yeah lots of guys do. The traps I have are heavier on the bottom by design, bigger diameter and double ring, but I don't think it's enough. I really hate the thought of having to buy 40' of stainless chain
600 foot rope
Round stainless trap on the bottom (no weight)
Throw it over and idle away in a straight line
Snap the second trap (no weight) on 150' up the line and throw it over
Still idling away snap a 12 pound ball on the line 50 up and throw it over
Turn the boat back toward where you dropped the first trap and idle on until you are out of rope
Don't forget to tie on the float
Use a smaller float so it wont drag your traps away
Round stainless trap on the bottom (no weight)
Throw it over and idle away in a straight line
Snap the second trap (no weight) on 150' up the line and throw it over
Still idling away snap a 12 pound ball on the line 50 up and throw it over
Turn the boat back toward where you dropped the first trap and idle on until you are out of rope
Don't forget to tie on the float
Use a smaller float so it wont drag your traps away
Rain City
Crew Member
Why the circle back?
Rain City
Crew Member
triplenickel
Well-Known Member
I didn't use stainless I used S7/grade 70/transport chain or what ever you want to call it. It's the stuff with the gold alloy color. I freshwater rinse most trips and its still purty.
Rain City
Crew Member
I saw a guy on YouTube pour some lead into crude forms to make lead "rope". I have a few old cannons. Might try it.
Next thread:
Melting Lead?
triplenickel
Well-Known Member
That's a neat idea, way cooler and more satisfying than a trip to Greggs!
Brian Reiber
Well-Known Member
We drop ours pretty much the same way. Sometimes we circle back sometimes we just keep running straight. It really just depends where we want to be for our next set. We have a bunch of Ladner Commercial traps (we don't add any weight). We also have 2 square traps which we added a couple of lead ingots to. We have loops tied in our ropes at the end of the line and 50' further along the line. We don't bother with the 12# weight on the line but we don't prawn in high current areas. If we did I could see how that would be important. We set our traps on the transom and attach the traps to the rope before we start moving. Then we idle forward and drop the taps trying to toss them in flat and small side up on the commercials. When we have friends out who don't have prawning experience they often can't keep up and end up with the line wrapped around something and the traps get dragged and don't go down flat........honestly it really hasn't affected our success noticeably.
I use an ex-commercial trap is my first trap ( heavier ) , then snap on another trap every 50'. About 25' after last trap, I snap on a chunk of old chain ( why use expensive cannonballs ) to avoid bouncing the traps if it blows. I set with the wind/tide at a slow idle . Once last trap is tossed in, I hold the line fast to make sure traps are well-spaced and are likely hanging the right way and allow the heavier first trap to take the string to the bottom. Carry on until all line is out, flip out the buoys and carry on..
islander55
Well-Known Member
I only prawn in mud . Reefs get hit to hard. Best results are when i prawn in mud
