Crab trap theives in Cowichan Bay

[bigsbee]

Out trying my luck at Cherry Point yesterday so I thought I'd drop a couple of crab traps off in the bay.Came back 6 hours later and no traps other than a commercial trap that wasn't there when I dropped mine. so that makes 4 traps this year that have gone missing, traps that were weighted and had enough buoyancy to float the Titanic. I thought that the thieving would reach a saturation point, that is to say whoever the filthy swine is stealing the traps would have enough. I guess I guessed wrong so I'm done with that game unless I sit on top of them. Be forewarned if you don't already know that if you put your traps down in Cowichan Bay they will eventually get stolen.

[adrianna3]

Never let them out of your sight. Sorry for your loss.

Dave

[esora]

So did you hit any fish? I tried on Monday out at Cherry Point but no luck. We got our limit of crabs and found a couple of extra traps in Cow Bay( just kiddin).

Talk at ya later

Esora

[bigsbee]

no,I got skunked Esora but there were lots of Coho jumping out there, in a small area in about 20 ft. of water. Guys were catching them on fly gear but I forgot my fly reel so had to settle on spin casting and trolling. Going out with my son sometime this weekend with the pontoon boats and my fly rod and REEL.

[bondo]

I set a string of barbed tri-hooks in my crab trap lines so anyone pulling them up not suspecting them get thier hands shredded! Had one stolen recently i hope the guy who took it has his hands bandeged up!

[bondo]

I set a string of barbed tri-hooks in my crab trap lines so anyone pulling them up not suspecting them get thier hands shredded! Had one stolen recently i hope the guy who took it has his hands bandeged up!

[knucklebuster]

quote:Originally posted by bondo

I set a string of barbed tri-hooks in my crab trap lines so anyone pulling them up not suspecting them get thier hands shredded! Had one stolen recently i hope the guy who took it has his hands bandeged up!
Nice! so if DFO checks them, or someone gets them tangled in a prop or another crab line and needs to handle it, they get a nice surprise. just make sure you have a phone # on there so they can find you.[B)] I know it's frustrating. I lose about 2 a year in Cow bay but it's the cost of crabbing. Your answer is not the right one.

a total MILF.Man I Love Fishing

[knucklebuster]

quote:Originally posted by bondo

I set a string of barbed tri-hooks in my crab trap lines so anyone pulling them up not suspecting them get thier hands shredded! Had one stolen recently i hope the guy who took it has his hands bandeged up!
Nice! so if DFO checks them, or someone gets them tangled in a prop or another crab line and needs to handle it, they get a nice surprise. just make sure you have a phone # on there so they can find you.[B)] I know it's frustrating. I lose about 2 a year in Cow bay but it's the cost of crabbing. Your answer is not the right one.

a total MILF.Man I Love Fishing

[fishyfish]

I have been crabbing in the lower mainland (Vancouver) for over 20 years. Only once did I catch someone red handed pulling my crab trap. I saw red,red, red and chased these two young punks who were nervously drinking some kind of alcohol while I chased them. I had my seventy year old Dad holding my three year old son while he was screaming. I had my gaff hook in hand swearing and threatening them as I chased them. I had some plans when I caught them but I won't incriminate myself. Every trap I had ever lost was there fault at that moment. I believe God intervened and just as I was about to catch them I hit something and my engine cut out. I almost always stay with my traps but I will say I believe I have lost more traps to tides and current rather than theft. Often on the rare occasion I do leave my traps I have found them drifted miles away from where I thought they were. The last time they drifted completely opposite to where I thought they would be. Knots can unloosen. I always zapstrap the loose end after tying my knots. They can easily free themselves. I am not saying they haven't been stolen but don't rule out knots untying, currents tide etc. I have also seen other peoples traps getting sucked under the water in currents. I have seen traps in spots that I know people didn't put them. It is a shame when I see a trap being sucked under but I wouldn't dare touch it in case someone thought I was stealing it.

[MRACER]

what are the thoughts on marking the way point on your GPS and sinking the float below water level---I know I have tangled my prop in improperly set traps before and cussed profusely, but losing traps time after time sucks--
by the way, I was at the Cow Bay boat ramp at about 10:30 am on Monday and saw 2 young guys in an alumn boat come in to the dock with about 10 crab traps in their open 17-18 ftr. Not saying they were the culprits, but it was strange to see so many traps in the boat with 2 occupants.

[bigsbee]

I have put crab traps in Cowichan Bay for over 30 years in the same area. I know that the traps didn't float off or the floats get pulled under because of current. My lines are always weighted as not to snarl in boaters props. All that being said I am pretty certain my traps were stolen as I have never lost 4 traps in one year let alone 2 in one day. I think the only rational solution is to not leave your traps unguarded.

[nedarb2]

quote:Originally posted by MRACER

what are the thoughts on marking the way point on your GPS and sinking the float below water level---I know I have tangled my prop in improperly set traps before and cussed profusely, but losing traps time after time sucks--



illegal to submerge your floats - thats a stupid and dangerous idea.


http://img384.imageshack.us/img384/8135/img3937n.jpg

[High Five]

quote:Originally posted by nedarb2


quote:Originally posted by MRACER

what are the thoughts on marking the way point on your GPS and sinking the float below water level---I know I have tangled my prop in improperly set traps before and cussed profusely, but losing traps time after time sucks--



illegal to submerge your floats - thats a stupid and dangerous idea.


http://img384.imageshack.us/img384/8135/img3937n.jpg


I have to agree not a good idea. Very dangerous to vessels coming out of the bay. I am surprised to here it is bad in there. I have the same traps I have used for 3 years in that area. Never had mine stolen but I let them soak for only a few hours at a time.

I have seen many traps get hauled off with sailboats/boats in the bay ( getting dragged accidentally), so that is always a possibility. If you have a boat drag it a little the trap would get submerged, and that would be the end of it.

Well anyhow thanks for the warning. I will keep my eye out.

Smiley66

[Dave S]

quote:Originally posted by bondo

I set a string of barbed tri-hooks in my crab trap lines so anyone pulling them up not suspecting them get thier hands shredded! Had one stolen recently i hope the guy who took it has his hands bandeged up!


I like!!!

[bondo]

quote:Originally posted by knucklebuster


quote:Originally posted by bondo

I set a string of barbed tri-hooks in my crab trap lines so anyone pulling them up not suspecting them get thier hands shredded! Had one stolen recently i hope the guy who took it has his hands bandeged up!
Nice! so if DFO checks them, or someone gets them tangled in a prop or another crab line and needs to handle it, they get a nice surprise. just make sure you have a phone # on there so they can find you.[B)] I know it's frustrating. I lose about 2 a year in Cow bay but it's the cost of crabbing. Your answer is not the right one.

a total MILF.Man I Love Fishing


Why would DFO be checking crab traps? To see if there's illegal chicken in there or something? I've never seen them check traps before. If someone runs over a clearly visable floating buoy then they should re-do their boating license exam. Even if they did mistakenly run over one, they wouldn't need to pull the whole trap up to untangle it from the prop. If they drop their trap too close to another one then they should just give up crabbing entirely due to lack of common sense!

I had a weighted line, big visable buoy and a nice string of anti-theft near the bottom of my line above the trap. Just don't like to lose a trap to some would be punks out there. That is all :D

[adrianna3]

DFO checks crab traps on a regular basis. They check for bouy markings and to see of they are rot cord compliant. There's a whole stack of traps in the lockup at their new headquarters in Duncan. Perhaps people who have lost traps can go down and see if theirs are there in that pile. I'm pretty sure you'll be paying your fine before they release them.

Dave

[Time]

Cow Bay is fairly large, wondering where you, or whomever has lost a trap, were setting them? And for how long.

Guess what I'm trying to identify is if there is a particular area that should be avoided?

I've never lost a trap there, but I don't set in or beside the anchored flotilla off the boat launch area, nor do I leave them overnight.

[bigsbee]

traps were set for 6 hrs. in 60 ft. of water between Wilcuma lodge and Cherry Point.

[Time]

Bu**er!
Thats in what I consider a "safe" area, not too much traffic, far enough from the bay, and the boat launch, that anybody out there ususlly has a purpose, besides raiding traps.
I'll pay more attention to mine. Thanks