My $50 Rock Crab

I went crabbing at Bodega Bay today.  I launched from Campbell Cove (no fee) on the west side of the channel at the base of Bodega Head.  The weather was clear and the wind was light but there was a substantial swell.  High tide had just passed so I was able to launch directly at the foot of the slope down from the parking area and got an easy ride out.  I took only one Danielson trap and a Sofa King snare on my rod.   I used mackerel for bait.  I dropped the trap in about 30 FOW east of the jetty; there were a number of traps out already.  I tried the snare for about an hour.  I snared a large Dungee but it dropped off the snare just as I got it to the surface.  I checked the trap and had three Dungees that I released (two females and a small male) and one good-sized Rock which I kept.  Hoping for larger Dungees I moved the trap farther out, dropping it in about 80 FOW.  The tide was still going out and paddling back in was difficult.  Again I tried the snare, this time for about two hours but caught nothing.  Shortly before ebb tide I paddled out to get my trap but couldn’t find it.  I know that I went out farther than where I dropped the trap.  Because the tide was now lower than when I dropped it I don’t think that it was submerged.  I concluded that the most likely explanation was that someone took it.  Between the trap, bait cage, leaded line, and harness with brass snaps the cost was about $50, and maybe some crab.  When I landed I went to my car to get my cart because I had to cross some distance of beach to reach the easiest place to get the yak up the slope.  I carried it up a ways but the trail was narrow and uneven so when I got to a wider spot I tied a rope to the bow and drug it up the rest of the way.  That part wasn’t too rocky so I didn’t damage the yak but I won’t launch from there again; I’ll pay the $7 and launch from Doran.

That sucks.

Sorry to hear about your lost trap.  Thanks for the report YaknFish.

sorry you lost your trap.  If your name is on the buoy maybe you'll find it back...

sorry about the trap and yes the7 bucks is worth it and if you get the yearly pass is about 70 but it includes a night of camping in Sonoma parks, good deal
I have a question about your trap, Did you put weights on it and were there really secured ?

I attach a 5 lbs weight on the trap so when the tides goes in and out it won't walk.

do you have initials or name on the trap buoy and what color is it and the rope? someone may find it.

don't feel too bad , we all have lost many traps.

The possibility of them being poached/stolen is probably very high; I lost 2 traps last year at crabfest, and one was held hostage for ransom (forced reward), so I am kinda weary...

However there is also a great possibility that the pot walked and/or the bouy is under water for the current.  You mentioned that high tide had just passed and during the ebb, the current can rip pretty fast out of the jaws; this might have also been the fate of my pots last year, but I will never know....

I caught one stupid dungies; which was worth about $120

sorry you lost your trap.  If your name is on the buoy maybe you'll find it back...

Thanks.  Yes my name was on it.

sorry about the trap and yes the7 bucks is worth it and if you get the yearly pass is about 70 but it includes a night of camping in Sonoma parks, good deal
I have a question about your trap, Did you put weights on it and were there really secured ?

I attach a 5 lbs weight on the trap so when the tides goes in and out it won't walk.

do you have initials or name on the trap buoy and what color is it and the rope? someone may find it.

don't feel too bad , we all have lost many traps.

I had some weight on it but maybe not enough.  The trap didn't walk noticeably the first time but maybe the current was much stronger farther out.

I have my name on the buoy (Gary Walker).  It's white on the bottom half and red on the top half.  The rope is light green (from Outdoor Pro).

Thanks for the idea of a season pass; I think I'll get one.

Last time I was at Doran beach ,  at the first parking area past the ranger booth on the left , I walked out towards the surf, there was a pile , 3-4 traps with of various types and different marker buoys on them.. so 1. maybe the rangers collected them from the shoreline ( never asked) or 2. they may have been poached they at least left the traps... I`ve seen this before there and other places..you never know it might be worth it to take a walk along the shoreline  Good Luck ,Vic

Thanks a lot; I will check that out.

The possibility of them being poached/stolen is probably very high; I lost 2 traps last year at crabfest, and one was held hostage for ransom (forced reward), so I am kinda weary...

However there is also a great possibility that the pot walked and/or the bouy is under water for the current.  You mentioned that high tide had just passed and during the ebb, the current can rip pretty fast out of the jaws; this might have also been the fate of my pots last year, but I will never know....

I caught one stupid dungies; which was worth about $120

Ouch.

Forced ransom?  How the hell did that work? 

Forced ransom?  How the hell did that work?

He did not want to give me the pot back unless I paid him for his time in "recovering and cleaning" it.......

Forced ransom?  How the hell did that work?

He did not want to give me the pot back unless I paid him for his time in "recovering and cleaning" it.......

Thieves charging to return stolen gear. A whole new level of low. I assume there was some reason why simply reappropriating your pot was not an option?

Forced ransom?  How the hell did that work?

He did not want to give me the pot back unless I paid him for his time in "recovering and cleaning" it.......

Thieves charging to return stolen gear. A whole new level of low. I assume there was some reason why simply reappropriating your pot was not an option?

yes... to prevent me from going to jail for murder.....

Forced ransom?  How the hell did that work?

He did not want to give me the pot back unless I paid him for his time in "recovering and cleaning" it.......

Now the 3 AR 15's makes sense.