Doran Beach Theft

Been hearing alot lately about pots being stolen, read a few online blogs at USAFISHING.com.  Had a freind loose two last weekend,  .  Has anyone seen any shady stuff going on?

Here we go again....

My pot got raided on opening night.

All of O2B's got raided last night.

It will continue to happen because there are virtually zero penalties for offenders and even less chance of keeping an eye out for poachers. 

Man out of all the lowlife thievery done in the outdoors crab pot raiding has got to be the lowest.
If they have the means of going out and raiding why not just go out, drop your own shit, and then participate legally in taking crab like the rest of the folks out there.

People that steal really are just fucked up. I don't get it.

I got all three of my pots raided Friday night. Talked to several others today with same report. Bait completely gone, with only 2 short females in all traps. From our campsite last night we saw two boats out around 10:30. My group said they were probably raiding, but I said people wouldn't do that. Well, I was wrong. Can't believe, nor do I want to, that someone would actually be that low. No more overnight soaks for me. I guess it is best just to drop during the day and keep an eye on them.

We need to have a covert op, and paddle out in the dark and hang back, put a bunch of dummy buoys out tied to a weight, and uncork some BBB across their bow when they pull it up. Count me in!

I was out crab snaring over at Lawson's Landing last Thursday. There were a lot of boats going out, as well as, fishermen on the pier. My friends and I were snaring from the beach near the pier and we'd see random boats roll up to the pots in front of us. We saw at least two different boats pull-up the same pots within a couple hours of each other. The actual owners eventually returned for their, very likely, empty pots after a while.

There might be a market for special pots with built-in locks. 

Rich protecting your pots...

I had heard of guys booby traping their lines with treble hooks, I found this on USAFISHING.COM (bodega bay)site...

As always I’m concerned about the theft of crabs and crab gear.  Back in 2006 I wrote Fish and Game Reg 29.80(3), which makes it illegal to take crab from someone else’s pots.  Prior to that time it was not a crime to do so.  With the encouragement  of a bunch of people in Bodega and Ft. Bragg, and against the wishes of Fish and Game, I got the Commission to adopt it.  Since 2007 it has been a misdemeanor to take crab out of someone else’s pot without the written permission of the person who owns the pot.
I’ve been practicing law in Cloverdale for 37 years.  While I don’t do much criminal law I do have some contacts in the DA’s office, including the DA.  If someone wants to help by taking pictures, and providing testimony, concerning the theft of crabs I would be more than willing to try to get the DA to prosecute an action against the thief.  If enough assholes end up in court for stealing crabs word might get out to the criminal element that there are consequences to pulling other peoples’ gear.

Jim DeMartini
707 894-5000

I spoke with a boater who lost 9 traps today! Thieves will be thieves. We should set a chill and surveillance day. Rig a bunch of traps with a distinguishable buoys and sit on land with a bunch of cameras.

Rich protecting your pots...

EXACTLY WHAT I HAVE IN MIND!
On a dif note, when I first started,  I thought mine were stolen. I dropped at low tide, and did not have enough slack, and my buoys were just submerged. But yeah, theft is a problem

My pot got raided on opening night.

All of O2B's got raided last night.

My pots are heavily weighted,  small floats, and G P S each one. I knew I would be  late today as I was turkey hunting.  While looking for a spot to park a camper said I could park with them....great.  They said around 11 last night a boat was out on the grounds cruising around for an hour or so.  I launched and all my pots were exactly 500 feet east from my coordinates.  My pots don't move due to being weighted and small floats.  I figure they got pulled on the incoming tide. 

I do a little thing on my pots...A little "tell" that's hard to spot...All were tampered.  I landed one legal. The great news was our sister boat was coming in through the Jetty and I spoke with my buddy and he gifted  me enough crab to make my Pa's trip out there worthwhile.  Tomorrow. ..we will be out on the boat where our pots are in 200 fow. .
It's sad that true sportsmen are suffering from one or two  offenders

Pretty sure there's little to no incentive to raid a bunch of crab traps for a few sport limits. So these people who are raiding are likely taking overlimits or are bunch of nutjob  environmentalists who are providing these crabs their freedom.

Never considered it could be some PETA folks.