What do you look for when droping Prawn traps?

[Captain PartyMarty]

So I tried using my prawn traps for the first time yesterday and lets say the results where poor at best (6 prawns for 5hours). I don't want your honey holes but I am curious as to what do you look for on your sounder when droping traps? When my traps came up they looked kind of dirty like they where sitting in mud.

What kind of structure, flat or sloped are you looking for?
What kind of bottom, sandy, mud, rocky?
What kind of depth? 250 - 350?

I added weight to each of my prawn traps and let me tell you I did not enjoy pulling them by hand. I need to get some kind of puller. My shoulders are still sore.

 

[ziggy]

I always look for structure, plateau or ledges if you can drop on them, if not deep water near a pinnacle or a slope.

 

[spring fever]

Prawns are usually on rocky bottom-shrimp on mud. Dirty traps indicates mud and while you may get some prawns it is not ideal. My 2 cents.

 

[reelfast]

i look for shrimp on the sonar. traps ready and when i see the big clouds, over they go.

 

[Captain PartyMarty]

When you say guy's say ledge are you just looking for a drop off/slope along a contour line or are you really looking for a rocky ledge ich drops of steeply on the side of a canyon?

 

[pescador]

Get the Scotty hand pull guide system (trap ease)

www.scotty.com/fishing-gear-equipment/fishing-supplies/trapease.htm

Fits into their rod holder system. Makes it easier to pull, and, you don't have to spend $$ on a elec puller. The excercise is good for you (and me)....Unless you're planning to run a commercial operation, this does the job fine....

 

[hambone]

When you say guy's say ledge are you just looking for a drop off/slope along a contour line or are you really looking for a rocky ledge ich drops of steeply on the side of a canyon?

I would honestly just try all sorts of places.... I think prawning is area specific and involves a bit of luck. Guys who think they have it down to a fine art are out to lunch in my opinion.

Use pellets with some oil, find a depth from 200' to 400' and experiment. Save the coordinates of your successful sets. We fished all different types of bottom contour and composition commercially and all were hot/cold during the season. You could potentially set in a gold mine and the prawns that live there are molting or whatever they do and you won't catch any..... Happened to us for a week straight during the season last year in our best spot. It's a crapshoot.... But save your good spots as they'll likely be good again because the bugs are there for a reason.