king crab

[Confused]

Does anyone have any experience catching king crab recreationally? Most importantly what type of trap to use?? Fishing out of Rupert. I have a friend that has given me some GPS cooridinates on where to go and what depth and such, but not a suitable trap style. He has a 55 ft boat with a commercial style trap that he uses with a big winch. That is not going to work for me, so just wondering if there is anyone that has some advice.

Thanks in advance.

 

[wishiniwasfishin1]

How deep are they?

 

[Confused]

He fishes them at 240 at the location he gave me.

 

[Finished Business]

He fishes them at 240 at the location he gave me.

Find an old commercial trap, the type that has the 2 foot hole cut in the top of the trap. If you can't find one, modify your round sport trap by cutting an 18" diameter hole out of the top of your trap. You will need to re-inforce the hole somewhat so that the wire mesh doesn't sag into the trap. I'd recommend getting a thing piece of steel rod and bending it by hand, or even heavy mechanics wire to reinforce the opening.

It works well for large crabs as they climb the trap and fall in the hole when the doors are too small for the crab to fit. This is a technique I pieced together with some help from a few folks to target box crabs. Since crabs don't like being upside down, they don't exit through the hole they fell in.

Good luck. Don't forget to weight your trap similar to that when prawning as your depths are pretty similar.

 

[Confused]

Thanks, I will see if I can find something I can modify.. I just thought someone out there might manufacture a trap for sportsfishermen. I cant be the only one looking for one.

 

[Dogbreath]

This guy in Alaska makes are all kinds of Traps (he calls them pots)-I've seen his posts on the net for years very helpful & funny person.


http://www.alaskashrimppots.com/

 

[Wooly]

Does anyone have any experience catching king crab recreationally? Most importantly what type of trap to use?? Fishing out of Rupert. I have a friend that has given me some GPS cooridinates on where to go and what depth and such, but not a suitable trap style. He has a 55 ft boat with a commercial style trap that he uses with a big winch. That is not going to work for me, so just wondering if there is anyone that has some advice.

Thanks in advance.

King crab come into the shallows to spawn in feb-april. U wlll find them mixed with dungys where there is a good sandy bottom. u shouldnt have to go over 100 feet at this time of year. We fish around 60 and the trick is to find them as they travel in balls or groups. If you catch one let it back down and u should get loads. Hoop trap is the only recreational way to go. You will get loads of dungys as bi catch as well. and if you pull fast enough u will get lots of flounder. With the hoop trap u want to be straight over the trap before you pull and pull fast. You should get flounder if your doin it right.

I fish out of kitimat for king crab. I have not been in rupert in the spring. Not sure how to fish them in the summer when they r deep.

cheers,

wooly

 

[Gunsmith]

Check out the the photo gallery on this site and you will find the Alaskans are using a pyramid style trap that seems to work well.

http://www.safe-t-puller.com/catalog6.htm

 

[Fish Assassin]

Check out Bauer traps http://www.prawntraps.ca/crab_traps.htm