Where is the crabs at?

[andrewscag]

Went out and dropped the pots in a spot that been great for me in the warmer months. Picked them up yesterday and not a thing. I usually just need an hour or two so I figured 24 hrs would be more than enough. I was in about 17ft of water. Are they deeper this time of year?

thanks for any input!

[russm]

We went up Indian arm today and got 10 keepers between the 3 of us, probably 50-60 total that we had to let go, had a seal doing a circuit between the traps eating bait, we usually drop them in about 70-80 feet I think and probably only soak them for about an hour at a time and usually pull up 6-8 per trap, obviously size depends on how many we keep, notice a lot of them had pretty soft shells to.

[lip_ripper00]

well andrew I see you live in Langley you left your traps in 17 feet of water? I hope you did not leave them out of your site, if you did I'm going to say, you got scooped!!If you where anywhere near the ferrie ......

[Whonnock Boy]

notice a lot of them had pretty soft shells to.

They have just come out of the molt, and indicates a poorer quality meat, with less of it. Some say it's not even worth it to harvest them, some do.

[lip_ripper00]

We went up Indian arm today and got 10 keepers between the 3 of us, probably 50-60 total that we had to let go, had a seal doing a circuit between the traps eating bait, we usually drop them in about 70-80 feet I think and probably only soak them for about an hour at a time and usually pull up 6-8 per trap, obviously size depends on how many we keep, notice a lot of them had pretty soft shells to.



The channel coming out of the Indian River just south of the esturary look for 90' flat area on the sounder. this is my honey hole. Yes they will be going through a molt now, but in a month they will be great.

[russm]

It was the small under sized crab that were soft all the keeper size were nice hard shells and nice and clean. The damn seal had our first trap of the bait free by the time the second trap was in the water, turn around to see if he was around and he's bobbing right next to our float, go check the trap and not a scrap of salmon left in it!

[MB_Boy]

Dropped our traps in English Bay yesterday.....the usual depth of 70', had 23 keeper sized and 29 total in 3 hour soak. 4 licenses limited out. (Yes that means we threw some back :wink: )


Not sure where you are fishing for them?

[Rhyno]

Ever try crab rings? If there is lots of crab around thy only need a 15 - 20 min soak, no need to leave the trap if worried about theft. Tried it in Tofino this summer, by the time our last ring was out, the first was full! What a blast.

[markomoose]

You can catch crabs with Anette!!Always carry protection!

[andrewscag]

Thanks for the responses guys

@ lip ripper - yeah definitely a possibility with the one we left in. Launched from cresent beach marina (short on time) and left that one just outside of the channel once you're past the park. We were sitting and watching the other one though near the mile marker in Tsawwassen so no one could have gotten that one.

I'll have to just give it another go. Really don't want to fight traffic out to n van

[rifleman]

They are over here. I like to put a trap down with my prawn trap at 300 ish ft. usually get a couple 7+ inchers, nice & hard....

[davet]

if they are going through a molt maybe they have gone to deeper water for safety.

[MB_Boy]

They are over here. I like to put a trap down with my prawn trap at 300 ish ft. usually get a couple 7+ inchers, nice & hard....

Wow....that deep?

[brutus]

well andrew I see you live in Langley you left your traps in 17 feet of water? I hope you did not leave them out of your site, if you did I'm going to say, you got scooped!!If you where anywhere near the ferrie ......x2 trap raiders in that area,i watch guys with my binos pull my trap once,they told me they mistake it for theres lol

[rifleman]

Wow....that deep?

Yep. got a couple down right now. I'll pull them tomorrow & hope for a couple bigguns...

[davet]

x2 trap raiders in that area,i watch guys with my binos pull my trap once,they told me they mistake it for theres lol
I have put a few traps out at CB on 3 occasions and the only time I got something was when I was sitting in my boat 30' away. The other 2 times i left the area.

[Opinionated Ol Phart]

17ft?? Well, for comparison, the commercial guys drop their traps as deep as 400 ft. get some more rope ( and PLEEZE use a line weight!)

[Opinionated Ol Phart]

The channel coming out of the Indian River just south of the esturary look for 90' flat area on the sounder. this is my honey hole. Yes they will be going through a molt now, but in a month they will be great.

Well not anymore!!!! Its mine and hundreds of others now!!!! :mrgreen:

[andrewscag]

@ old fart -Yup 17' has been great for me most of last year. Limit in about an hour.

I use sinking line. Hate those weights and floating line




Going to switch up the bait and give it another go this week. If I get skunked again I'll have to go deeper somewhere farther away

[andrewscag]

Update for anyone finding this in a search - they were in 35'. Pretty much as deep as it gets there