Vancouver Trap Theft/Raid Insantity 2017 Thread.
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This year, I have lost 8 traps around Howe Sound so I am as mad as anyone here posting about prawn thieves. I was seething and was really pissed thinking what I was going to do if I catches anyone lifting my traps. Since then a couple of things have happened. Some members here pointed out there are chances the traps could have fallen off an edge, drifted off, pulled away by log barges and of course stolen. I calmed down and thinking back there were times when I probably lost traps because my set ups were not as good as they should have been: Setting traps in 250 yard depth with only 325 of line, small yellow styrofoam floats, no putting weights/anchors etc… There was a case where I soak 2 sets of traps, one with a big scotsman and one without in a similar area and when I returned only the ones with the big scotsman was still around and the ones with the smaller float had disappeared. Stolen? Perhaps, Fallen of the edge? Most likely. Lesson learned. Since then, I have bought more traps and set up my traps differently. I put 15 pounds of weight/anchor, 600 yard of rope in 250-350 depth and always attached them to a big scotsman. Even then, there have been cases where I found my traps drifting 300-600 meters away from where I set them bopping in 700-feet of water. How do I know they were not messed with and then dragged to a different area? Because there were still prawns inside the traps.
On a different thread here, a member posted a couple of pictures showing some guys holding up some prawn lines and screamed thieves caught red handed stealing traps. When others, myself included ask how the whole storied went down/resolved there were no responses. I looked closely at the pictures and recognized the boat, which was moored at the same marina as myself so I asked the owner what happened. He told me his trim taps somehow got tangled up in the prawn lines and he tried to pull it up to try to free it. He couldn’t and had to cut it and paid the owner 400 dollars as compensation. I posted this story on that thread and was called b.s by another member but the truth is up until now the member that posted original pictures has not come out and refuted what the owner said to me. In the meantime, everyone based on 2 pictures posted without details are thinking he is a thief. Okay, I have rambled long enough but I guess my point is unless you are absolutely sure someone has stolen your traps, it is not wise to threaten vigilante justices on the water. Hate to see someone getting hurt, killed, reputations ruined or a bullet hole on the side of the boat due to someone losing their cool on the water because an honest mistake. That’s all.
On a different thread here, a member posted a couple of pictures showing some guys holding up some prawn lines and screamed thieves caught red handed stealing traps. When others, myself included ask how the whole storied went down/resolved there were no responses. I looked closely at the pictures and recognized the boat, which was moored at the same marina as myself so I asked the owner what happened. He told me his trim taps somehow got tangled up in the prawn lines and he tried to pull it up to try to free it. He couldn’t and had to cut it and paid the owner 400 dollars as compensation. I posted this story on that thread and was called b.s by another member but the truth is up until now the member that posted original pictures has not come out and refuted what the owner said to me. In the meantime, everyone based on 2 pictures posted without details are thinking he is a thief. Okay, I have rambled long enough but I guess my point is unless you are absolutely sure someone has stolen your traps, it is not wise to threaten vigilante justices on the water. Hate to see someone getting hurt, killed, reputations ruined or a bullet hole on the side of the boat due to someone losing their cool on the water because an honest mistake. That’s all.
Number one excuse from guys caught with your float or trap in their hands is “ ah, um, well we did not see it and got your trap rope caught in our leg and had to free it”. Much of the time this is bovine waste, but what are you going to do.
On rare occasion this does actually happen, and happened to us a few years back, but in that case they had their trap out with about a hundred feet of floating rope in about 25 feet of water very close to the marina. We were not the only one that day who hit it as it was a long floating invisible barrier not far from the entrance to the fuel dock. Even so, all that was necessary was to raise the leg and lift it off with the boat hook. Sinking nylon/lead core trap rope should be mandatory.
Sometimes traps set too close together can tangle so that can be a legitimate reason to be freeing traps not your own, but can also be used as an excuse if the thieves get caught pulling your traps for less legitimate reasons.
On rare occasion this does actually happen, and happened to us a few years back, but in that case they had their trap out with about a hundred feet of floating rope in about 25 feet of water very close to the marina. We were not the only one that day who hit it as it was a long floating invisible barrier not far from the entrance to the fuel dock. Even so, all that was necessary was to raise the leg and lift it off with the boat hook. Sinking nylon/lead core trap rope should be mandatory.
Sometimes traps set too close together can tangle so that can be a legitimate reason to be freeing traps not your own, but can also be used as an excuse if the thieves get caught pulling your traps for less legitimate reasons.
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Just read Cabezons post on the trim tab issue. There are legitimate reasons for touching someones traps but it is also true that trap raiding and theft is getting out of control. Have heard of some on a boating cruise pulling a trap for a crab dinner and leaving some beer in it for payment- at least they had a little class. Not sure what the answer is other than some sort of sting operation by the authorities in a high theft area - the word would get around.
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The subject of this thread was a poll to determine if members have had traps stolen or raided. It was not intended to have yet another discussion on how else they might be missing. This subject has been discussed in many other threads, so let's try to keep this one focused on the poll and applicable information as described in the title. As for those of you advocating taking matters into your own hands if you encounter people raiding your traps, you may want to temper your comments as to how far you would be willing to go to defend your property. While no one here would advocate that anyone messing with someone else's property is tolerable, putting in writing on a public forum what actions you might take to deal with the matter is not recommended. If you happen to follow through on something you publicly said you were going to do, it changes your position dramatically when the premise of premeditation comes into play. That is why, in our posting guidelines, we do not allow the promotion of illegal activities and why we have had contact from various authorities in the past regarding posts that have been made by members of the forum.
Fisherman Rob
Well-Known Member
Good point, not sure what the regulations say exactly, but a piece of drift wood would fail the requirement to use "... highly visible buoys".
http://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fm-gp/rec/crab-crabe-eng.html
fishin_magician
Well-Known Member
Visited a friend on the way home from work today and he observed 2 sailboats cruising around his traps off Jericho...2 traps. Bait chewed, no other crabs 1 keeper. 1 cruiser boat with a camper type enclosed back up in the. Back of it not too far away too. He believes he was raided.
This is sad.
As for all the traps being lost in bungled sets....few are ever found. This is odd to me.
This is sad.
As for all the traps being lost in bungled sets....few are ever found. This is odd to me.
Old Blue
Well-Known Member
At least East Coasters leave a bottle of booze when they borrow a few lobsters.
I've had one set of prawn traps stolen guaranteed and 2 crab traps guaranteed (blue aluminum up Indian Arm once)......not to mention the amount of times I've had my zap straps removed or had bait 1/2 eaten yet not even a undersized in the trap?????
I never leave traps along Jericho/Spanish Banks on weekends anymore. Weathers nice now, might be interesting to sit with a 6 pack and binoculars on shore and keep an eye out.
I've had one set of prawn traps stolen guaranteed and 2 crab traps guaranteed (blue aluminum up Indian Arm once)......not to mention the amount of times I've had my zap straps removed or had bait 1/2 eaten yet not even a undersized in the trap?????
I never leave traps along Jericho/Spanish Banks on weekends anymore. Weathers nice now, might be interesting to sit with a 6 pack and binoculars on shore and keep an eye out.
Pippen
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fishin solo
Crew Member
Just came across this
eriks
Active Member
I think Cali isn't saying don't be mad if this goes down, what he's saying is that what makes this country freaking amazing is that we have an independent judicial system that works most of the time. That, in some part, is what makes Canada awesome. It's not anyone's job other than a judge to dish out a consequence for this type of behavior or murdering someone for example. Somehow get the authorities involved, its how our advanced society works. Obviously it would be great to have RCMP cruising Spanish Banks on weekends and supervising every trap being pulled, but that ain't gonna happen.
fishin solo
Crew Member
I don't know what planet you are talking about if your saying this country has a good judicial system..... are system is flawed and is a joke it pays to be a thief and a crook.....
eriks
Active Member
I said it's independent and works most of the time. Obviously it's naive to think it'll work all the time, and of course I acknowledge it's very disappointing to have gear stolen.
In an advanced society like this, people don't take the law into their own hands, that's (in part) what makes it an advanced society.
Thats the only point I'm trying to make , sorry about derailing the thread.
fishin_magician
Well-Known Member
100% correct and theives and opportunists are everywhere.
I dropped my traps this morning for my guests at 7:25 am. There was no one else around. I came back 5 hours later and found identical floats within 150' of my two traps spaced close together. The Asian name on the float was interesting---and they had NO phone number. Did they not know that dropping your trap in the middle of no where nearly in close proximity to another's traps is rude and asking for it? The thought had occurred to me that they would have pulled my traps when they pulled theirs.
Also continued on after pulling my traps aboard and found just 5 legals in 2 traps...which is abyssmal....I should have had 12 legal in those traps!
Just goes to show that in this day and age....you can count on no one but yourself....
Went out to fish cowan today. Dropped four crab traps. All in 65ft to 75ft. All marked on gps. I run 150 ft lead lines and weight my traps also. Three gone found one trap in 35 ft of water in close to shore no where near my gps marks. Honestly cant go out anymore and enjoy a peaceful day on the water. Always have to worry about thieves.
fishin_magician
Well-Known Member
Keep the reports coming folks.
I'm going to be speaking with DFO later this week....I have a busy busy week ahead but I will be speaking with authorities about the issue.
I'm going to be speaking with DFO later this week....I have a busy busy week ahead but I will be speaking with authorities about the issue.
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