Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 15

Thread: Old School- crabbing in Tsawwasswen

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Sep 2006
    Location
    Langley & Magna Bay
    Posts
    6,737

    Old School- crabbing in Tsawwasswen

    Haven’t done this in years and wondering, can you still go down to the cosway ( fever terminal ) and have a fire and drop traps?
    I like drinking beer and whiskey, shooting guns, jetboating, love a nice rack and a tight line, I am simply a sophisticated redneck...

  2. Site Sponsor

  3. #2
    Join Date
    Feb 2009
    Posts
    8,515

    Re: Old School- crabbing in Tsawwasswen

    Yup, i believe so.
    I think its open right now.
    But, there are some boundaries around the ferry terminal and docks that are OB.
    When i checked the regs the other week it appeared open.
    Once the commercial guys show up however, its game over around there (years ago anyways)

  4. #3
    Join Date
    Sep 2006
    Location
    Langley & Magna Bay
    Posts
    6,737

    Re: Old School- crabbing in Tsawwasswen

    I hear ya about them, just more getting out to be honest
    I like drinking beer and whiskey, shooting guns, jetboating, love a nice rack and a tight line, I am simply a sophisticated redneck...

  5. #4
    Join Date
    Feb 2009
    Posts
    8,515

    Re: Old School- crabbing in Tsawwasswen

    Quote Originally Posted by browningboy View Post
    I hear ya about them, just more getting out to be honest
    Curious, did you grow up out there?
    Anyways, just watch out for the boundary for the ferry's.
    I know lots of folks liked to place their traps right beside the cresol soaked structures that make up the main dock.
    Why the crabs liked it, no idea.

    Was just talking to a buddy a few days ago about getting out there to do the same.

    Disgusting however what they found in Boundary Bay that made the news a while back.
    Finding one trap with buoy, no markings on it, and then finding many more attached to the main line.
    I think in 1 day they recovered 250 traps (if i recall correctly?).
    And estimated there may be as many as 1000 illegal traps out there.
    And they all had fishing line/nylon to keep the escapement hatches shut, not the dissolving line.
    Basically a continual killing machine.

    Buddy also caught the natives over on the island doing the same crap, but "sinking the buoy" a foot or 2 below the water so
    no one could discover them.
    (not saying its the natives in Boundary Bay)
    Ended up with the ropes entangling his props.
    He was pissed.....wont say more about what he did about it.

    Anyways, have fun.

  6. #5
    Join Date
    Feb 2009
    Posts
    8,515

    Re: Old School- crabbing in Tsawwasswen

    FYI, "old school crabbing" out there was to walk out in sandals/sneakers when the tide went out and take a rake along to heave them up out of the weeds, at waist deep water.
    Some of our new canadians sadly put an end to that, taking females and under size, basically everything and anything.
    But that was the old school way growing up out there.

  7. #6
    Join Date
    Mar 2015
    Posts
    6,437

    Re: Old School- crabbing in Tsawwasswen

    ive seen lots of peeps looking for crabs as the tide went out...lots of the crabs you trap nearer to the ferry terminal have like black dust around their mouths...I thought it was coal dust but maybe you are right and it is creosote?? staining on them?

  8. #7
    Join Date
    Feb 2009
    Posts
    8,515

    Re: Old School- crabbing in Tsawwasswen

    I never gave it much thought, but a friend who puts out traps used to say they like the creosote.
    Beats me as to why and may completely not be true.
    He also like using "turkey" for bait for crabs, which leads to the question, what the hell does a crab know about turkey???
    I know the sand in the bay can be black or blackish in spots, so dont know if that is why they have black mouths.
    But, yes, i cant say i have seen that on crabs that we caught last summer around Nanaimo.

    It could just be the crabs like the wooden structures as habitat, but maybe it is the creosote.
    But you tend to catch more right by them.

  9. #8
    Join Date
    May 2006
    Location
    Surrey , B.C.
    Posts
    1,292

    Re: Old School- crabbing in Tsawwasswen

    For years back in the 70's . Every New Years day, a few of us, Hangovers and all, we would venture out to the causeway. launch the boat and spend a morning with our home made Oregon dip nets. Awesome times and some great memories. Then when the Neaps hit, we would be over at White Rock, wading way way out, bare handing them.

  10. #9
    Join Date
    May 2005
    Location
    princeton
    Posts
    668

    Re: Old School- crabbing in Tsawwasswen

    Me and the kids caught some red rock crabs a couple years ago off a dock on the west coast of the island. We were really looking forward to eating them, but after the first bite there was a terrible taste of creosote! I'd say steer clear of any piling's!
    Proud member of the fringe minority!

  11. #10
    Join Date
    Feb 2009
    Posts
    8,515

    Re: Old School- crabbing in Tsawwasswen

    Like i said, there are boundaries for the ferries, so you legally cant harvest crab near pilings anyways.
    And i agree, if they are feeding on it, i would stay clear as well.
    After all, they say you are what you eat.
    But anywhere outside the boundary restriction to the USA border along there isnt a bad spot.
    After commercial opening, forget it around there.

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •