Ohhh, the weather outside is frightful...

[Hurston]

Well tried to get out to Sooke to do some fishing today but the weather wouldn't cooperate.
Left the harbour and pounded out to nearly Secretary, decided it was way too snotty so turned around and headed in.
I did manage to avoid having my crab traps raided in the Sooke Basin though.
It's funny I leave my traps down 4 or more hours and there empty sometimes even with the bait gone. But if I leave them down for an hour or so (15 mins today), when i pull them there loaded.
Once I'd like to catch the bastards.

Jason

 

[scott craven]

It sucks to have your crab stolen....
I launched at james bay anglers this morning about 10:15
it was blowing west and the ramp was full of logs.
i did manage to boat a 10lb spring before it got really ugly
and i had to get off about noon.
402 tomic spoon at about 115' off ogden point.

scotty

 

[Tailspin]

Time to stage a sting operation set the trap and spin over on the opposite side whiffin spit with a box of 2 pound balls....or even better a slingshot and some ballberrings, lol.

I was out becher way on Thursday, Pretty slow going. Hit whirl before the big easterly and then back into the bay to manage to bonk two... Sure will be sad to not have that option if the rca's are in place. No Feed At All??? Not as good as early December.

 

[tailout]

This is what a discussion FISHING group is all about[ fish talk ]
wish every one could do this..


cheers

Rick

Edited by - tailout on 01/15/2006 09:26:47

 

[the runt]

Just curois r.s.what kind of pots are you using?

thanks the runt

 

[Charter Tofino]

haha i want to hear the story if someone catches the people raiding their traps!

 

[TheRock]

For 15. mins the crabs in your traps are feeding on your bait.. they have no intentions in trying to escape, their aggressively feeding. Once the bait is all gone now their aggressively trying to escape! If you have any crab traps with doors that come down and do not lock into a "V" so it can't be pushed side to side.. (a feature found on the commercial traps and high end sport traps) with out that "V" holding the piece of wire door the crabs will push it to the side and get out!! I never thought they would but they DO! and then you think that some one is raiding your traps! Well no.. its your trap doors... You will come to learn this once you fish with crab traps that use the "V" to hold the metal wire so it can't be moved side to side.. you can leave these traps down for 24 hrs...,. and they don't get out even if the bait is finished...



Edited by - TheRock on 01/15/2006 14:53:32

 

[alley cat]

For years I have only used 2 doors on the crab traps strapped the other ones closed, and taken cinch ties on the outsides of the hinges on the remaining doors to stop the lateral movement as was described in the previous poster.
I will drop my traps on the way out and even after 6 - 7 hours there a crabs in them, IF NOT chances are very good some b*****d has been dipping your set, if they re-bait I don't care but when they take the crabs and dump your bait that really gets me.
Anyone seen the new bait containers that Tom Mawson devised in Renfrew ?
They are square fine mesh which fit in the center of the traps and he cuts the top off for the box to drop in and fastens it to the floor and then you use the hinged top part to load up or extract your bait, very efficient and the bait lasts quite a bit longer as the fine mesh holds them from taking your bait to pieces in 15 mins to 1/2 hr.

Enough for now going to take the wife to dinner and build up some international brownie points !

Cheers

AL

 

[Hurston]

quote:
For 15. mins the crabs in your traps are feeding on your bait.. they have no intentions in trying to escape, their aggressively feeding. Once the bait is all gone now their aggressively trying to escape! If you have any crab traps with doors that come down and do not lock into a "V" so it can't be pushed side to side.. (a feature found on the commercial traps and high end sport traps) with out that "V" holding the piece of wire door the crabs will push it to the side and get out!! I never thought they would but they DO! and then you think that some one is raiding your traps! Well no.. its your trap doors... You will come to learn this once you fish with crab traps that use the "V" to hold the metal wire so it can't be moved side to side.. you can leave these traps down for 24 hrs...,. and they don't get out even if the bait is finished...



Edited by - TheRock on 01/15/2006 14:53:32

I researched all the the pro's and con's of the square traps before I bought them. So....I've checked the lateral door movement and weighted all 4 doors with 1 ounce weights to prevent current from opening them.
I'm not blaming every empty trap on theft I just think some of the times there's fishy things happening in the basin.
I guess I should just consider myself lucky the traps havnt been taken (which seems to happen alot in Beecher Bay).

 

[TheRock]

Even with weights on your doors if their is no "V" for the bottom of the door wire to sit into to hold the lateral movement the crabs will still get out. The previous poster suggested using cinch ties to prevent the hinge movement, the problem is at the bottom of the doors, the crabs will spread them apart either witch way and will get out. You need that "V" at the bottom edge of the door wires to sit in. Trap that have this feature will have quality solid heavy well made doors that don't need extra weights. Some of my traps have triple wire doors each wire has its own "V" to sit in.. I used to use the cheaper sport crab traps and tried ever witch way to tweak and adjust those thin wired doors. Their simply no good... they will still catch you crab.. once you use quality traps though you realize the difference and you won't go back.

Yes I agree some times traps do get raided. I have all so been a victim of missing traps in Beecher Bay. We had dropped a few nice prawn traps close be their, latter we found them in 20 feet of water with the lines cut and just the boys floating towards shore! Just before that we spotted a commercial crab boat fishing the coast where we had our nets!...