Prawn traps stuck or too heavy to pull by hand

[Howesound]

Hello team,

Just dropped my first prawn trap with 10 lbs weight in them connected by a lead core rope down a ledge at about 233 mud bottom.

Came back in an hour and tried to pull them up. Got what seemed to be 30 percent of the way or about half way and just could not pull them up after.

I’m a fairly strong individual and regularly pull crab traps up from 75ft so I was hoping this would be easier. Is it just me or did they get stuck?

I’ll buy a hauler tomorrow and try that. Any suggestions are appreciated.

Thanks!

 

[CBsqrd]

The commercial prawn season is still open - you might have had one of their strings dropped across yours.

 

[Howesound]

you've got a point CBsqrd - I had seen some other boys in the area but tried to stay far away like 300-400meters. Should I wait until tomorrow to go check it out again or is this a lost cause?

 

[Howesound]

that's Bouys* not boys lol

 

[willydw]

you've got a point CBsqrd - I had seen some other boys in the area but tried to stay far away like 300-400meters. Should I wait until tomorrow to go check it out again or is this a lost cause?

If it is a commercial string after they pull there’s yours should come up.That is if yours is still there.

 

[Howesound]

Do you mean it may be cut or get cut?

 

[willydw]

Do you mean it may be cut or get cut?

Hopefully your lucky and it’s still there.

 

[Howesound]

thanks, they were quality gear and my first time, so Im hoping it is not a super-expensive lesson.

 

[Howesound]

Hopefully your lucky and it’s still there.

Would this mean that I don't need a pot puller? If they're stuck under a commercial guys traps and I lose it, then in a worse case, I'll eat the loss, but they're not so heavy that I can't pull them by hand right?

 

[spring time]

The commercial guys can only pull their gear once a day so I would be out there and and wait for them to come and pull theirs and yhpthen you might get lucky if they don’t come then you know your stuck on bottom then tie off on a cleat and guve it a pull

 

[willydw]

Would this mean that I don't need a pot puller? If they're stuck under a commercial guys traps and I lose it, then in a worse case, I'll eat the loss, but they're not so heavy that I can't pull them by hand right?

Right on that. You might just wreck the new puller.

 

[willydw]

The commercial guys can only pull their gear once a day so I would be out there and and wait for them to come and pull theirs and yhpthen you might get lucky if they don’t come then you know your stuck on bottom then tie off on a cleat and guve it a pull

Double on the cleat.Let us know how you make out.

 

[Howesound]

The commercial guys can only pull their gear once a day so I would be out there and and wait for them to come and pull theirs and yhpthen you might get lucky if they don’t come then you know your stuck on bottom then tie off on a cleat and guve it a pull

thanks Spring time! Just so I understand correctly - do the commercial guys haul their traps once a day and then reset them at the same spot? I can go there and sit there all day but I may not be there on time so just want to understand what to do.

for context:
(( To me it felt strangely heavy when I was pulling it, the traps pulled just fine until I got to a point around 150-200 ft where it was almost impossible to lift them up. I tore up my new gloves and my palms are all blistered up. I was trying for close to 1 hour...))

 

[Corey_lax]

Prawn traps are much harder to pull up than crab traps. You’ll do it once and buy a puller if you have the cash flow for it haha

 

[Corey_lax]

Do you have two traps on the line?

 

[willydw]

thanks Spring time! Just so I understand correctly - do the commercial guys haul their traps once a day and then reset them at the same spot? I can go there and sit there all day but I may not be there on time so just want to understand what to do.

for context:
(( To me it felt strangely heavy when I was pulling it, the traps pulled just fine until I got to a point around 150-200 ft where it was almost impossible to lift them up. I tore up my new gloves and my palms are all blistered up. I was trying for close to 1 hour...))

My guess is you pulled all the slack of the commercial traps. I think they have a big weight at each end of there set.

 

[Howesound]

Do you have two traps on the line?

no just a single one - we saw a few bouys around the area but they were very well spaced and not too far from the rocky shore line/ledge. When I dropped mine it was after them, so I'm just wondering how my line could've gone under them

 

[Corey_lax]

Yeah probably. The commercial guys run long lines with floats on both ends I think. So even if they are spaced out, you might be under it

 

[Howesound]

so do I expect them to lift their traps/pots early tomorrow and then set them again at the same spot? If I am under them, I want to make sure I can get it out somehow. I read a name and a number (5-6 digits) on all the bouys near mine

 

[kaelc]

That sounds like commercial, if it is name and a phone number it’s a rec trap. Unless you set your trap early in the morning it’s unlikely they checked their traps and set over you, as they check once a day usually starting early in the morning but it’s possible they were finishing their day and also possible your line just got caught on one of their lines or traps.

I wouldn’t buy a puller, to rescue one trap. You will likely blow fuses and at the worst blow a motor, don’t ask me how I know. Try today and hopefully they will have reset but not on you.

I had to do the cleat method, to free a set of traps when the commercial season was closed, so it was just bottom, this year and it worked. I went slow and really wished I had a buddy with a sharp knife by the cleat, if I had a smaller boat I wouldn’t have done it solo as there is a chance the corner of your boat could get pulled under, I am speculating on this.

I’d say try the cleat being safe, don’t gun it and if you see your stern going down at all turn quickly toward the cleat. You might lose your trap but should recover your line and float. Good luck, and try to bring a buddy.