The Crab Trap Saga Part II

I returned to Bodega Bay this afternoon to look for my crab trap.  I went to Doran and bought an annual pass (thanks for the suggestion scubaluis) and because I’m over 60 it was just $39.  I looked in the first parking lot for retrieved crab traps as suggested but there were none.  The wind was light and the tide was half through ebb with low swells so launching was easy.  I started to paddle out to where I had last dropped my trap and was surprised to find the float in about the location I had first dropped it, not quite to the end of the jetty and about 150 feet east of it.  However as I was pulling the rope up it suddenly stopped.  I pulled as hard as I could without capsizing the yak but the trap wouldn’t budge.  I paddled as far from the trap as the line would allow and pulled from several directions but still no movement.  I had more rope in the car so I paddled back and got it.  When I got back to the float I tied on the additional rope and paddled over to the jetty.  I secured another rope with a float in a crevice between two rocks and tied off the kayak.  I then pulled as hard as I could on the crab rope but still couldn’t budge it.  It occurred to me that I might be able to pull the trap free if I used a come-along attached to the jetty so I plan to try that tomorrow.  The worst that could happen is that the trap would get broken.   Even if that happens I might be able to retrieve the harness and maybe the snaps.  Does anyone have any other ideas?

We had a rope and float on our slip, it had been there for a long time. So we pulled the rope up as far as possible. We tied it off to the dock, letting the dock do the pulling as tide came in. It took several days as it must have been covered all the way in silt. It turned out it was a crab trap. That must have been washed into the area. Good luck I hope there isn't too much silt inside your trap.

nice to know its still there, just dont kill yourself over a $50 trap   

nice to know its still there, just dont kill yourself over a $50 trap   

+1

It is possible that your trap is sanded in which to give you an idea of what you are up against.  I had a sanded in pot that I tried pulling up from my boat with a motorized pot puller and we could never get it up.

Or it is full of BIG ASS Keepers!!!!!!!     I'm curious how the come-along works out for you.

Good Luck keep us posted.

Bret

Yup.  Shorten the rope and let the waves do the work.  I had one pot out for well over a month this year that miraculously freed itself after a couple swell events.

-Allen

It must be loaded with monster dungies! 

All joking aside...glad you found your trap, but be careful out there.  Good luck, hope you get it back.

Get the DOTY to get it for you. 

yeah... most likely it's buried!!! the best way to get a pot un-stuck is with a power-boat.

We tie the crab line to the corner kleat and drive in circles around the pot until it breaks free. And, we always kept one person by the kleat/line with a spyderco knife, just in case.....

Also the "bobbing cork method" has also work for some pots too; and it helps to go when there is some fairly decent swells. We'd wrap (not tie) the crab line to the bow kleat and use the swells to generate "lift" on the pot.... can be kinda tricky with a kayak, so please make sure you have someone close by as backup...

The worst that could happen is that the trap would get broken. 

I lot worse things can happen when you have a rope under load and it snaps.
Be careful.
Best bet would be to go out at low tide, increase the size of the float and shorten the rope.
Have your information on the float, name and ph#. That way when the tide frees it and it's floating along maybe an honest person will give you a call if you don't find it yourself.
 

Thanks for all the good input.

i will be in the trailer next to Victor next Sat and Sunday for Crabfest, I will bring a tank and get it out, shit my name is scubaluis for a reason.

Luis

i will be in the trailer next to Victor next Sat and Sunday for Crabfest, I will bring a tank and get it out, shit my name is scubaluis for a reason.

Luis

Better not be DURING the tournament. 

i will be in the trailer next to Victor next Sat and Sunday for Crabfest, I will bring a tank and get it out, shit my name is scubaluis for a reason.

Luis

Thanks a lot Luis; I'll look you up if I haven't retrieved it by then.

Gary

i will be in the trailer next to Victor next Sat and Sunday for Crabfest, I will bring a tank and get it out, shit my name is scubaluis for a reason.

Luis

Better not be DURING the tournament. 

It would be a bummer if it was filled with 7"+ dunggies since no overnight soaks