Best depth for 🦀

[terrin]

Many many years ago used to walk out onto a river estuary at low tide look for discoloured sand scratch the surface and dungy pinchers pop up toss them in pail.

Same at point roberts just need a stick with a fork on the end to catch and throw in bucket on low tide.

 

[Original]

If I’m in a Bay I put my trap in the middle to attract them from both sides. Once I find the middle I head out looking for that first drop off. I usually find it 60-80 ft. I’m always trying to crab on an incoming tide. If it’s an outgoing tide I’ll be going deeper say 100ft as my rope is only 125ft. I try to never puta trap near fishing tachs. For bait I’ll use a variety of chicken, salmon bits, pork bones, salmon eggs.

 

[Aces]

Same at point roberts just need a stick with a fork on the end to catch and throw in bucket on low tide.

Birch Bay for us

 

[Hagar]

I use chicken backs mostly but if I have a turkey neck I add that , I think that really helps,

 

[uclueletcharters]

Best bait I found is a string of Tuna heads oil just rings off them as soon as trap touches the water and a close second place is 2 or 3 fresh cod carcasses. Found sporty traps do well in 2-4 hour soaks trick is making sure there’s enough bait for full soak length. Once baits gone next for them is trying to get out and they are Houdini’s of escape in those traps once baits gone.

 

[Sea Chaser]

If I’m in a Bay I put my trap in the middle to attract them from both sides. Once I find the middle I head out looking for that first drop off. I usually find it 60-80 ft. I’m always trying to crab on an incoming tide. If it’s an outgoing tide I’ll be going deeper say 100ft as my rope is only 125ft. I try to never puta trap near fishing tachs. For bait I’ll use a variety of chicken, salmon bits, pork bones, salmon eggs.

How do the salmon eggs do? I found an old pack of freezer burned eggs . Don’t think the salmon or sturgeon will bite these ones but never know. Maybe can entice some crabs

 

[sly_karma]

I love threads like this. You need 20’-300’ of line and drop wherever and no question is answered

Because fishing.

 

[Original]

How do the salmon eggs do? I found an old pack of freezer burned eggs . Don’t think the salmon or sturgeon will bite these ones but never know. Maybe can entice some crabs

I think they are like the cheese on the burger, there’s never any left so they must like them.

 

[eroyd]

How do the salmon eggs do? I found an old pack of freezer burned eggs . Don’t think the salmon or sturgeon will bite these ones but never know. Maybe can entice some crabs

Going by how other critters react to eggs, I doubt they'd make it to the bottom.

 

[gone fishin]

I love threads like this. You need 20’-300’ of line and drop wherever and no question is answered

Crabbing is much like salmon fishing.
Different bait and depths based on where and when you fish. that being said, there has been some good info on this thread.
Most crab fishing in the area's I fish them is 30 to 60'

 

[capt pete]

Chatting with a friend about crab fishing….. what’s all your favourite depths for Dungeness crab? I find 40’ is good in a spot with crab. But I see commercial boats crabbing down to 200’+

Highly successful at 10-15 ft deep. It depends on location!!!

 

[CiscoCat]

Did well on the weekend in a new location that I had been wanting to drop some pots at for a while. My go to bait has usually been whatever I could raid out of the fridge and some ghetto type dollar store cat food. This time I Tried Chicken Backs in 3 pots with a bit of salmon and turkey necks in two pots with salmon parts.

All produced amazing. In 8hr soak through a flood tide @ 50’ they all produced an average of 7 crabs each. Mostly keepers. Almost a split of Dungeness and Rock. Safe to say that bait combo works perfectly. Felt pretty good to have enough crab for Saturday night dinner and then be throwing 4 pots worth back.

 

[CRGreg]

Whatever depth you fish, always have your Name and phone # clearly marked on the float... I think a lot of the "stolen" traps end up in DFO hands...

CR Greg

 

[sly_karma]

Did well on the weekend in a new location that I had been wanting to drop some pots at for a while. My go to bait has usually been whatever I could raid out of the fridge and some ghetto type dollar store cat food. This time I Tried Chicken Backs in 3 pots with a bit of salmon and turkey necks in two pots with salmon parts.

All produced amazing. In 8hr soak through a flood tide @ 50’ they all produced an average of 7 crabs each. Mostly keepers. Almost a split of Dungeness and Rock. Safe to say that bait combo works perfectly. Felt pretty good to have enough crab for Saturday night dinner and then be throwing 4 pots worth back. View attachment 87016View attachment 87018View attachment 87017

I had a similar experience when I switched to chicken after some reading and questions here on the forum. First trap pulled had 10 in it after previous experiences in same area had yielded little to nothing, maybe the occasional starfish.

 

[Aquaholic]

I was using chicken backs years ago mainly because they were part of the throw away from a full carcass, and my results were like all of you. A world of difference.

 

[Captain PartyMarty]

Whatever depth you fish, always have your Name and phone # clearly marked on the float... I think a lot of the "stolen" traps end up in DFO hands...

CR Greg

They Sure do they get sold ever so often at Able Auctions about 2 years ago I bought 4 pallets of traps.

 

[porcupine]

Whatever depth you fish, always have your Name and phone # clearly marked on the float... I think a lot of the "stolen" traps end up in DFO hands...

CR Greg

Don't forget the letters must be a minimum of 3" tall

 

[porcupine]

10-15 feet in Ross Bay, 20-70 feet in Vic harbour. 60-80 off Saxe Pt