Prawn Setup

[redram99]

Hi All

I am looking to get set up for prawning and would love some advice on gear selection.

I already have a Brutus puller.

Is 2 24” square traps the max for a single pull by the Brutus?
how much rope should I get for each set?

I believe everyone recommends the square traps over the rounds for prawn

anything specific I should be adding?
thanks.

 

[trophywife]

weight the trap closest to the bouy, 3lbs.. clip a 2lb line weight 50' up from that and another 50' down from the ball.
the trick is to not have any trap movement. make sure nothing is flapping, like strings or zip ties. movement scares them off.

 

[kaelc]

500 feet of line and a red poly bouy that will float your traps and will be regulated next year, the shops should be able to sell you one. Xtra thick permanent marker

Minke Ventures Prawn Lead & Float Line Combo Spools

Marine & Fishing Experts since 1985! Largest chandlery on Vancouver Island. Boating & fishing products along with friendly staff for a pleasant experience. 🌊⚓🎣

harbourchandler.ca

 

[terrin]

500 feet of line and a red poly bouy that will float your traps and will be regulated next year, the shops should be able to sell you one. Xtra thick permanent marker

Minke Ventures Prawn Lead & Float Line Combo Spools

Marine & Fishing Experts since 1985! Largest chandlery on Vancouver Island. Boating & fishing products along with friendly staff for a pleasant experience. 🌊⚓🎣

harbourchandler.ca

I thought the red bout was for crab?

 

[kaelc]

I do believe that 2 is the max the Brutus can handle in a current with weight. Snaps are good to have for quick removal off the line.

I thought the red bout was for crab?

Crab and Prawn Buoys/Floats revised by DFO

I moved this into its own Thread in the category it falls under, Thanks for providing this new detail Last_Call ! DFO met with the SFAB GFSFWG and Prawn Committee throughout 2021 to discuss standardizing buoys/floats used in the BC recreational fishery. The SFAB and DFO have determined that...

www.sportfishingbc.com

Here is the setup I’ve used the last couple of years

 

[bryce]

I do believe that 2 is the max the Brutus can handle in a current with weight. Snaps are good to have for quick removal off the line.

Crab and Prawn Buoys/Floats revised by DFO

I moved this into its own Thread in the category it falls under, Thanks for providing this new detail Last_Call ! DFO met with the SFAB GFSFWG and Prawn Committee throughout 2021 to discuss standardizing buoys/floats used in the BC recreational fishery. The SFAB and DFO have determined that...

www.sportfishingbc.com

Here is the setup I’ve used the last couple of years

Anymore then 2 traps you need a buoy on each end with 2 traps just 1 is good

 

[Kasiks]

you will get lots of opinions on which traps catch the most, but mesh size on the solid square is usually smaller and as such does bring up more smaller prawns and shrimp that would have normally just crawled out of the round netting style traps. As usually those traps have a bigger mesh. This sometimes does account for their higher catch count. But they are also more like a cave in there and that too may account for some higher numbers. I Use the round and like the stacking attribute as it takes up less space on a small boat, and with four traps I never have a problem catching either the limit or what I need for supper that day.

Next year the regulation for prawn traps will be round floats, so may as well get them now.

And as has been stated make sure you isolate rope and float vibration movement from the traps.....they dont like motion and that will reduce your catch.

You will get many opinions on bait too. I use the commercial pellets and I do not throw them away after use. I save them in an old prawn bait bucket with the tight fitting lid and use them multiple times till they dissolve, some of that bait has made 3 trips to the bottom and still no problem catching a limit. But you need the tight fitting lid as they stink extra good after months sitting in that pail wet.

 

[redram99]

Thanks everyone!!

 

[terrin]

500 feet of line and a red poly bouy that will float your traps and will be regulated next year, the shops should be able to sell you one. Xtra thick permanent marker

Minke Ventures Prawn Lead & Float Line Combo Spools

Marine & Fishing Experts since 1985! Largest chandlery on Vancouver Island. Boating & fishing products along with friendly staff for a pleasant experience. 🌊⚓🎣

harbourchandler.ca

Don’t see anything about red in there.

 

[kaelc]

Don’t see anything about red in there.

anything specific I should be adding?

Specifically, you should be adding Red is coming from me.

The only other alternative you might be able to see when you are looking for your traps is yellow but you are likely to find the "round (spherical) in shape and a minimum of 27cm in diameter." in shops in red. When you are wondering where the f.... your traps have gotten to in the current you will be happy to spot the bright red float.

 

[BC Coast Pilot]

I think it's total bullcrap that fisheries officers can no longer figure out what a trap is fishing by water depth and need a buoy to indicate such. Totally pampered and speaks of lack of skill, can anyone explain the rationale?

 

[ziggy]

I think it's total bullcrap that fisheries officers can no longer figure out what a trap is fishing by water depth and need a buoy to indicate such. Totally pampered and speaks of lack of skill, can anyone explain the rationale?

Better yet is there a standard float colour and size for commercial crabbers? Not where I fish.

 

[Aquaholic]

Better yet is there a standard float colour and size for commercial crabbers? Not where I fish.

In 2023 the shape regs come into play for recreational, and stores selling gear should be aware. There’s a thread about it in the conservation page and comments from an advisory member who’s also a member here.

 

[Kasiks]

The color, size and shape standard is most likely to make gauging fishing pressure more accurate, I often put a crab trap down when and exactly where I prawn, and I do not too bad on Dungeness Crabs at certain times of year .....at almost 300 feet. So location and depth does not always make floats obvious. Its a big coast so things are different all over. So I am guessing thats one of the reasons.

 

[Jim Clow]

I think it's total bullcrap that fisheries officers can no longer figure out what a trap is fishing by water depth and need a buoy to indicate such. Totally pampered and speaks of lack of skill, can anyone explain the rationale?

How do you tell what someone is fishing from depth of traps?

 

[trophywife]

How do you tell what someone is fishing from depth of traps?

good point considering dungees are caught at 200' also.

 

[Jim Clow]

good point considering dungees are caught at 200' also.

I actually put my crab traps in 300’-450’. Seem to get bigger crab deeper