Crabbing the Fraser South Arm

[Captain PartyMarty]

I am moored in the south arm and have tried 4 times now to catch crabs out by the light house and a little further up the coast. I have yet to even catch a small one. I know my traps and bait are working as I droped traps behind the north arm jetty and had about 10 smaller crabs and few females. I am also pretty sure the traps aren't being messed with as the zap straps I put on before droping the traps are still in place.

Are there crabs down by the south arm? Got Proof?

Is there a special trick to catching them?

Capt

 

[spring time]

native are fishing pretty good there but there should be lots of crab was out the other week and got are 12 for the three of us

 

[Finished Business]

try setting deeper? My most productive catches this year off the N Arm are 70' +....any traps 50 or less are poor producers.

There are some tanks around the north arm right now....last outing, boated 5 keepers close to 7.5"

 

[getbent]

try deeper and farther up towards the T-10

 

[high tide]

Never have any trouble getting our crab there till the Com. opening rapes em, are your gates working well, Bait held firm in the middle of the trap? Might want a zinc anode in there, not sure what kind your using.

HT

 

[captmike]

I am moored in the south arm and have tried 4 times now to catch crabs out by the light house and a little further up the coast. I have yet to even catch a small one. I know my traps and bait are working as I droped traps behind the north arm jetty and had about 10 smaller crabs and few females. I am also pretty sure the traps aren't being messed with as the zap straps I put on before droping the traps are still in place.

Are there crabs down by the south arm? Got Proof?

Is there a special trick to catching them?

Capt

try just S of the hooter buoy S of Sand Hd in 70-100' or 1-2 NM N of SH and leave traps thru a complete tide change or overnite-it will be better after these big tides and before the comm guys start about June 12

 

[Captain PartyMarty]

Thanks for the tips guy's I think my problem is I am droping them too shallow. I have been 30-50ft I will try deeper and further north near T10. Captmike I will also give your suggestion a try and go south!

Thanks Everyone!

 

[captmike]

I use a sm mesh bait bag (from PNT) for fish scraps/herring and chicken skins,best bait is fresh fish frame tied to the middle of the trap. You should be getting 6-10 per trap.

 

[Finished Business]

definitely go deeper. I would be careful overnighting your traps in and around Vancouver...my soaks as of late have been a little over an hour with good results. I gave up salmon fishing and shellfishing at the same time. To stressful salmon fishing constantly worrying about my traps or catch. Now I salmon fish, leave an hour early (unless the bite is on) and do some crabbing before heading up the river. Its a nice way to wrap up the day and it gives me an hour to tidy the boat after fishing, prior to getting back to the dock. And no stress over traps, which is worth its weight in gold lol