Prawns

[Matt16]

This weekend is the last opportunity before they get carpet bombed by the commies. Although, prawning has been pretty poor for me around Vancouver this spring so I’m really not that motivated to get out in the wind just to get skunked again.

There were several commercial strings at Passage on the weekend. Must have been FN (?).

 

[Dogbreath]

There were several commercial strings at Passage on the weekend.

Maybe hired to do test sets.

 

[17 ft sea ranger]

Maybe hired to do test sets.

thats the FN play.......Set all there're 'food fishing' gear just prior to the commercial opening so that they get all the preferred areas first.

 

[Brando]

You find a VEE using your sonar.
Here is a typical drop zone

I may know where this is! Can be productive

 

[Flyflicker]

I may know where this is! Can be productive

Prawning has been awesome. Averaging 80 per pot on a 2 hour soak.

 

[Brando]

Prawning has been awesome. Averaging 80 per pot on a 2 hour soak.

At the location trophywife posted?

 

[Corey_lax]

At the location trophywife posted?

I've never had that kind of success there. Some good days though.

 

[Clem Poquiz]

How long is the commercial prawning opening for?

 

[Rain City]

Until they're all gone.

 

[Wldsalmon]

How long is the commercial prawning opening for?

It is usually open 40 days on average
Give or take 3 days

 

[trophywife]

I may know where this is! Can be productive

send me a pm.. see if yer on it.

 

[Flyflicker]

I live in Ladysmith and am fortunate that being only 5 minutes from the launch have some of the best prawning grounds that are offered around Vancouver Island. The beauty of prawning in Stuart Channel is that mostly your dropping your pots in water depths of 230ish to 250ish. Some areas nearby your going much deeper like 270 plus. I’m running Ladner traps that are fishing just as well as my friends that are running the bauer type of trap. Secret is to weight your trap and don’t scrimp on your bait. Each one of my traps are 20 pounds plus, used to run doubles but its quite a grunt for my scotty pot puller with running doubles. I weighted my Ladners with lead around the perimeter of the base. My Ladners are just under 7 pounds so to weight them I made a mold out of wood and poured lead into said mold. Now my traps average about 22 pounds per and man.....when I throw them over do they ever drop! Hitting your mark is key. I used to run live prawns to Vancouver from the commercial guys and they all said that a few feet from hitting your mark makes all the difference un the world.

 

[Flyflicker]

I live in Ladysmith and am fortunate that being only 5 minutes from the launch have some of the best prawning grounds that are offered around Vancouver Island. The beauty of prawning in Stuart Channel is that mostly your dropping your pots in water depths of 230ish to 250ish. Some areas nearby your going much deeper like 270 plus. I’m running Ladner traps that are fishing just as well as my friends that are running the bauer type of trap. Secret is to weight your trap and don’t scrimp on your bait. Each one of my traps are 20 pounds plus, used to run doubles but its quite a grunt for my scotty pot puller with running doubles. I weighted my Ladners with lead around the perimeter of the base. My Ladners are just under 7 pounds so to weight them I made a mold out of wood and poured lead into said mold. Now my traps average about 22 pounds per and man.....when I throw them over do they ever drop! Hitting your mark is key. I used to run live prawns to Vancouver from the commercial guys and they all said that a few feet from hitting your mark makes all the difference in the world.

 

[Flyflicker]

I love prawning so I still run my allowable 4 traps. I usually have my limit within a trap and a half so to ensure that prawns that I’m releasing have a good opportunity of survival upon release.......I’ll remove/count prawns for my limit then leave trap open (leave drawstring open) then throw trap over to settle on ocean floor. I’ll then lift trap 10 to 20 feet and shake the **** out of it so the prawns escape.

 

[seascene]

North Cortes Island east of Von Donup.. .unbelievable not a prawn in the trap last week ....usually 60-80 ... nothing. There was a very large white styrofoam block in the middle of the channel and then a red scotty a distance away ... commerical? Shocked at not a prawn after many years. I always set just one trap ... the small square one. You can see it and my haul (last year) if you go to youtube.com/PacificEscapes and run Escape#27.

 

[Fishless]

Same for me and only large ones. In the past I would get all different size prawns and those small
long armed, red critters, but now nothing but a couple large prawns.

Anybody heard what live prawns are going for at the dock this year ?........just curious......thanx

 

[Matt16]

Stuck this side of the Strait this weekend with the wind. Did about 10 resets around Bowen and Gambier... we got 3 (!) prawns total.

I'm no pro, but usually get a dinner off each set. My traps are parked until commercial season is done.

 

[papalorge]

Anybody heard what live prawns are going for at the dock this year ?........just curious......thanx

Pretty sure i heard $22 per lb w/ heads on

 

[scott craven]

$10.00 a lb whole at Sidney
Big ones !

 

[habberdasher]

$10.00 a lb whole at Sidney
Big ones !

Thanks Scott makes more sense than buying a puller my old puller is on strike