Prawning depths

[Tips Up]

I see many posts regarding prawns and depth seem to vary a ton.

I prawn mostly out of the Millbay area and have been successfull from 180 ft to 220. Success seems to vary from trip to trip. Every time I think I have it figured something changes. I read posts of people prawning over the 300 mark.

Does the best depth vary a lot from area to area?
We do well but I am wondering if we are missing out by not trying a bit deeper?

Also what sort of structure works well for you?

I find out front of creek mouths or run off areas to be good. The top of a slope and avoid rocky areas.

Any thoughts on those little mock lobsters. How to avoid them?

Thanks,

Tips.

 

[scott craven]

tips, we prawned earlier in the season on the other side
near Coles bay between 230' and 250'
if we went deeper all we got was squat's

 

[victoriaboater]

Saanich Inlet magic number for me is 220ft. Langos (weird crayfish type things) have shown up for me at 250 and by the time I hit 300 thats all I get.

 

[Tips Up]

Interesting responses to the "Langos"
Is that what they are actually called? Strange little buggers.

We thought that we got more langos at deeper depths but then found them shallow and thought they were related to the type of structure. Seemed to get more near rocky areas. Now I am not sure how to avoid them. I think it is just chance.

We aim at 200 and figure the traps end up somewhere between 180 and 220 depending on the drift and which direction we are driving as we drop. I guess we will continue dropping around this depth and maybe experiment now and then.

Do you think prawns go deeper in the summer months?

 

[Mongoose]

drop your trap at 220ft thats the magic number, any deeper u get squat lobsters

 

[Tailspin]

I always load up just 1 mile south of Wayne Rock on the tight Rocky contours and always have the traps from 250'- 260' It Drops off Relly Quick and is tough to set on. My Buddy on the commercial Boat 'Justin Time' always sets on it. For some reason i think the Squat Lobsters like the Mud and Sand No BS thats the spot and the Depth!

 

[ratherbefishin]

I guess it also depends on the area. I prawn around Quadra Island and the best luck I have is at 300'. Shallower that 250' doesn't pay off for me. I also never had one of those Squat lobsters in. Never seen one. What do you do with them? Do you keep them?

 

[scott craven]

they are a weird looking creature with a tail similar to a lobster
except small about 1-1/2"
don't know anyone that ever ate one ???
here's what they look like
http://www.elasmodiver.com/BCMarinelife/images/squat-lobster-2.jpg

 

[nedarb2]

we get them at my secret spot ;p one side of the pint in 240' of water you get 90% squats, 10% prawns, other side youll get 98% prawns 2% squats. Ive kepts 1 or 2 a couple times but by the time you cook them and eat them ( i swear there tails shrink when they boil) there is nothing left too eat.

 

[Eric]

I too drop around 280. The odd squat but not that many. Deeper than 300 gets quite a few of those tiny red shrimp.
This is all around Saltspring Is or Tent Is.
Have done well off of Chemainus at same depths with no squats.

 

[falkor]

I find this quite intresting with the variety of depths that people use in diffrent areas, around cortes island the best is about 400 and deeper, any less and it is small ones and a bunch of squat lobsters. Not really worth your time.

 

[mlaag]

Taliking about prawning
Can one get prawns in sooke basin

 

[Kramer]

I think it's too shallow.

 

[scott craven]

nope, not deep enough...
there used to be lot's of crab.
depends how hard the commercials have been fishing it i guess.

 

[Time]

Haven't tried prawning yet myself but thinking it's about time. Any recommendations for trap make. Also what are you using for ropes, nylon or?
Do you all have the power puller rigs or rely on armstrong? 300 feet is a lot of rope to haul by hand.

 

[orion91]

I use a rectangle mesh trap and 280ft of nylon rope, i was cheap so i bought 50ft ropes and tied them all together.lol

I pull it up by hand

Works Good!

 

[Mongoose]

well for rope i use 5/16" manline or known as prawnline and i use my robertson retrivier trap puller.