Crab Snares

Hey everybody,

Has anyone ever tried making their own crab snares and if so, do you have any advice? I'm working on a bunch over the holidays. Seems like the stores only carry the crappy danielson ones or the green box ones. I find the snare portion on these to be way too stiff. Additionally, they are so large that and heavy that they make casting somewhat tedious and inaccurate. Thanks for any info.

-SF

Are you using the snares off a yak? If so why not traps? they work pretty good... 

Z

ha ha ha  .  hmmmm are there escape hatches on that trap???

Nah, I'm yak-grounded ever since I sold my Dakota for a Corolla.  So I'm stuck to the jetties, shoreline, & piers.  Otherwise I would trap.  Snaring is pretty fun though if you haven't tried it and it's pretty darn safe for the crabs.  I've never dismembered one.

The best success I've had on the jetties was with an old orange bag; load it up with bait and just drop it down on a rope. Wait til you feel the crabs start to grab on and then slowly lift up. Have a dip net under the bag to net the crabs as you lift it out of the water (they'll let go). I saw an elderly couple cleaning up using this technique at the Doran Jetty and used it myself at HMB loads of times. The first couple of drops take a few minutes to attract the crabs but after that they all get the message and come running. Just be sure to send the little ones back a fair distance so they don't return!

  I read in WON that only traps or hoops were leagel gear for taking crabs. Someone asked about crab snares in the Carrie Wilson column and she said they weren't leagel in Ca.

   Tight lines Dale

Snares are leagal here. You are limited to a max of 6 loops per snare.