Hagfish slime - how to clean off mesh.

[Olde School]

Well, been encountering more of these critters lately, my area abruptly goes from rocky slope to muddy flat.

While researching how to clean my traps, found lots of great info!

btw I still would appreciate any advice from any of you who how to clean the slime of traps.

 

[SpringFever552]

After the traps and slim drys out its easy to just spray it off with garden hose.

 

[Prfisher]

Amazing video! I'm really glad we haven't come across any of those nasty critters. Yet...

 

[saanauk]

After the traps and slim drys out its easy to just spray it off with garden hose.

Yep once it drys it just flakes of easily.

 

[Charlie415]

Are these nasty creatures in your prawn traps?

 

[Clint r]

Are these nasty creatures in your prawn traps?

Yep. We got one in a trap fishing off ukee a couple years ago. Grabbed it with gloves and it slimed up the trap pretty good.

They bite too. Was fishing with Aheny, another forum member and if he sees this maybe he can post up the video.

 

[At Ease]

Hit them right away with a spray bottle filled with regular white vinegar. Cuts right thru the slime (when the traps are wet). Vinegar washes off as the traps go back down on the next set.

 

[Olde School]

After the traps and slim drys out its easy to just spray it off with garden hose.

tried that, wasn't very easy

 

[Olde School]

Hit them right away with a spray bottle filled with regular white vinegar. Cuts right thru the slime (when the traps are wet). Vinegar washes off as the traps go back down on the next set.

will try!

 

[Olde School]

Are these nasty creatures in your prawn traps?

I spent some time researching these creatures. Lots of great info, but none on cleaning the slime.
I'm surmising that the secret to avoiding them is to avoid dropping your traps on muddy bottoms - that is where the have their burrows.

 

[the fog ducker]

they swim around , we would see one here and thre over the years
fished the exact same spots as i have the past 15 years ,
numbers have went through the roof the past season ,
warm water ?/ who knows , even the bait jars would little ones indulging , gross little bastards for sure
clean off best ya can if sending them back down , didnt really notice production drops with some slime still on there
not sure id want vinegar on there , might be a deterrent for the tasty stuff ?

fd

 

[Chasin' Dreams]

They're a ***** in the traps. And prawns won't come around if they are there.

Got these ones up by Winter Harbor

 

[Dogbreath]

,numbers have went through the roof the past season ,warm water ?/ who knows

Maybe fewer of those draggers (Korean?) that were scooping them up for a while.

 

[the fog ducker]

 

[bigbruce]

In my experience, the hagfish only "slimes" if it comes out of the water. Our practice is to stop the puller so that the trap is just submerged beside the boat. If we see a hagfish in the trap, we open the trap and try to get the f'ing thing out without losing too many prawns. Sometimes dumping a load of prawns with a hagfish beside the boat is better than dealing with a load of slimed prawns and a slimed trap in the boat.

 

[the fog ducker]

in the water too,,,

 

[the fog ducker]

thinkin maybe a whale died recently in my area ?
what else would that many survive on ,
hopefully they move along soon , yes , the easiest way to rid of them , is open the draw string in the water ,
let them swim out , doesnt always go to plan lol..
they always freak me out , had one latch onto my hand ,
gf almost jumped out the boat lol....

fd

 

[Kildonan]

Imagine being devoured by those in Davey Jones’ locker? Steven King couldn’t even think up something as ugly as those bastards. Lol

 

[aheny]

Yep. We got one in a trap fishing off ukee a couple years ago. Grabbed it with gloves and it slimed up the trap pretty good.

They bite too. Was fishing with Aheny, another forum member and if he sees this maybe he can post up the video.

Can't find the video, but here's a still from it.
What a disgusting creature

 

[Chasin' Dreams]

Yes they slime when stressed and we tried getting them out of the traps while still in the water but as soon as they see you and the boat and you grab the traps they know they can't get away and they slime all over the place. Out of about 80 to 100 hagfish we have encountered we have only successfully released a few without them shooting their loads all over the place. The slime is like a silicon crossed with glue and it's so horrible to try to get out until it bakes in the sun and completely dries out. Even a pressure washer was not successful until it was fully dehydrated.

Ever see one close up? They look like a penis with warts and their faces are like suctions with teeth. Kind of like a lampray. I took a video of one swimming near the marina in Lund. Not sure where I saved that video buy ya they look like snake serpents when swimming.

A face only a mother could love.