POACHED at Half Moon Bay

Hey fellow kayak anglers. Took the kayak out for a quick crab/rockfish combo in Half Moon Bay in between all the bad weather we have been getting. Dropped two pots and then headed out in search of a ling near the green can. No luck on the lingcod so went back in to salvage the day with some crab. One pot was loaded and the other didn't have any... I don't know for sure if it was poached but does seem pretty fishy. Here is the video report from the day:

sounds fishy, you should check your regulations for this year crabbing your pots aren’t legal. No rotten cotton, should check it out.

Probably poached. Happens all the time up here.  It’s also possible that the door was propped open and the bait dragged out, you might consider weighing down the doors.

And as mentioned, you need to modify the traps those aren’t legal.  Snip off the hooks that hold the door in place, use a rubber band and a section of single strand 120# untreated cotton and a plastic hook to hold the door in place. 

Don’t google rotten cotton.  You’ve been warned.

Probably poached. Happens all the time up here.  It’s also possible that the door was propped open and the bait dragged out, you might consider weighing down the doors.

And as mentioned, you need to modify the traps those aren’t legal.  Snip off the hooks that hold the door in place, use a rubber band and a section of single strand 120# untreated cotton and a plastic hook to hold the door in place. 

Don’t google rotten cotton.  You’ve been warned.

Should he even remove the video?

Probably poached. Happens all the time up here.  It’s also possible that the door was propped open and the bait dragged out, you might consider weighing down the doors.

And as mentioned, you need to modify the traps those aren’t legal.  Snip off the hooks that hold the door in place, use a rubber band and a section of single strand 120# untreated cotton and a plastic hook to hold the door in place. 

Don’t google rotten cotton.  You’ve been warned.

Should he even remove the video?

I checked out his YouTube channel.  He’s got 17k subscribers and at least a couple other videos with improperly rigged traps including an instructional video on how to rig a trap.

It’s up to him  if he wants to delete it.  An instructional video with a properly rigged trap is probably a good idea. More people see his videos than see this thread by a multiple of 150.

Looks like he has a cooton on the top of the trap without the ring. Looks legal.

Looks like he has a cooton on the top of the trap without the ring. Looks legal.

Good eye.  Not only is the ring gone but he bent the shit out of it, presumably to get the opening to 5”.  I missed that.  My mistake.

The door still needs to be attached with a rubber band and some rotten cotton and the hooks should be cut off. He should add some weights to the doors. Should pull the video down but it’s up to him.

The traps in the video have a 5" gap with "rotten cotton".  Isn't that enough? 

"Crab  traps  must  contain  at  least  one  destruct  device  made  from  a single  strand  of  untreated cotton twine"

I don't see anything in the reg where both door latch AND a 5" gap both need to be done.  I'm looking at getting into crabbing and am curious as I eyeball my trap with a set of wire cutters...

Thanks!

Sandwg

https://www.google.com/amp/s/californiaoutdoors.wordpress.com/2016/11/03/new-dungeness-crab-trap-regulations-in-place/amp/

here’s the article the article I found.

I appreciate the feedback from all the anglers on this forum with many more years of experience than I do. As stated above, I do have the single strand of untreated cotton twine on the top of the crab trap and I have bent the opening to ensure the diameter is 5 inches wide. I have reviewed the regulations on the following link and I believe my traps would be legal according to what is outlined there:

https://nrm.dfg.ca.gov/FileHandler.ashx?DocumentID=150181&inline

If my understanding is incorrect, please let me know. I do like to be informative in my videos and would hate to be using something that others would copy and then be subject to a fine. If I have missed something than I am sure others have too and I would be happy to clarify in another video so that everyone can be better informed.

Poached??? Maybe you just placed it in a unproductive spot.

More like a clickbait title for this thread and vid.

That area is heavily fished. Its common to have an empty trap.

With that bait trap completely empty. My guess would be a door some how stayed open.

Alex

With that bait trap completely empty. My guess would be a door some how stayed open.

Alex

+1