Unofficial Crab Trap Test Results

[SIR]

With so much wind trolling has been out of the question so we've been doing some crab trap testing the last week. We've used lot's of differnet styles of traps at the Resort and I've never really spent the time to figure out which ones were better so last week was about figuring that out.

We've been fishing two traps per line using the same bait in the same area and have done over 20 sets so think our results should be pretty representative of the traps capabilities.

We tested three styles of traps the expensive round SS commercial kind, the big black square metal collapsables and the light round mesh type with the round opening in the top and four side gates.

Using 30 minute sets the big black ones came in first, the light round mesh second and the SS commercials a distant third. Using longer sets (where the bait is all eaten) the SS commercial were the winners as they seem to be harder for the crabs to get back out of.

The SS commecials required no modifications as purchased. The big black collapsables needed the gate clips rounding with needlenose pliers so they opened and closed more easily. The mesh traps needed the horizontal ends of the gates shortening with a hack saw as they got caught in the mesh and locked open.

You would not be able to fish the light round mesh traps without a second heavy trap on the line as any type of wave/current would send them walkabout.

So in conclusion we are going to stick with the big black collapsables for short sets and the SS commercial style for all day/overnight sets.

Crab cakes for dinner tonight

Happy crabbing!

 

[Last Chance]

Get some tire wheel weights, and crimp 'em on the doors of Big Black, it will help with the escapees. I've given up trying to keep nice stainless traps in Renfrew, they seem to go missing on a regular basis.

 

[Brokenrod]

Interesting. With the wheel waits, the black traps may be just effective as the commericals for longer soaks.

 

[SIR]

Never would have thought of tire wieghts..... good one..... thanks!

And at $125 a pop plus rope, wieghts and bouy I hear you about the tears envolved when some #@$%^@#$! takes your traps. Fortunately it only seem to happen in our area in the summer when we get a lot of transient boaters in the area. I've also donated a fair number of prawn traps to tugs pulling log booms. I figure there must be a huge stack of prawn traps on the bottom by the log sort area in the Fraser

 

[Pippen]

SIR.....

Thanks for the info. When you are referring to the big black square collapsibles do you have a link to a picture of one?

I have been using round mesh collapsibles but they don't have the big opening in the top that stays open (tried those once), but these do 'sinch' up and close with just the doors as the entry to the trap.

Thanks again!

 

[Last Chance]

He means the big square rubberized metal ones, you get 'em at Crappy Tire .

 

[SIR]

Another example of where cheap and simple actually seems to work..... I used to turn my nose up at these "cheap" traps and figured the SS commercial had to be better but the results speak for themselves... we had almost 50 keepers in three half-day trips (4 on board)... together with a few thousand prawns the gas/oil bill was down right reasonable We are actually really lucky our crabbing and prawning spots are less than ten minutes from our float.

 

[Ian]

You can use rubber core twist on sinkers to weight the doors. Get big one, pull out the rubbers, open them a bit and crimp on.

http://www.coastsidefishingclub.com/?q=node/48

Gives you some good tips on "tuning" danielson (square folders) traps.

SIR, thanks to the testing! Oh and checked out your webpage, one nice place you have to call home there!

Very best,

Ian

 

[SIR]

Now that's what I would call in-depth coverage of crabbing. Excellent link. I think I'm going to try the 4oz crabber braided weights and see if they'll go through my pulley and plate. I currently weave a piece of folded duct tape into my line before my line wieght and trap wieght as a Tell so I know they are coming but being able to run the line wieghts thru the pulley would be a bonus as when we have guests on the boat and you I'm yacking away I've been know to run a wieght or two into the pulley....

Thanks for the link!

 

[Talons]

Excellent link, very informative. Thanks Ian

 

[salmon9]

Wow, I agree great information. I have found the cheap box style plastic coated traps do well.

 

[Brokenrod]

Great info,one other thing I did, on the danielson type trap, is to hinge the top of the trap on one end with zap staps so the top becomes a hinged lid. On the opposite end I use 2 rubber bands( 1" stips cut from a motorcycle tube) with hooks to secure the lid.It makes it fast and easy to empty the traps. I use a bait jar and fresh bait they can eat, the fresh bait I hang from suspended commercial tuna hooks, thats also fast and easy to bait the trap.

 

[Pippen]

SIR......one not so important question but when you were testing, what type of depths were you at?

 

[SIR]

Pippen - the eel grass beds around Savary are in 80-125' so thats where we crab. Deeper than that in our area and it turns to a fairly barren mud flat and I don't seem to do so well. We have cheated a bit and done quite a bit of scuba diving in the area to see where the boys hang out

 

[icurumba]

Check out http://www.flexfoldtraps.com/
These traps are just coming on the market and fish (crab) well. I've been testing 2 proto's for the inventor for 2 years on the south island. The gates are well designed, catching and hold crabs for extended periods. The storage is the biggest plus,...they fold up the size of a large dinner plate.
Yes this is my first post, and I'm pimping my friends invention,...shame on me

 

[SIR]

It was all good until I saw the SRP of $159... Crappy Tire squares $30-$40... but foldability would be great for people cruising and tight on space... but dog sharks have been known to chew right thru mesh traps to get at the bait... but the foldability is pretty neat... but they are going to be really light without added wieghts... but the foldability is pretty neat...

 

[Ian]

SIR,

On the east coast (where I spent the last 8 years) the lobstermen use 6-8" lengths of lead line woven into the mainline, goes through their commercial blocks without notice.

If you want to go extreme, get some of the cheaper braided poly (the hollow stuff, put the lead line on, slip a length of the ploybraid over it and whip it on either side.

Very best,

Ian

P.S. Danielsons are $25 in the lower mainland

 

[beak]

Thanx for the great link IAN mailed it to my dad he cant get enough of those tasty buggers.