rock crab / anyone know places to set traps around monterey?

I took my costco traps out last weekend and set them off the kelp to the right of MB kayaks.....in about 50 f.o.w
being new I just wanted to see if there were any rock crab near to the path I paddle to rock fish off the yellow bouys...I figured there was better chance of getting rock crab near the kelp.Nothing...one weird spider crab thing with thin claws and a heavy body covered in moss and barnacles ...the next day star fish and snails only...I used some fish carcasses.
Now We are heading out again to morrow and I figure I will try dropping the set of traps by the bouys to see whats there...A window cleaner at work said his friends set them right in the kelp by asilomar and lovers point -but my study of the dfg site says that is a no no...anyone got any tips on where I can set my two traps for some rock crab
the window cleaner said his buddies have gotten lots of crab here and down around big sur north in the legal areas,
thanks for any help here...my traps only came with 100 feet of rope each...i would need to add a 100 ft with a good knot to move out further

What kind of trap are you using? In my experience, rock crabs are very crafty... With my box trap anyway, they seem to come and go as they please. I have much better luck catching rock crabs using short soaks with hoop traps., but that doesn't really fit your idea if dropping pots on the way out and pulling on your way back from fishing.

When I'm out crabbing I use one box trap and a couple hoops. The box trap doubles as a "live well" while I'm out; whatever I catch with the hoops gets added to the box trap until I'm ready to head in. Without fail, the rock crabs always escape...

No need to go deep for rock crabs; any shallow reef should do.

Did you have enough bait in there to keep them occupied?




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Got this one on hook and line at the yellow can off the hotel...

Good luck,

Ben

hey thanks guys...yellow bouy is where i'm headed and di some research on going 1/4-1/2  mile or so off lovers point to get outside the blue and red zones

I also saw that from point joe over to pebble is open...we'll see...dont tell me they can climb out...ohhhh noooo  .....i was just sure I was going to pull a trap up full of crabs....starfish and snails all over my yak....

the enough bait question reminded me....i used the  rubber strap closed bait container /mesh bag that came with the kit...a long ling carcass and white fish carcass in each mesh bait bag in each trap...on one trap i wired some rock fish carcass and that was 'gone ' when  i checked the trap the next day...hmmmm...rock crab enters...thanks me for the fish...rips it free and exits????

short soak...hmmm...yellow bouy off the motel...things to ponder
thanks

Hey I think I saw you out there this morning, while driving to work. It looked soo flat and beautiful! And there was an epic bird-attack off the beach hotel...maybe 30feet of water outside the breakers...hundreds of birds and a handful of sealions going apeshit. Either it was sardines or squid (heard rumor of big market squid being caught in that area recently).

Sin Coast- I was down in Monterey for work yesterday, too. TONS of birds.... It was kindof torture having to drive by that feeding frenzy in front of the hotel.

Market squid, huh? I need to catch a WSB this season...


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that be me...the only yak i saw....yes the birds were in real close while I unloaded and talked to the retired harbor master "John"...always a good chat with him when he sees me and hard to push on when he is telling tales of the bays past....while we chatted there were TONS of birds right off the sailboat moorings...then as I launched and got organized they kept moving away like a mirage...I could never get to them...but also there were many pods of  Risso's working a giant circle from the hotel out past the yellow cans back to me at the tin shack can -back to the shipping lane  -to the piers and back along the breakers to the hotel...they did this loop all day and were there until the bigger winds and swells came around 1-2 when I left...set my traps in 80 f 0 w and in talking with John learned that the otters go up to 90 ft ..gonna keep trying and ad 100' of rope later as I learn....hence the go out deeper to get crab...bottom bumping rigs are getting the hours in..so...fingers crossed......rockfish were biting and my ling and haibut efforts continue...out the door after this coffee...must stop typing...must log off internet

You should have tons of crab bait with that MolaMola?
Or did you end up eating it?

I read where Chicken works best, like take chicken wings. Something about the scent they suppose to love.

I did not eat the Mola and am still not clear if it was legal to posses it...size-season-method of take-...plus it was super slimey ...not right away ,but after a bit of time fishing with it up front in the yak, it was off my things to eat menu... it was left on the shore for folks to see ..I have heard that it was good when someone with knowledge prepared it and bad when someone else tried to cook it...from the same source....

I heard chicken too from a jogger lady who saw my traps as I came ashore....must be a seagull ...sea bird thing they pick up on......maybe I will try some chicken ....not taking them out again for a while until I either add 150+ of rope or until I'm more sure about rock crab spots and rocky areas not in a ban zone....nothing in them today except starfish and one tiny spider crab looking thing...I even brought some rock fish carcass out this morning and freshen and moved them deeper...went and fished and pulled em on the way home...nada