Be Warned of Crab Trap Thieves

LMC

LMC

Member
Ive had 3 traps go missing off cadboro bay in the last week(including 2 at once about 200 meters apart) I came across this story today .. http://vicpdthebeat.com/?p=3952
not sure if it was the same guy...anyone else missing traps recently? any advice on not getting your traps ripped off? (if its possible) ... is someone beefing with my traps because im rolling on thier crabbing turf? getting choked up over missing crustation confinement boxes either way..be warned watch your traps
 
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Small pieces of drift wood, eye bolts and gps.. This is how i would hide my traps between read island and Quadra, otherwise they would get pinched.
 
If you set your gear too close to the commercial boys and it gets tangled
they will cut you off.
be aware that they could have 10 or 12 traps in a string, so their gear goes
out a long way.
Watch for the numbered floats and give them a big berth.
 
Also if the float is not marked properly DFO will confiscate the trap. (I'm not saying this was the case here)
 
Article in this mornings paper said a fisherman found his traps for sale on Used Victoria. Police recovered traps valued at $1300. Suspect admitted to the theft but the Vic police say NO charges are being contemplated. SO THIS PRETTY WELL SETS A PRESIDENCE THAT THIS IS NOT A CRIMINAL OFFENCE. ????
 
trophywife said:
Small pieces of drift wood, eye bolts and gps.. This is how i would hide my traps between read island and Quadra, otherwise they would get pinched.
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sweet idea......I was down in Nanaimo last weekend and left the dinging dock heading through the maze of boats that were anchored there....a few Canadian geese were floating close by...and the girlfriend and her son wanted a closer look...I thought they looked kinda weird, and when we got around them a fellow from the sailboat close by yelled over "its my crab trap"......the geese were hunting decoys:D.......
 
obcrabkiller said:
Ive had 3 traps go missing off cadboro bay in the last week(including 2 at once about 200 meters apart) I came across this story today .. http://vicpdthebeat.com/?p=395
not sure if it was the same guy...anyone else missing traps recently? any advice on not getting your traps ripped off? (if its possible) ... is someone beefing with my traps because im rolling on thier crabbing turf? getting choked up over missing crustation confinement boxes either way..be warned watch your traps
Click to expand...

I crab regularily in Oak Bay and most of the "thievery" happens when sailboats pick up a few traps on the way into the marina then cut them off near Mary Todd. If you don't use sinking line you run a 50/50 chance of getting chopped.The current is strong near cattle point and if your trap doesn't have some weight it can drag into deeper water ,where it will float over to sanjuan island in a afternoon.

sinking line
big visible float
weighted trap
enough line
 
I have picked up bobbing traps in 900 feet of water crab and prawn quite a few times they came from some where. Most have names and numbers So I call and return them. I have also hooked into quite a few crab traps in Vancouver and thought they were springs untill you go closer to chase and it's a crab float 5 feet under lol. 100 feet of line in 100 feet of water at low tide means your float won't be thethere later. I'm not saying this happens to everybody but the response I get when I call people is they thought there gear was stolen. I have lost a couple traps I know a couple were stolen and I know a couple floated off too. It happens to everybody.
 
CCB said:
100 feet of line in 100 feet of water at low tide means your float won't be the there later. I'm not saying this happens to everybody .....
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I will never forget the day, new to the island, renting waterfront place..... Launched the tinny off the backyard to get some fresh crab, giddy about living here. Then promptly heaved new weighted trap and 100' line (lead core, wanted to do it right) overboard for dinner. In 130' of (low) water as it turns out. Nothing like watching your red/white float rocket down until out of sight. D'oh ! (not quite what I said as I recall, something a little spicier... Of course, had witness onboard, we laughed our butts off after though)
 
all good advice thanks...though, if I was to use a piece of driftwood as a float..the DFO would surely confiscate it if they found it? also would that not increase the chance of a boat snagging it without the visible float?
 
obcrabkiller said:
all good advice thanks...though, if I was to use a piece of driftwood as a float..the DFO would surely confiscate it if they found it? also would that not increase the chance of a boat snagging it without the visible float?
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I'm soon to put gps trackers in my floats some how so if they float off or get stolen I will find them. Gotta hide the tracker though.
 
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