Prawning

[Country Boy]

Can any one tell me what they are using for bait ?. Commercial pellets, cat food(what type) and some guys say to mix both together. Also how much weight are you running in your traps (each one) and how is the weight attached to your traps ? What style of traps are you using ? Are you pulling by hand or a pot puller ( Ace Line Hauler/ Robinson Retriever/ Custom made) ? What are the peak months to catch prawns ? We just came back from Poets Nooke and the fishing was terrible, prawning was poor and Crabbing was awesome. We tried 2 miles out, Rainey Bay, Pill point and nothing for our efforts. Definitely got to get me a pot puller though. Seriously looking at the Ace Line Hauler.

[IronNoggin]

Hey there Country Boy,
You were trying for prawns to far out. One of my buds has been doing extremely well off Arden, town side of the narrows. I'd also suggest trying by the fish farm in the narrows if you're not afraid of potential contamination.
As for your queries:
1:Bait: Commercial pellets work great. Contact the guy who runs 'Ace of Baits' in Parksville, decent price, great bait. Can mix in fish oil, sardines (in oil - chopped) or especially good salmon roe (if you can get volume from the hatchery, or keep what you get over the season).
2. No weight needed in my traps, just a clip-on line weight above each end trap on the string of four. Of course you might need to weigh them down if using the 'sport-style' gear so common in Zellers, Canada Tire and the majority of sporting good shops.
3. I use two stainless traps (centre of string) with fine mesh, and two commercial steel traps on each end (larger mesh). The stainless are lighter, about 20 lbs each, the steel jobs also act as anchors as they weigh in at about 50. Traps 50 feet apart.
4. Used to pull by hand, but day after day hauling up from 300 began to make me look too much like Arnie. Built a puller 3 years ago - no turning back. Mounted on custom swing arm so traps don't bang the side of the boat upon surfacing.
5. Best months here historically have been December January and February. Now closures through the spawn (finally!) take out Jan and Feb, but when it re-opened in April, was HOT for several weeks. Slows over the summer, getting better into the fall again.
The hauler sure saves on visits to the chiropracter! Don't know the one you mention, but any of quality will do.
Spring and hail fishing out on the banks will be a LOT better than inside for the next while. A large school of immature springs and coho mix has taken up temporary feeding stations in zone 8 and 9, so best to avoid. Heard of some success closer to Ucy and closer to the beach than the banks. Might try there, or get the GPS, radio and radar fired up for a run out to the Big Bank. It's good there right now. Best if 40 miles out, 50 fathom edge beyond the Big Bank. Trollers are hauling loads up to 40 pounds or so!
Good Luck, hope you get into a few chromers and bugs.
Cheers...

[IronNoggin]

Hey there Country Boy,
You were trying for prawns to far out. One of my buds has been doing extremely well off Arden, town side of the narrows. I'd also suggest trying by the fish farm in the narrows if you're not afraid of potential contamination.
As for your queries:
1:Bait: Commercial pellets work great. Contact the guy who runs 'Ace of Baits' in Parksville, decent price, great bait. Can mix in fish oil, sardines (in oil - chopped) or especially good salmon roe (if you can get volume from the hatchery, or keep what you get over the season).
2. No weight needed in my traps, just a clip-on line weight above each end trap on the string of four. Of course you might need to weigh them down if using the 'sport-style' gear so common in Zellers, Canada Tire and the majority of sporting good shops.
3. I use two stainless traps (centre of string) with fine mesh, and two commercial steel traps on each end (larger mesh). The stainless are lighter, about 20 lbs each, the steel jobs also act as anchors as they weigh in at about 50. Traps 50 feet apart.
4. Used to pull by hand, but day after day hauling up from 300 began to make me look too much like Arnie. Built a puller 3 years ago - no turning back. Mounted on custom swing arm so traps don't bang the side of the boat upon surfacing.
5. Best months here historically have been December January and February. Now closures through the spawn (finally!) take out Jan and Feb, but when it re-opened in April, was HOT for several weeks. Slows over the summer, getting better into the fall again.
The hauler sure saves on visits to the chiropracter! Don't know the one you mention, but any of quality will do.
Spring and hail fishing out on the banks will be a LOT better than inside for the next while. A large school of immature springs and coho mix has taken up temporary feeding stations in zone 8 and 9, so best to avoid. Heard of some success closer to Ucy and closer to the beach than the banks. Might try there, or get the GPS, radio and radar fired up for a run out to the Big Bank. It's good there right now. Best if 40 miles out, 50 fathom edge beyond the Big Bank. Trollers are hauling loads up to 40 pounds or so!
Good Luck, hope you get into a few chromers and bugs.
Cheers...

[IronNoggin]

Hey there Country Boy,
You were trying for prawns to far out. One of my buds has been doing extremely well off Arden, town side of the narrows. I'd also suggest trying by the fish farm in the narrows if you're not afraid of potential contamination.
As for your queries:
1:Bait: Commercial pellets work great. Contact the guy who runs 'Ace of Baits' in Parksville, decent price, great bait. Can mix in fish oil, sardines (in oil - chopped) or especially good salmon roe (if you can get volume from the hatchery, or keep what you get over the season).
2. No weight needed in my traps, just a clip-on line weight above each end trap on the string of four. Of course you might need to weigh them down if using the 'sport-style' gear so common in Zellers, Canada Tire and the majority of sporting good shops.
3. I use two stainless traps (centre of string) with fine mesh, and two commercial steel traps on each end (larger mesh). The stainless are lighter, about 20 lbs each, the steel jobs also act as anchors as they weigh in at about 50. Traps 50 feet apart.
4. Used to pull by hand, but day after day hauling up from 300 began to make me look too much like Arnie. Built a puller 3 years ago - no turning back. Mounted on custom swing arm so traps don't bang the side of the boat upon surfacing.
5. Best months here historically have been December January and February. Now closures through the spawn (finally!) take out Jan and Feb, but when it re-opened in April, was HOT for several weeks. Slows over the summer, getting better into the fall again.
The hauler sure saves on visits to the chiropracter! Don't know the one you mention, but any of quality will do.
Spring and hail fishing out on the banks will be a LOT better than inside for the next while. A large school of immature springs and coho mix has taken up temporary feeding stations in zone 8 and 9, so best to avoid. Heard of some success closer to Ucy and closer to the beach than the banks. Might try there, or get the GPS, radio and radar fired up for a run out to the Big Bank. It's good there right now. Best if 40 miles out, 50 fathom edge beyond the Big Bank. Trollers are hauling loads up to 40 pounds or so!
Good Luck, hope you get into a few chromers and bugs.
Cheers...

[FunFisher]

Sure is nice to see this site might actually be turning around some. Someone asks a few questions and gets real answers. Who would have thought?
Thanks for the information Noggin. I know that I can't speak for all but I sure appreciate the info.

tight lines

[FunFisher]

Sure is nice to see this site might actually be turning around some. Someone asks a few questions and gets real answers. Who would have thought?
Thanks for the information Noggin. I know that I can't speak for all but I sure appreciate the info.

tight lines

[FunFisher]

Sure is nice to see this site might actually be turning around some. Someone asks a few questions and gets real answers. Who would have thought?
Thanks for the information Noggin. I know that I can't speak for all but I sure appreciate the info.

tight lines

[Roe Bags]

Noggin always relays the info!!!! Can't wait for the Stamp reports, or running into him again on the lower.

[Roe Bags]

Noggin always relays the info!!!! Can't wait for the Stamp reports, or running into him again on the lower.

[Roe Bags]

Noggin always relays the info!!!! Can't wait for the Stamp reports, or running into him again on the lower.

[Rodbreaker]

Once you get those bugs here's some ideas on what to do with 'em <img src=icon_smile_wink.gif border=0 align=middle>
http://www.prawnography.com/

that's why there's a warranty!

[Rodbreaker]

Once you get those bugs here's some ideas on what to do with 'em <img src=icon_smile_wink.gif border=0 align=middle>
http://www.prawnography.com/

that's why there's a warranty!

[Rodbreaker]

Once you get those bugs here's some ideas on what to do with 'em <img src=icon_smile_wink.gif border=0 align=middle>
http://www.prawnography.com/

that's why there's a warranty!

[Bob W]

There's lots of techniques, traps and methods of catching prawns, just like there is of catching salmon. Personally, I would get a prawn hauler if I had 50 lb traps! Since I have mostly lightweight, folding traps, its no big deal to pull traps by hand. I have a pulley on a long arm that bolts to by boat with one wingnut. And when I go prawning in the winter, its kinda' nice to get a bit of excersize.

Fisheries has got very serious about enforcing the two traps per line rule, pulling and confiscating traps. I used to hand pull 4 traps per line, so doing two per line is only a light workout.

Personally, I like to use catfood because its cheap and easy to use. 32 cents a can at wally world for the special kitty stuff. More important than type of bait is to soak the traps across a slack tide when the water isn't moving much. And I like to drop the traps and troll around where I can keep an eye on them - especially during commercial prawning season, as some commercial guys have a real dislike for sport prawners. Also, some sporties are not too sporting and have no concern for emptying traps and sometimes stealing them. Barges and log booms can't dodge traps and often run through a trap line at night when they can't be seen. Pretty disheartening to lose a string.
Biggest thing is to prawn where there are prawns. Where I am there are plenty of spots to get prawns within easy run, so we are pretty spoiled.

Good luck!

Eat more prawns! Bonk them salmon! Filet them snappers!

[Bob W]

There's lots of techniques, traps and methods of catching prawns, just like there is of catching salmon. Personally, I would get a prawn hauler if I had 50 lb traps! Since I have mostly lightweight, folding traps, its no big deal to pull traps by hand. I have a pulley on a long arm that bolts to by boat with one wingnut. And when I go prawning in the winter, its kinda' nice to get a bit of excersize.

Fisheries has got very serious about enforcing the two traps per line rule, pulling and confiscating traps. I used to hand pull 4 traps per line, so doing two per line is only a light workout.

Personally, I like to use catfood because its cheap and easy to use. 32 cents a can at wally world for the special kitty stuff. More important than type of bait is to soak the traps across a slack tide when the water isn't moving much. And I like to drop the traps and troll around where I can keep an eye on them - especially during commercial prawning season, as some commercial guys have a real dislike for sport prawners. Also, some sporties are not too sporting and have no concern for emptying traps and sometimes stealing them. Barges and log booms can't dodge traps and often run through a trap line at night when they can't be seen. Pretty disheartening to lose a string.
Biggest thing is to prawn where there are prawns. Where I am there are plenty of spots to get prawns within easy run, so we are pretty spoiled.

Good luck!

Eat more prawns! Bonk them salmon! Filet them snappers!

[Bob W]

There's lots of techniques, traps and methods of catching prawns, just like there is of catching salmon. Personally, I would get a prawn hauler if I had 50 lb traps! Since I have mostly lightweight, folding traps, its no big deal to pull traps by hand. I have a pulley on a long arm that bolts to by boat with one wingnut. And when I go prawning in the winter, its kinda' nice to get a bit of excersize.

Fisheries has got very serious about enforcing the two traps per line rule, pulling and confiscating traps. I used to hand pull 4 traps per line, so doing two per line is only a light workout.

Personally, I like to use catfood because its cheap and easy to use. 32 cents a can at wally world for the special kitty stuff. More important than type of bait is to soak the traps across a slack tide when the water isn't moving much. And I like to drop the traps and troll around where I can keep an eye on them - especially during commercial prawning season, as some commercial guys have a real dislike for sport prawners. Also, some sporties are not too sporting and have no concern for emptying traps and sometimes stealing them. Barges and log booms can't dodge traps and often run through a trap line at night when they can't be seen. Pretty disheartening to lose a string.
Biggest thing is to prawn where there are prawns. Where I am there are plenty of spots to get prawns within easy run, so we are pretty spoiled.

Good luck!

Eat more prawns! Bonk them salmon! Filet them snappers!

[dinkfloat]

quote: The stainless are lighter, about 20 lbs each, the steel jobs also act as anchors as they weigh in at about 50.





could it be you over estimate the wieght of your fish as well ????

...nnaawwwwww.....not noggin!LOL

[dinkfloat]

quote: The stainless are lighter, about 20 lbs each, the steel jobs also act as anchors as they weigh in at about 50.





could it be you over estimate the wieght of your fish as well ????

...nnaawwwwww.....not noggin!LOL

[dinkfloat]

quote: The stainless are lighter, about 20 lbs each, the steel jobs also act as anchors as they weigh in at about 50.





could it be you over estimate the wieght of your fish as well ????

...nnaawwwwww.....not noggin!LOL

[shankster]

You can still use 4 traps per line, you just have to have a marker or buoy on each end of the line.

[shankster]

You can still use 4 traps per line, you just have to have a marker or buoy on each end of the line.

[shankster]

You can still use 4 traps per line, you just have to have a marker or buoy on each end of the line.

[Mad Dog]

Countryboy, If your going to to do it you may as well go big or go home. It is very rewarding to get the 250 prawns in your four traps. However once you do you'll suddenly gain many freinds for dinner. I personally like to use comercial prawn pellets, they are actually just salmon feed pellets. You can get a thirty pound bag for twenty bucks and it can't be beat. i use two strings of two traps to spread the traps over a wider area and to prevent the commercial prawners from laying a line across your traps. trotac marine in victoria sells great working traps for sixty-nine a piece. its pricey but they work. Some styles of traps dont fish well, these do and they stack up for extra boat room. As for pulling by hand, good luck, it grows old fast and with the wind and tide to deal with it's a fair amount of drag even with two traps per string.It can be done, yet the robinson retriever is simple small and reliable puller and mounts existing scotty downrigger brackets and it will outlast the bulky awkward ace pot puller.You can freeze the prawns in ziplocks with heads removed in enough water to make em float in pig out portions, watch for vultures looming around the freezer!!!

[Mad Dog]

Countryboy, If your going to to do it you may as well go big or go home. It is very rewarding to get the 250 prawns in your four traps. However once you do you'll suddenly gain many freinds for dinner. I personally like to use comercial prawn pellets, they are actually just salmon feed pellets. You can get a thirty pound bag for twenty bucks and it can't be beat. i use two strings of two traps to spread the traps over a wider area and to prevent the commercial prawners from laying a line across your traps. trotac marine in victoria sells great working traps for sixty-nine a piece. its pricey but they work. Some styles of traps dont fish well, these do and they stack up for extra boat room. As for pulling by hand, good luck, it grows old fast and with the wind and tide to deal with it's a fair amount of drag even with two traps per string.It can be done, yet the robinson retriever is simple small and reliable puller and mounts existing scotty downrigger brackets and it will outlast the bulky awkward ace pot puller.You can freeze the prawns in ziplocks with heads removed in enough water to make em float in pig out portions, watch for vultures looming around the freezer!!!

[Mad Dog]

Countryboy, If your going to to do it you may as well go big or go home. It is very rewarding to get the 250 prawns in your four traps. However once you do you'll suddenly gain many freinds for dinner. I personally like to use comercial prawn pellets, they are actually just salmon feed pellets. You can get a thirty pound bag for twenty bucks and it can't be beat. i use two strings of two traps to spread the traps over a wider area and to prevent the commercial prawners from laying a line across your traps. trotac marine in victoria sells great working traps for sixty-nine a piece. its pricey but they work. Some styles of traps dont fish well, these do and they stack up for extra boat room. As for pulling by hand, good luck, it grows old fast and with the wind and tide to deal with it's a fair amount of drag even with two traps per string.It can be done, yet the robinson retriever is simple small and reliable puller and mounts existing scotty downrigger brackets and it will outlast the bulky awkward ace pot puller.You can freeze the prawns in ziplocks with heads removed in enough water to make em float in pig out portions, watch for vultures looming around the freezer!!!

[Mad Dog]

No way Gee, He's loaded to the scuppers with hali fever! He won't have the time for bug hunting, only the great white barn size chickens of the sea will quench his thirst.

[Mad Dog]

No way Gee, He's loaded to the scuppers with hali fever! He won't have the time for bug hunting, only the great white barn size chickens of the sea will quench his thirst.

[Mad Dog]

No way Gee, He's loaded to the scuppers with hali fever! He won't have the time for bug hunting, only the great white barn size chickens of the sea will quench his thirst.

[gurdygord]

I like to mix pellets[small and large] because I believe they break down at diffrent rates I also put chicken cat food and a coating of Alaskain fish fertilizer. I carry a 1 gallon ice cream bucket to do up this mix and make enough to add a topping mix after a two hour soak 'depending on area'.I don't go cheap with freshing up bait. I also know that the stainless traps out fish any other sportee trap.

[gurdygord]

I like to mix pellets[small and large] because I believe they break down at diffrent rates I also put chicken cat food and a coating of Alaskain fish fertilizer. I carry a 1 gallon ice cream bucket to do up this mix and make enough to add a topping mix after a two hour soak 'depending on area'.I don't go cheap with freshing up bait. I also know that the stainless traps out fish any other sportee trap.

[gurdygord]

I like to mix pellets[small and large] because I believe they break down at diffrent rates I also put chicken cat food and a coating of Alaskain fish fertilizer. I carry a 1 gallon ice cream bucket to do up this mix and make enough to add a topping mix after a two hour soak 'depending on area'.I don't go cheap with freshing up bait. I also know that the stainless traps out fish any other sportee trap.

[topogijo]

Hi IronNoggin Thanks for all that good info. I am specialy interested in your home made trap puller any chance you want to part with the detail. Sure would make like easier.

[kelly]

I am interested in a homemade trap hauler also. Yesterday pulled up the trap at 7:30 by hand and i froze. The wet rope soaks you and the cold temps freeze you. I dont like pulling up the 400 feet of rope with the 5 ft trap on the end it gets heavy! Does anyone use salmon? Our power went out during that big snow for 3 day and all of our salmon went bad(didnt think of throwing them outside in the cold snow DOH!). But now we have all this salmon for crab and prawn bait. Last year i used salmon and got 6 yes 6 dogfish in my trap. Its the trap with the flourescent mesh and the big openings. They were all small dogfish but they tore apart the trap! After we switched traps we did pretty well useing salmon 50-60 per trap.

[Eagle Eyes]

(get some gloves kelly)

but seriously, a rock drop in 250-400 feet of water commercial style round traps and the fish farm pellets= recipe for sucess.

[kelly]

Ive got gloves. I tried wetsuit gloves to keep my hands dry but the rubber grips got torn apart. Then i tried a pair of leather seado gloves but they werent very grippy. Finally today i tried some normal gardening gloves with a good grip and the worked great. Im still gonna make a hauler in metal work this month.

[Eagle Eyes]

had the traps out off Nanaimo for just over an hour yesterday, and got 140- not bad I think.

[explorer185]

Be Careful!!! Better check this DFO site for closures:
http://www-comm.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/pages/sfg/updates_e.htm

[Eagle Eyes]

As far as I can tell the only closures are down around Ladysmith, please inform me if that is incorrect. Also does anyone know when commercial season opens, I thought it was April 1 but couldn't remember.

[explorer185]

The website above shows most of the areas are closed till April 1 for recreational prawning.

[Mr. Dean]

This is from the DFO website

Area 17

Recreational Prawn and Shrimp Harvest Closure

Recreational Prawn and Shrimp harvesters are advised that effective November 21, 2004 until March 31, 2005, the harvest of prawns and shrimp by trap, ring net, or spear while diving, will close in Subareas 17-5 to 17-7, and 17-9 (Stuart Channel and Ladysmith Harbour).

This measure has been put in place to allow adult female prawn and shrimp to complete their spawning cycle. (Fishery Notice 0990)

Updated: November 12, 2004


Looks as if the Naniamo area is good to go.

Some like it rough...
Others just puke!.
Mr. Dean

Edited by - Mr. Dean on 03/29/2005 20:38:20

[Eagle Eyes]

What Mr. Dean posted is all I could find as well.

[tyee hunter]

they should close howe sound (area 28) up as well, last time i checked, they stocks weren,t that great

[Red Monster]

"had the traps out off Nanaimo for just over an hour yesterday, and got 140- not bad I think."

That's quite a haul, Mr. Eyes! Whereabouts is this huge gathering of prawns?


Remember, it's called "fishing," not "catching."

[Eagle Eyes]

I'm not too keen on giving up specific details of prawning locations, but it's safe to say 300-400 feet of water near a rocky drop off around neck point,snake island, or entrance island/cannery(backside of snake as well) will get you a good catch....as long as your traps dont get run over by the ferries(not fun atall)

[Tailspin]

We Have a new maddog imposter!

[Eagle Eyes]

I dont get it?....

anyway does anyone know when the commercial season begins?

[Red Monster]

Thanks for the info Mr. Eyes! Moms the word!

I think the maddog may have been poking fun at himself: perhaps something to do with ultra-top-secret fishing locations. <img src=icon_smile_shock.gif border=0 align=middle>

For good reasons, I understand that nobody wants to publicize his fishing holes for the whole darn world.

I've also wondered the whereabouts folks refer to when they mention prawning at the Flat Top Islands: It seems like a rather huge area, and I've often wondered about a more specific area into which to drop a couple of traps.

Grrrrrrrrr....

Down Maddog! Down!


<img src=icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle>

Remember, it's called "fishing," not "catching."

Edited by - Red Monster on 04/01/2005 17:29:01

[Eagle Eyes]

freinds of mine once got 250ish out there the only time they tried (4 traps, but again I don't know specifically where, just look for a deep drop off (300-400) and then experiment... thats how we've found our areas after about 2-3 trial runs you'll probly find a nice spot, hopefully one noone knows about<img src=icon_smile_wink.gif border=0 align=middle>

[explorer185]

Where would the Flat Top Islands be??

[Eagle Eyes]

Back end of gabriola near valdez island. Used to be great for lingcod too till that got closed.

[explorer185]

Too far from Victoria, but thanks for letting me know.

[Eagle Eyes]

no problemo, if you have heavy enough traps I'd look at some of the rocky drops around the sooke/pedder bay area on my chart it looks like the right kind of structure just the current could be a major issue.

[Malibuguy]

Does anyone know what those little Flea things are that sometimes get into your bait can when you are prawning? It seems that when they get in there you don't get hardly any prawns. Is there some baits that get these things less often or something that you do to not get these? They just seem to me to be a random pest that may infest the bait. They may get into 1 trap in a line of traps.Personally I use cat food or salmon scraps for bait.

[kelly]

Dont seem to affect my catch? I always get them when useing catfood.

[Whaler]

Malibuguy to stop the sealice from raiding your cat food I only use a knife edge slits in My catfood "CARLYLE" so the little buggers can not get inside and eat all the goodies Works for me !!!!

[Eagle Eyes]

I catch a lot of prawns and I always have massive amounts of those little critters and they dont seem to pose any problem other then the hassle of cleaning them out of the boat. I use fish farm pellets if that helps?

[jamaf]

I was prawing off of Crofton. My first time out and my fishing buddy and I got near 400 prawns. Does anyone have plans for a home made prawn trap puller???

[Eric]

Wow, great job. I took the family outside of Crofton and threw 3 traps down. And brought 3 prawns up. We caught (only kept 2) more rock cod than prawns!