What happened to my prawn traps?

[Libbs]

I am very new to prawning, this being my first season with traps.

A couple weeks back I launched at Fanny Bay, dropped my prawn traps about half way towards Denman Island, and ran out to fish Flora Is and Qualicum for a few hrs. After all the hype and good reports elsewhere, I was excited to pull the traps. Only 5 prawns came to the boat. As I started stacking the gear I noticed a hole in one trap. So I inspected the other, and sure enough, an identical hole in the other. No wonder they were empty!




One of the traps had two small crabs in it.

I used prawn pellets and tuna cat food 50/50 in the bait jars, and also threw in a salmon belly in each trap. Depth where I dropped the traps was about 215'.

So now I'm wondering what happened...

-I've heard of seals getting into traps, but I imagined way more damage.

-Could the crabs chew through? If so, was I fishing too shallow or was having a salmon belly in there a bad idea... enticing them?

-I wasn't within eyeshot of the traps...vandals? But why would they just cut holes and not steal the traps?

Can anyone enlighten me as to what happened?

Thx!

 

[eaglemaniac]

Looks like you've been poached by some Lowlife who takes the quick way to empty a pot. eman

 

[trendsetter]

That could be where the "rot away" cotton cord used to be. Most traps come with some cotton cord that will rot away and open a hole to release the prawns in the case the traps were lost. This is to prevent ghost fishing traps.

Check the rest of the traps and if you don't find another spot with white cotton cord sewn in then I bet that's what was there.

 

[Captain PartyMarty]

I agree looks like vandals

 

[spring fever]

X2-never seen an animal do so little damage-seals or Otters(west coast) usually do a lot of damage if they decide to get in (not often) That leaves poachers-my best guess!!

 

[Libbs]

The rot cord flaps are still nicely tied up with rod cord... These holes were definitely created from what was intact mesh.

I guess I'll mend them up and keep doin what I'm doin... Maybe check on them more often or stay within eyeshot.

 

[Tidal Chaos]

I have had this happen once in the past to two of my traps on one string and we were sitting within eye shot the whole time; I too use freezer burnt salmon in my traps with pellets and have pulled dogfish up a couple of times in my traps with holes like these; but the time this happened and there was no evidence made me think I got an Octopus in the trap that couldn't get out and chewed his way out or I just didn't get the dogfish stuck in my trap this one time. It seems when you use salmon as bait for prawns or crabs you get a few un-wanted visitors coming for the salmon; I had a seal one day destroy my trap because it wanted the freezer burnt salmon.
I would almost bet you had a doggie come after your bait and make the holes!

 

[Fish Assassin]

Mice and rats where you store them? They like the salty rope.

 

[Canso]

mine have come up like that if left over night

 

[Libbs]

I just keep them in the garage. I've never had mice or rats in there but will definitely watch for them.

The dogfish dine'n'dash sounds plausible as both salmon bellies were gone. I usually still have at least the skin in the trap, but no sign of the bellies this time.

 

[eaglemaniac]

You got scooped there Libbs. This asshole knew what he was doing. It's pretty hard to get lower then this type of poacher. Good Luck in future pulls. eman

 

[Cuba Libre]

So much easier to pull the rip cord and not bother cutting a hole------ it was a critter.

 

[jeffywestcoast]

i have a small colapsable crab trap that i bought it is meant for a kyak, put it down once with freezer burnt salmon and brought up a dogfish, i couldn't even believe that sucker fit in there, but when i went to let him out i realized he had already cut a big gash in the side of the mesh and he was half way to being free, i wouldn't rule out the dogfish, but also could be a poacher with a sharp knife, tough call. try sitting on the traps next time.

 

[Birdsnest]

If your bait can or bait touches the edges of the trap this can happen tho the holes I have had were much larger. Dog fish, 6 gill.