I would keep 100' ropes without cutting.  You can always cut them later.
I prefer 1/4" diameter lead core rope instead of 5/16".  Much easier to handle and manage.
My video might be helpful in organizing your gears: https://youtu.be/bo8h8DNhCvk?si=8vR5Z2-6WEZhoTRQ
Also, always carry an extra crab gauge in your kayak.


Paul

I've never crabbed before, so have a basic question. I bought three, 100' of leaded rope and buoy kits, diameter of 5/16-inch. I 've read the "Dummies guide to Crabbing" on here (thank you!), and it says your rope length should be 20% greater than depth of water.  I just bought two Promar Conical traps (I hope they arrive in time!) and I have a basic hoop net I got for pier fishing. I also have two Promar collapsible traps, but of course we can't use those yet. I've now spent way more money on crabbing gear than the cumulative lifetime amount I've spent on eating crab, which is consistent with about everything I've done with Kayak Fishing so far

I doubt I'll ever crab in very deep water, or even all that often. I imagine most of my crabbing will be in 80' ish of water or less. But sometimes it could be much less, I guess. I live in Marin. I'm going to Bodega this Saturday and will mostly do local spots.

Should I cut my 100' rope into 25 foot increments, so I can more precisely align my rope length to the FOW? I would have to do it to three different kits, so 12 different shots, and then rebraid it, etc., which will probably take me a while given I've never done it before.

Or can I just keep the 100' shots of leaded rope intact, and the weight of the crab trap will keep it on the bottom, and because the leaded rope is heavy, it will sink to the bottom, and the buoy will just float above it? What if there is current - wouldn't that move the buoy around? Would that create a boating hazard? Or because the rope is weighted, it doesn't create a boating hazard because it is underwater?

The 101 guide also says you can zip tie excess rope to the crab trap. This requires a bit of extra work on the water, so if it is not necessary if one has leaded rope, then I could skip it. But if it is a bad idea to have 100' of rope in 30' of water, then zip tying it to the bottom of the trap / net seems generally easier than cutting the rope into 25' increments.

And because I'm not going to be crabbing that much, and mostly in sub 100 feet of water, it seems nice / easy to just have 100' of rope because it would work in all the spots I would go and I wouldn't have to worry about trying to align the 25' of shots to whatever spot I'm going to.

Any perspectives would be appreciated. And if someone actually has a good one, I may even give them a crab I plan to catch a LOT this Saturday... (we're doing a cub scout camping trip at Bodega Dunes campsites that weekend, so hopefully I'll be a Dad hero and stoke everyone with a crab feed).

Best,
Stewart
 

That looks really good.

You can get 20% off your favorite outdoor gear by using the code OCT20 at checkout until 11:59pm Sunday on all orders over $99.

I just ordered my new Kokatat Supernova Angler GORE-TEX Pro Semi-Dry Suit from here. 

They also offer military discounts for non-sale items using the M15 coupon code.

Paul

I "almost" smell it