habberdasher
Well-Known Member
A close friend of mine observed the aluminum commercial crabber much closer to shore than usual checking traps????
Was your crab traps empty at Willows
- Thread starter habberdasher
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habberdasher
Well-Known Member
I think it might have been Monday morning but I will check
My friend lives on the beach and was sure it was commercial
My friend lives on the beach and was sure it was commercial
habberdasher
Well-Known Member
I saw your post and your success makes me want to get back on the water soon
Funny that one of your traps was almost empty
Do you launch at Cattle point if I see you I will Say hi
Yes. I'm just in a little blue mirrorcraft. I found being in the right spot for crabs is everything in OB. One trap loaded one empty has happened a few times. One of the beautiful things about OB is the variety of bottom terrain.
I guess commercial guys can put their traps where ever they want. I'm assuming they can take friends out fish as well, as it may be the only boat they have.
Sangstercraft
Well-Known Member
I haven't seen a commercial crabber in the harbor on Saturday. But I did see a commercial dragger, likely dragging for shrimp not too far off Pt Atkinson. Maybe this was the boat your friend saw.
beemer
Well-Known Member
A commercial crabber has been working Oak Bay heavily in the last week. They are also experimenting with deeper areas off Gordon Head. The commercial guys DO NOT check other traps , they are very careful and they know that they are being watched.
It is a possibility that the trap landed on its side or a seal or otter turned it upside down to try and get the bait or...…. ?
beemer
It is a possibility that the trap landed on its side or a seal or otter turned it upside down to try and get the bait or...…. ?
beemer
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Dr. Reelgood
New Member
Don’t know about the spot being discussed but commercial crabbers definitely pull traps. Had one move one of my traps a 1/2 mile and drop one of his in my spot in port renfrew. Moved trap was empty and my 3 unmoved ones had crabs in them.
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wolf
Well-Known Member
As a ex commercial crab guy trust me we dont check sport traps alot of time they are tangled in the gear and we would just toss it back, You have to remember we are trying to burn thru gear as fast as we can on a string bring up rebait ,size,repair,and set. On a string we run anywhere from 15 to 25 traps, faster we went = more money
its really a waste of time to look for 1 trap and lift.
its really a waste of time to look for 1 trap and lift.
I would think by the amount of traps in OB the commercial guy has to deal with tangles with drifting sport traps occasionally. I've found a few myself tangled in kelp around the chain islands. I don't think trap robbing happens as much as we think in that area. At least by humans.
wolf
Well-Known Member
i have seen seals break open a sport trap and do it well they are powerfulI don't think trap robbing happens as much as we think in that area. At least by humans.
I don't know about seals, but the Otters that hang around the beach a little to the west of Sunny Shores and sometimes around the marina have apparently been known to open up a gate on a trap and fish out the crabs. Once had one of our large commercial style traps come up off that beach with one of the stainless tines on a trap gate broken off and assumed that one of the Otters caught itself in the trap gate and rather than drown it broke off the stainless tine to escape.
I would think that most of the commercial crabbers out there are smart enough to know that it is in their interests not to screw with sport traps or drop their strings on top of them etc. and don't do it. The really really smart ones also historically knew that it is in their best interests to leave a few areas like willows beach alone and let the sport guys have it, as it is one of the few spots that you can launch a very small car top type boat off of Cattle Point launch and go a very short and safe distance to get a few crabs. They also did not drop their trap lines on top of well know salmon fishing tacs/areas and screw up sport salmon fishing etc.
For the most part over the last 50 years it is my impression that the long standing local commie crabbers have been sensitive to the needs of the sport sector and done their best to accommodate the sport sector resulting in goodwill, mutual acceptance and mutual benefit.
With the current value of these things, especially for export, the commercial effort really seems to have exploded on south VI. Lets hope that some of the new players don't develop a "we are going to do what ever we want and a screw you attitude".
That kind of thing has not gone well in the past and the sport sector also has its share of hot headed types and the commies do not want to waste time dragging for their strings and replacing floats because as Wolf pointed out, for them, time is money. Wars or even the odd skirmish of that nature are not good for anyone and not necessary. Being reasonable and accommodating by all sectors has worked well over the years and benefited everyone. It also works both ways, I check where both end floats of their commie strings are before I drop my traps so as not to foul them because I know I will lose that tug of war and also because if I expect them not to drop on top of me, I owe them the same. I am sure they get tired of separating off sports gear dropped on top of their strings.
I would think that most of the commercial crabbers out there are smart enough to know that it is in their interests not to screw with sport traps or drop their strings on top of them etc. and don't do it. The really really smart ones also historically knew that it is in their best interests to leave a few areas like willows beach alone and let the sport guys have it, as it is one of the few spots that you can launch a very small car top type boat off of Cattle Point launch and go a very short and safe distance to get a few crabs. They also did not drop their trap lines on top of well know salmon fishing tacs/areas and screw up sport salmon fishing etc.
For the most part over the last 50 years it is my impression that the long standing local commie crabbers have been sensitive to the needs of the sport sector and done their best to accommodate the sport sector resulting in goodwill, mutual acceptance and mutual benefit.
With the current value of these things, especially for export, the commercial effort really seems to have exploded on south VI. Lets hope that some of the new players don't develop a "we are going to do what ever we want and a screw you attitude".
That kind of thing has not gone well in the past and the sport sector also has its share of hot headed types and the commies do not want to waste time dragging for their strings and replacing floats because as Wolf pointed out, for them, time is money. Wars or even the odd skirmish of that nature are not good for anyone and not necessary. Being reasonable and accommodating by all sectors has worked well over the years and benefited everyone. It also works both ways, I check where both end floats of their commie strings are before I drop my traps so as not to foul them because I know I will lose that tug of war and also because if I expect them not to drop on top of me, I owe them the same. I am sure they get tired of separating off sports gear dropped on top of their strings.
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tinboatrobb
Well-Known Member
The guy who has his traps in front of the Victoria harbour and all over Oak Bay comes from Sidney or out of Steveston, he is not one of the longtime conscientious local guys. I hung my trolling gear up on his lines off MaCauley point and waited around for him and he hauled his set and gave me back my gear plus a little more. Nice guy but no need to rape the easy to access areas for small boats.
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No one has here has actually seen their own trap hauled and checked by a commercial crabber, unless it was fouled in their own gear. Seriously,. think about it. Why the hell are they going to bother, they haul 25 traps in the same time as one. No one hauls sport traps and steals bait (that's right, no one wants your old SAlmon head with the eyes eaten out of it). Once, in my lifetime of being on the water, I came up on some clown (Another sportie) with my rope in his hand, he apparantly "tangled it" in his prop, even though it was lead line.
The sheer number of sport traps I find drifting in the strait, hung up on Constance Bank (Lots during Prawn season from the Courtney/Campbell area, Wolf can confirm this!), or tangled in big rafts of kelp fishing offshore for Coho lead me to believe the biggest cause of traps going missing are under-weighted traps. If you can lift it over the side of your boat without blowing a gasket, it is going to go bye bye sooner or later. . Case in point, my 80 pounder has never been "messed with" in the 12 years I have had it. I allways fish two traps, and the odd sister to it I put down has gone walkabout. Because I cut the rebar out of them to make them lighter. I should know better.
Let's see it, someone who has actually seen a commercial crabber pull up to their trap alone, empty the crabs, and then run away with the trap to throw it half a mile away, steal it, or whatever.
The sheer number of sport traps I find drifting in the strait, hung up on Constance Bank (Lots during Prawn season from the Courtney/Campbell area, Wolf can confirm this!), or tangled in big rafts of kelp fishing offshore for Coho lead me to believe the biggest cause of traps going missing are under-weighted traps. If you can lift it over the side of your boat without blowing a gasket, it is going to go bye bye sooner or later. . Case in point, my 80 pounder has never been "messed with" in the 12 years I have had it. I allways fish two traps, and the odd sister to it I put down has gone walkabout. Because I cut the rebar out of them to make them lighter. I should know better.
Let's see it, someone who has actually seen a commercial crabber pull up to their trap alone, empty the crabs, and then run away with the trap to throw it half a mile away, steal it, or whatever.
adanac
Well-Known Member
x2 on the otters! Pulled a trap up in Naden harbour one time that had a drowned one in it, guess the little ****** forgot to hold the gate open
I thinking they might account for some empty traps. Was watching a random video on youtube where a commercial guy was pulling up traps. Occasionally a trap would come up with an octopus and nothing else.
I've also noted better hauls when there are less tides and I haven't left the trap down too long. Weighted doors and cinching up the top door tighy prevents escapee's. Lots of weight not only keeps the trap where you left it, but also insures it lands right way down in the first place. I've been learning these things the hard way.
Dr. Reelgood
New Member
True, to a point. I don’t fish at night so didn’t actually see him move my trap. Doesn’t change the fact that my trap had been moved and a commercial trap and end float were in my exact GPS coordinates. Could’ve been another sport fisherman I guess. Certainly wasn’t from my trap floating away. Any other ideas before you categorically dismiss that a commercial crabber would move a guys trap? Not looking for an argument here, but your almost calling me a liar and I’m telling you that it happened.
tinboatrobb
Well-Known Member
If your gear goes down on top of a commercial string then it is going to get hauled up and then probably dropped back after the string is pulled. You did get your trap back.
